Gunai Kurnai Land and Water Aboriginal Corporation partnership

Key successes for the year mostly relate to future planning. This includes identifying funding support for partnership, considering review of partnership commitments, booking cultural awareness training, arranging site visits and tours and continuing research work on eels in the Thomson River.

Regular meetings and discussions for 2025-26 and Price Submission 26 

During the 2024-25 Gunai Kurnai Land and Water Aboriginal Corporation (GLaWAC) and Melbourne Water met several times to discuss progressing the partnership. It was evident that without funding support GLaWAC cannot resource the time required to make real progress. In May and June 2025, discussions took place about the resources required for partnership work. Details were shared regarding the next pricing period and how the funding could be structured to allow progression of partnership priorities.

Review of partnership commitments 

GLaWAC and Melbourne Water have agreed to review partnership commitments in 2025. This will allow both parties to establish some focus projects for the Price Submission 26 period. This was discussed as a plan for the five-year pricing to allow for larger and smaller outcomes to be scheduled appropriately.

Continued interest in research and freshwater ecology 

A continuation of previous work has been taking place with GLaWAC doing eel research and preparing for freshwater investigations. This is supported by West Gippsland CMA and Melbourne Water’s environmental water team. GLaWAC have also completed eDNA sampling training and will utilise this skill in contracted survey work.