Scientists and Elders collaborate on river health

Traditional and modern science came together recently on the banks of the Peel River near Tamworth NSW with local high school students learning about caring for Country from Local elders and participating in hands-on activities with WaterNSW scientists to make rivers healthier.

Electrofishing, autonomous monitoring boats and seed bombing were some of the educational activities on offer for students when WaterNSW, Tamworth Local Aboriginal Land Council, Walaaybaa Rangers and Junior Rangers co-hosted the environmental education day.

Students from Tamworth, Peel, Oxley and Farrer Memorial Agricultural high schools in Tamworth joined Water NSW scientists, local Elders and the rangers at the site of two of 50 snags installed by Water NSW in the Peel River.

The snags were installed as part of environmental offsets for the Chaffey Dam to Dungowan pipeline project in 2020. They provide a habitat for Murray Cod and Silver Perch, both nationally threatened species, as well as platypus, rakali and other aquatic life.

Students and teachers praised the value of experiencing hands-on activities outside the classroom, and interacting with WaterNSW scientists and other experts to learn about the snagging project as well as future career paths.

“The highlight of today is getting our kids outside the classroom and down on the river, being able to engage, see and touch how these projects work, and seeing the level of interaction the kids have had,” Ben Bowman, Agriculture teacher, Peel High School, said.

“They’re absorbing far more being out here on the river learning rather than sitting in the classroom reading in a textbook. You can see it by the engagement they have – you could almost hear a pin drop in some of those talks, and for me that’s so exciting.”

Zach Vidler, a Year 10 Peel High School, said it was important to be in Culture because as an indigenous man he always been connected to Country.

“I was always taught ‘look after Country, and it will look after you’ so I really take that to heart and that’s what I do. I’ve been finding today really interesting, seeing how all the different machines and how different fishing, works,” he said.

Students and teachers praised the value of experiencing hands-on activities outside the classroom, and interacting with WaterNSW scientists and other experts to learn about the snagging project as well as future career paths.

“The highlight of today is getting our kids outside the classroom and down on the river, being able to engage, see and touch how these projects work, and seeing the level of interaction the kids have had,” Ben Bowman, Agriculture teacher, Peel High School, said.

“They’re absorbing far more being out here on the river learning rather than sitting in the classroom reading in a textbook. You can see it by the engagement they have – you could almost hear a pin drop in some of those talks, and for me that’s so exciting.”

WaterNSW General Manager Regional Operations North, Michelle Yeaman, said Water NSW was delighted to partner with Traditional owners to jointly deliver the environmental educational session.

“We’ve worked closely with our partners to co-design an approach to increase education, training, procurement and employment opportunities as part of project delivery, and help improve upon the social, economic and cultural outcomes for the Tamworth First Nations community,” Michelle said.
“Gali (water) is extremely sacred to our culture and it’s inspiring to be a part of such a worthwhile learning opportunity for our young people, ” Walaaybaa Junior Rangers Program Project Coordinator, Jolene Faint, said.

“Building partnerships such as this amazing opportunity to collaborate with WaterNSW, will benefit the outcomes of future generations for years to come.”

Local First Nations business Indigico Creative was engaged to produce digital illustrations for the education booklet provided to students, as well as making a storytelling video to showcase the day.

As part of the partnership with Tamworth LALC, the Walaaybaa Rangers cleared vegetation from the site and provided catering for lunch.

WaterNSW completed the installation of 50 snags from reclaimed hardwood trees along a 45- kilometre section of the Peel River between Chaffey Dam and Tamworth in mid-2024.

A snag is an often naturally occurring partially or fully submerged trunk in a river that provides a habitat for a variety of vulnerable and native wildlife. Snags for this project were sourced from trees already removed to build the New England Solar project at Uralla.

The re-snagging is part of a package of biodiversity offsets to mitigate the impacts from the temporary operation of the Chaffey Dam to Dungowan pipeline completed by WaterNSW in 2020 to increase water security for Tamworth, Moonbi and Kootingal during drought.

Work will start in early 2025 to install self-cleaning pump screens to protect native fish eggs and other aquatic species, and protect essential infrastructure from debris damage. WaterNSW will also be monitoring fish numbers and other populations in the area for the next five years as part of the biodiversity offset plan.