Building Better Water Plans: Cultural Values Assessment from Adelaide River to Daly Basin
Tracks
Concurrent Room 3
| Thursday, August 6, 2026 |
| 4:30 PM - 4:50 PM |
| Concurrent Room 3 |
Overview
Kiara Ware, DLPE - Water Resources
Details
1. Co‑designed cultural values assessments strengthen water plans, but there is no single model — each community will have its own views on how these processes should work.
2. Lessons from Adelaide River provide a foundation, but approaches must be adapted for other regions based on local priorities and cultural protocols.
3. Integrating Aboriginal knowledge improves community acceptance and strengthens the knowledge base to identify what is most important to protect in each system.
Speaker
Kiara Ware
Principal Water Resource Planner
DLPE - Water Resources
Building Better Water Plans: Cultural Values Assessment from Adelaide River to Daly Basin
Presentation Overview
This presentation outlines the process used to undertake the cultural values assessment for the Adelaide River catchment and how the lessons learned are now being applied more broadly across the NT.
The Adelaide River Water Allocation Plan will incorporate the cultural values and economic interests of Aboriginal people in the catchment. Working in partnership with the Northern Land Council, the Water Resources Division has engaged with Wulna, Warrai, Kungarakan and Larrakia groups to identify the cultural values that need to be protected. The presentation will describe this co‑design process and how we are maturing in our understanding and recognition of Aboriginal interests and cultural values.
We will share early learnings on how to incorporate values Adelaide River plan to ensure cultural values are accurately represented and appropriately considered in decision‑making, drawing on what we have heard from Aboriginal people in the catchment.
The presentation will then highlight how these lessons are being applied in other water plan areas across the NT.
The Adelaide River Water Allocation Plan will incorporate the cultural values and economic interests of Aboriginal people in the catchment. Working in partnership with the Northern Land Council, the Water Resources Division has engaged with Wulna, Warrai, Kungarakan and Larrakia groups to identify the cultural values that need to be protected. The presentation will describe this co‑design process and how we are maturing in our understanding and recognition of Aboriginal interests and cultural values.
We will share early learnings on how to incorporate values Adelaide River plan to ensure cultural values are accurately represented and appropriately considered in decision‑making, drawing on what we have heard from Aboriginal people in the catchment.
The presentation will then highlight how these lessons are being applied in other water plan areas across the NT.
Biography
Since joining the NT Government has worked in a range of roles including environment protection and water management and is currently a water planner. She has a background in regulation from Queensland and Victoria, bringing a practical perspective to policy development.
The Department of Lands, Planning and Environment acknowledges and sincerely thanks all participants in the Adelaide River Cultural Water Values study, the Ti Tree Aboriginal Reference Group, and the Aboriginal members of the Adelaide River and Daly River Water Advisory Committees. Their knowledge, guidance and generosity have been invaluable in strengthening our water planning work across 2024–2026.
