Chris Chesterfield: The waterways of the West are diverse. They're incredibly unique. There's a history of thousands of generations of a relationship between those waterways and the Wurundjeri people and the Wadawurrung people.
Much of that relationship has been really badly disturbed. There has been a transformation in the past and there's a transformation that's occurring now. The population in the West is sitting at around 900,000 at the moment. It's going to something like 1.9 million over the next couple of decades and the waterways in the West are very vulnerable to all the sorts of development pressures that occur.
[On-screen text: Chris Chesterfield, Chair of the Waterways of the West Advisory Committee]
One of the concerns has been that there is, perhaps, a lack of a community voice in influencing, planning and decision making. We’re here to work with an assembly of community representatives who've been given this task of developing a vision for the waterways of the West. This idea of a vision is that it becomes a way of guiding long-term planning and decision making.
[On-screen text: Frank, Waterways of the West Community Assembly]
Frank: When this came up, I was like, that would be amazing because I actually get to provide a vision for 50 years later and I'll be here around to see that and experience, hopefully the amazing changes that we implement.
[On-screen text: Jacqui, Waterways of the West Community Assembly]
Jacqui: The community assembly ended up being amazing because it just, kind of reengaged me on a lot of levels. I think it made me more passionate about water, our waterways, the environment and it just inspired me, I guess, as well, to be a part of something that was bigger than myself.
[On-screen text: Ricardo, Waterways of the West Community Assembly]
Ricardo: I am really happy to be here. Participating in this is something that I think is a good thing.
[On-screen text: James, Waterways of the West Community Assembly]
James: When I first went along, I thought to myself, oh, it's just another government sit down, tick a box exercise, but I'm actually confident, these people that are here, they're not just going to go back and go, here you go, this is what the community says. I reckon they're going to go back and say, this is what community wants and we'll stand here, looking over your shoulder until you deliver.
Jacqui: Hearing from Traditional Owners, I think that's been a really, really positive part of the experience, for me, personally, as well, because I've just learnt so much and gained a much deeper appreciation for the fact that they really are the custodians of the land.
Chris: It's really important that we understand the Wurundjeri and Wadawurrung traditional knowledge, their traditional values and we incorporate their way of thinking and their relationship with these environments into the recommendations we make about future management and governance of these waterways.
[On-screen text: Melinda Kennedy, Wadawurrung Traditional Owner]
Melinda Kennedy: By looking what is needed, what has been lost, what was actually in there in the first place, we can do something to restore this.
[On-screen text: Uncle Dave Wandin, Wurundjeri Woi wurrung Elder]
Uncle Dave Wandin: You can see the middens further upstream where we used to collect mussels out of this river. I don't think you'll find mussels in here anymore. Let's fix it now. Before it gets any worse.
[On-screen text: John Forrester, Werribee Riverkeeper]
John Forrester: Speaking with all of the participants from all walks of life, across the West, has just promised so much hope and future involvement by the community in their waterways and it issues a challenge to legislators, politicians, developers and others in the West, that we need these waterways to be really good places.
Student: Students would like to see government of all levels collaborate to manage town planning in such a way to minimise harm to waterways, for people and nature. The decision is in your hands to create a future for the better.
Page last updated: 22/11/23