Wunggurrwil Ngitj – strong together – Wadawurrung and Melbourne Water Partnership

Guided by Wunggurrwil Ngitj – strong together, Wadawurrung and Melbourne Water continued to strengthen their partnership with activities and outcomes aligned with Paleert Tjaara Dja – Lets make Country good together Country Plan.

The past year has seen many steps and activities in koling wada-ngal walking together between Melbourne Water and Wadawurrung. Wadawurrung continue to work towards and achieve their Country plan goals in caring for Wadawurrung Dja (country) Yaluks (water) and skies, and sharing Wadawurrung culture.

‘Walking on Wadawurrung Dja’ together at the new Western Treatment Plant (WTP) Education Centre 

We began the year coming together in July 2024 to celebrate and launch the Western Treatment Plant Education Centre, a collaboration between Melbourne Water and Wadawurrung artist Chloe Chatterton in designing the interiors of the new Education Centre. Chloe’s imagery transformed the space which was adapted from ‘Walking on Wadawurrung Dja’, her beautiful artwork which is part of the Wunggurrwil Ngitj – strong together, Wadawurrung and Melbourne Water partnership agreement. Through her art, Chloe shares Wadawurrung continuing connections and culture with students. Learning about Yalkus (waterways) and Wadawurrung connections, stories and care of the cultural landscape around them through art, animation and digital story telling. Chloe’s narrative is mirrored through the new ‘Future Water Story’ experience – that water is valuable, is living entity and is the heartbeat of all things, that needs to be cared for, now and for generations to come.

This partnership will not only enrich the visitor experience and deepen our connection to Wadawurrung Country but will also leave a lasting legacy and provide a culturally safe space for Wadawurrung to use for future gatherings and meetings.

Karrkiyn Warbulloc (Lava Stone Plains – Wadawurrung Country) 

Wadawurrung, in partnership with Melbourne Water and Corangamite CMA, have been planning the Karrikyn Warbolluc (Lava Stone Plains – Wadawurrung Country) project within the Port Phillip and Western Port Region to improve the condition and extent of the grassland plains by: 

• Reinstating cultural land management practices across Wadawurrung Inland Country to improve the condition and extent of the grassland plains. 
• Working with both public and private land managers across the remnant grasslands, Wadawurrung’s Gobata Dja (Caring for Country) and Wiyn Murrup (fire spirit) teams to deliver cultural burning, weed management and habitat restoration activities. 
• Protecting species like the Plains Wanderer (Pedionomus torquatu) and Victorian Grassland Earless Dragon (Tympanocryptis pinguicolla).

During recent pre burn grassland monitoring at the Western Treatment Plant, the Gobata Dja team made an exciting discovery: a Fat-tailed Dunnart — a tiny marsupial recently listed as threatened. These creatures thrive in areas with plenty of bare earth — something cultural burns help create.

By restoring the land through Traditional Owner-led cultural burning, we’ll see big improvements in the health of our grasslands. And with ongoing monitoring, we can track this success and keep planning for an even better future for biodiversity.

Co-delivered Stretch RAP celebration at WTP 

In May 2025 Wadawurrung and Melbourne Water co-hosted an event to celebrate our inaugural Stretch Reconciliation Plan (RAP).

Held at the Western Treatment Plant on Wadawurrung Country, the day featured ceremony, presentations, handover of the Wadawurrung Fire Truck and a cultural tour of Ryan’s Swamp.

With the Wurdi Youang (You Yangs) as our backdrop, Cultural Educator and Traditional Owner Ask Skinner led us on a tour of Wadawurrung Country where we learnt about kinship systems, markers of Country, geological and migration events and their links to songlines and story.

Managing Director Nerina Di Lorenzo, on behalf of Melbourne Water, was honoured to be presented with a cultural gift from the Wadawurrung Elders group to acknowledge support of their possum skin cloak project. The framed gift showcased an engraved possum skin, decorative weaving and message stick.

The Reconciliation Action Plan (RAP) is a living commitment that will shape how Melbourne Water walk alongside Traditional Owners and First Peoples in caring for Country and committing to self-determined reconciliation outcomes.

Mapping biodiversity with eDNA and Seagrass restoration research 

Wadawurrung along with Bunurong Land Council, Deakin University and Melbourne Water have been investigating biodiversity in soft sediments within the Port Phillip Bay. The project uses eDNA techniques to understand what animals are living in the sand and below.

Wadawurrung Water and Country Officers underwent training and certification in eDNA sampling. All sampling has been completed at Werribee River sites (4), coastal sites (11) and bay sites (70+ sites) in Spring 2024. The 4 Werribee sites were completed as part of the training program and data have been provided to Wadawurrung by EnviroDNA. Along with building knowledge of biodiversity at sites of importance to Wadawurrung, the project provides an opportunity for Traditional Owners to lead eDNA biodiversity surveys for future projects.

In 2024 Deakin University, Melbourne Water and Wadawurrung commenced discussions and planning for Seagrass restoration research and projects on Wadawurrung Country. The proposed research will increase understanding of seagrass seed/propagule collection, propagation and planting methods and provide opportunities for Wadawurrung to build capacity in these methods to benefit future restoration projects.

Sharing and building whole of system water knowledge through research with Traditional Owners can better address the cultural, social and environmental needs related to water and is a key priority under Wunggurrwil Ngitj – strong together, Wadawurrung and Melbourne Water’s partnership agreement.