Traditional Owner led monitoring projects
Gidarjil inshore marine water quality monitoring: Belbendimun Wulgun Djan (Caring for sea Country)
We would like to acknowledge the Byellee, Gooreng Gooreng, Gurang, Taribelang Bunda and Butchulla Traditional Owners of the area of sea Country that this case study relates to. We pay our respects to Elders past, present and emerging.
The Inshore Water Quality Monitoring project, led by the Gidjaril Development Corporation and funded by the Queensland Reef Water Quality Program, is supporting Traditional Owners to undertake marine water quality monitoring at 15 inshore marine sites in the Burnett Mary region, helping to validate eReefs marine modelling.
Gidarjil Indigenous Land and Sea Rangers work on their sea Country and that of the neighbouring Butchulla nation (with Butchulla Indigenous Land and Sea Ranger involvement), monitoring its health and fostering knowledge sharing between their community, their Butchulla nation neighbours, national and international researchers, Indigenous groups and other government agencies.
The project supports employment while developing a pathway to self-determination, self-governance and enhancing the strong connection between Country and culture within the region.
It also addresses major knowledge gaps on water quality within the Port Curtis Coral Coast Traditional Use of Marine Resources Agreement region that were identified in the development of the Gidarjil Sea Country Management Plan 2019–2025.