As I drift back through the years and think about my fishing in the Murrumbidgee, I can only say that it may not have been heaven, but  it was next door. — Noel Denson, Tumut

We are thrilled to be able to link you to the new True Tales of the Trout Cod website and publications.  Our team has been working on this project for the past nine months and we are delighted with what we have been able to develop.

Few people today can envisage the bountiful fish life that once existed throughout Australia’s Murray–Darling Basin. To get a true picture we have to look to the past, and Will Trueman has done just that with “True Tales of the Trout Cod”. This amazing collection of family stories and accounts of fish in different regions of the Basin, is combined with journal entries of notable explorers and settlers, rare and obscure historical references, newspaper articles and photographs from local families.

“True Tales” is an invaluable piece of work that provides a greater understanding of the fish and our rivers in the past, and the changes since European settlement.

Individual river histories have been developed into booklets for the Murrumbidgee, Goulburn, Lachlan, Mitta Mitta, Upper Murray and Lower Murray.  These booklets can be freely downloaded or hard copies ordered from the MDBA.  There are also twelve videos featuring Will talking about each of the different river histories, as well as stories about Aboriginal fish management and what Will believes are the opportunities and challenges for MDB communities, both human and ecological.

We hope you enjoy this collection of material.   We have created a range of different communication products to appeal to different audiences.  Please share them widely, as the knowledge Will gives so freely will become  enriched with the insights and experiences of others.

If you are coming to the 6th Australian Stream Management Conference please drop in and see us at our display stand as we will have all the products from the project freely available.

Siwan, Nerida, Richard, Vikki, Will, Melissa, Phil, Heleena and Allison

True Tales of the Trout Cod

 
The Australian Government is providing support to Greening Australia to facilitate biodiversity restoration workshops across the country.  These workshops will focus on  establishing biodiverse plantings throughout the landscape, as well as providing communities with the most up to date methods for reintroducing and managing biodiversity.

Importantly, the workshops will help maximise the outcomes of existing and new natural resource management and environmental programs such as the Clean Energy Future’s Biodiversity Fund.  For more information about workshop content, dates and locations click here.

Siwan

Don’t forget that the ARRC is running an interactive seminar on using narrative and story on the 7th of February -  we will have film-maker Richard Snashall and social network specialist Graham Durant-Law joining Nerida and myself to share the ways  narrative can be used in NRM.

I am also giving a keynote presentation on the Wednesday the 8th of Feb focusing on the impact ‘Managing for Extremes’ can have on people and communities, and what that means for the work and approaches we take as NRM practitioners.  We will also have a display stand and I am organising to get a number of Land & Water Australia publications to distribute so bring along a bag!  Hope to see you at the conference.

Siwan

We are ending 2011 reasonably cheery as we believe what we are doing is worthwhile and we love working with people who are passionate about our rivers.  Rest, refresh and reinvigorate yourselves over the Christmas break and we look forward to working with you in 2012.

We would like to say a particular thanks to those that have worked as part of the ARRC team over the past year – Vikki Bell, Allison Mortlock, Melissa Gabelle, Matt Moore, Peter Rennie, Graham Durant-Law, Richard Snashall, Bruce Boyes, Sandra DeSouza, Phil Price, Ian Rutherfurd, Peter Davies (WA) and Leith Boully.

Siwan and Nerida

Oh to have a large amount of funding to enable us to reinvigorate great knowledge sharing products like the NRM Navigator, NRM e-Base (both developed through the former Knowledge for Regional NRM Program) and a new River Rap (based on the old National Riparian Lands R&D Program RipRap) publication. We would welcome any ideas on how we can secure funding for these products as we are finding that most funding ‘buckets’ tend not to cover maintaining and building relationships and networks, or supporting ongoing resources for science and research knowledge sharing infrastructure.

If we could get these products back out and doing what they do best – sharing knowledge, fostering relationships and building networks, the ARRC could have a secure future. If you have any input, ideas on how we can make this happen please get in touch with us.  You might also like to think about sponsoring the first edition of River Rap which could feature work you and your organisations are doing.

Siwan and Nerida

The workshop brought together people from  non-government, government, and research organisations with an interest in exploring the role that water trusts can play in the future management of environmental water assets and focused on the following four areas:
1. Describe the water trust models that currently operate in Australia;
2. Identify the advantages and shortcomings of existing water trust models;
3. Understand the challenges, opportunities and capacities of water trusts; and
4. Discuss key features of future regional water trust models that connect government, community and business.

It was a great day with lots of lively conversation and a positive ‘vibe’ which was terrific to be a part of.  Mark Siebentritt (Healthy Rivers Australia), Deb Nias (Murray-Darling Wetlands Limited)  and colleagues are now going to prepare a paper summarising the issues and opportunities identified in the workshop, so please stay in touch with the ARRC to hear what comes next in the Water Trust story.

If you would like to learn more about the Water Trust Alliance follow this link and scroll down the page the link takes you to, to find more information about this group.

Siwan

* Water Trust Alliance members are  Australian Conservation Foundation, Murray-Darling Association, Murray Darling Wetlands Limited, Nature Foundation of SA, Healthy Rivers Australia, and the Environmental Water Trust established by Nature Conservation Council NSW.

The workshop was sponsored by Commonwealth Environmental Water, Murray-Darling Basin Authority and Murray-Darling Wetlands Limited

The Living Murray story also highlights the people behind the program and contains quotes from some of the many people who have worked to make the vision of the program a reality.

This book will be of interest to those who continue to use, visit, or be inspired by this great river.  It is freely available as a hardcopy and you can order it by following this ‘Living Murray Story’ link.