On 7 December 2023 Heritage New South Wales (NSW) issued the Murray–Darling Basin Authority with a new Aboriginal Heritage Impact Permit (AHIP) for Lake Victoria (Tar-Ru). The permit allows for the ongoing use and management of the Lake as a water storage facility in conjunction with associated management activities.
A signing ceremony took place on Country at the Lake Victoria (Tar-Ru) Keeping Place in late November 2023, with representatives from the MDBA, Heritage NSW, NSW Department of Planning and Environment (NSW DPE), South Australian Water (SA Water), local landholders, and members from the Barkandji Native Title PBC and the Barkindji–Maraura Elders Council (BMEC).
The basis of the Lake Victoria (Tar-Ru) AHIP is to ensure that damage to Aboriginal heritage from the operation and maintenance of the Lake is minimised and prevented where possible. The permit also enables the MDBA and its partners to continue to work with the Barkindji and Maraura people to undertake heritage conservation activities, as well as facilitate research for Aboriginal people to learn more about their heritage in this significance place.
The new permit is for a greater area than the previous permit, covering all the land and water at Lake Victoria (Tar-Ru) that is maintained, operated, and managed by the Joint Venture governments (Australian Government, New South Wales, Victoria and South Australia).
Murray–Darling Basin Authority River Management Executive Director Andrew Reynolds said the MDBA is proud to continue to work with our partners in preserving Lake Victoria's (Tar-Ru) Aboriginal cultural heritage.
The permit reflects our commitment to ongoing protection and conversation of this significant cultural landscape in collaboration with the Aboriginal community.
Andrew Reynolds
Executive Director River Management, MDBA
MDBA Environmental Assets Director Natalie Dando attended the signing and said it was a privilege to be involved in the program of works at Lake Victoria (Tar-Ru) and the continued collaboration between the Barkindji and Maraura people, neighbouring landholders, and Joint Venture governments.
“Lake Victoria (Tar-Ru) has been, and continues to be, a place of exceptionally high spiritual and Cultural significance to Aboriginal people, particularly the Barkindji and Maraura people,” Natalie said.
“There is extensive evidence of Aboriginal occupation at Lake Victoria spanning across 28,000 years through the presence of large numbers of Aboriginal heritage including burials, middens, fireplaces, scarred trees and stone artefacts.”
With the finalisation of the permit complete, work will now begin to develop a new Cultural Landscape Plan of Management, which will outline how to minimise impacts on Aboriginal Cultural Heritage at Lake Victoria (Tar-Ru).
This will be achieved by the continued collaborative efforts of the Barkindji and Maraura people, NSW DPE, SA Water, Heritage NSW and neighbouring landholders who are passionate about ensuring the preservation of the significant Cultural Landscape of Lake Victoria (Tar-Ru) for generations to come.
The Barkindji–Maraura Elders Council (BMEC) have a long association with Cultural heritage management at Lake Victoria (Tar-Ru). The BMEC members are Barkindji and Maraura people who are descendants of Lake Victoria (Tar-Ru) Aboriginal people or who have an interest in and historic ties to the area.