The progress of Aboriginal water rights & interests in the Murray-Darling Basin in NSW: An essential element of culture

The traditional knowledge of Aboriginal Senior Law men and women holds the key to the comprehension and implementation of Aboriginal laws, such knowledge is immersed with the creation story of water sources, its use and why many water sources are considered sacred, and respectively affirms that the spiritual relationship of being part of country remains integral to Aboriginal peoples in Australia; despite the significant political and social events heaved upon the lives of Aboriginal communities. Aboriginal property interests in water does not diminish Aboriginal values, more broadly, the reality is that water remains more than a utilitarian resource to Aboriginal peoples. This sacredness of water remains a formative force in shaping the identity and values of Aboriginal peoples, underpinning Aboriginal relation- ships within an Aboriginal environment. The nurture of water landscapes by Aboriginal communities holds meaning and purpose; which in turn creates certainty through fulfillment of obligations to country. These relationships lie within an Aboriginal concept whereby Aborigi- nal laws determine that water is inseparable from the land.