Council’s River Connections Program wins National Award

MEDIA RELEASE 26 October 2022

Council’s River Connections program has won the Indigenous Recognition category of the 2022 National Awards for Local Government.

River Connections is a nature-based program to connect school students with the Macquarie Wambuul River. It includes a program of hands-on activities to learn about the river from a range of perspectives, including Wiradyuri culture, science, geography, and arts. Council partnered with the Wiradyuri Elders and Traditional Owners of Wiradyuri Traditional Owners Central West Aboriginal Corporation, who deliver the cultural education sessions in the program.

Mayor Robert Taylor said the program has been enthusiastically received by teachers, students, and the community.

“In the first 18 months of the program, 325 students from six schools across the Bathurst region have participated in the program,” he said

“Students have been very creative, coming up with projects to help look after the river, including footpath signage, animations, a board game and even a podcast”.

Yanhadarrambal Uncle Jade Flynn said the students of this generation have so much respect and curiosity for our culture.

“It’s amazing how much information they were able to relay back to us in the form of their projects and reflections,” he said.

“With an army of River Warriors the health of the waterways is in good hands. This project and subsequent award would never of happened without the foresight and the respect shown to us and for our culture of Alice Blackwood from the Environment Team at Council.

“Congratulations Alice and congratulations to the rest of the team of the River connections project but most of all congratulations to all of the students who have participated and all of the students who will, we hope this will be an ongoing program.”

The River Connections project is proudly supported by the NSW Government through its Environmental Trust.

ENDS Media contact: Media Officer