Kimberley Traditional Owners on the banks of the Fitzroy River
Traditional Owners have long advocated for protection of the Martuwarra Fitzroy River and the wider Kimberley waterways, and in recent years have called for strong engagement between the WA Government and Traditional Owners on Fitzroy-Derby water planning.
Since April 2025, the Kimberley Land Council (KLC) has been working alongside Traditional Owners and the WA Department of Water and Environmental Regulation (DWER) to ensure their knowledge, values and priorities help shape the future of water management across the Fitzroy-Derby plan area.
The engagement process has provided an important opportunity for Traditional Owners to speak up about what water means to their communities, Country and future generations, and to advocate for a greater role in decisions about how Kimberley waters are managed and protected.
Throughout the process, Traditional Owners and KLC have maintained that the Phase One recommendations developed in 2025 remain a standing body of work. These recommendations have been further developed through 2026, including KLC's comprehensive submission on the draft Fitzroy-Derby water resource management plan and continued work with the Water Working Group.
After 18 months of engagement, Kimberley Traditional Owners have made their priorities clear. Now the focus must turn to ensuring their voices translate into genuine influence, shared decision-making and long-term protection of Kimberley waters.
Priorities
In early October, the engagement process reached an important milestone with a final Prescribed Body Corporate (PBC) Water Forum held in Fitzroy Crossing.
The forum was attended by the newly appointed Minister for Water, the Hon Daniel Pastorelli MLA, and Member for Kimberley Divina D’Anna MLA. Traditional Owners shared the importance of water to Kimberley Aboriginal people and discussed the priority actions needed to strengthen the final water resource management plan.
Kimberley Traditional Owners with DWER staff, Minister Daniel Pastorelli and Divina D’Anna at PBC Water Forum held in Fitzroy Crossing in October
Six key priorities were reinforced:
1. Shared decision-making: Establish a statutory committee with at least 50 per cent Traditional Owner representation and shared decision-making authority, including a role in water licensing assessments.
2. Sustainable water allocations: Set allocation limits at no more than 40 per cent of estimated rainfall recharge, supported by improved scientific assessments and the adoption of further Traditional Owner recommendations.
3. An Aboriginal Water Holding: Establish an Aboriginal Water Holding equivalent to 50 per cent of the general allocation component, with governance and management arrangements designed by Traditional Owners and supported by adequate funding. Traditional Owners must retain the right to use their water or leave it in the system without penalty.
4. Limits on individual licences: Cap individual water licences at 3 gigalitres (GL), preferably in smaller staged allocations, with larger applications referred to the statutory committee for advice.
5. Protection of surface water: Proclaim all surface water within the plan area to ensure appropriate licensing requirements apply and provide stronger protections for surface water resources.
6. A Fitzroy Management Plan: Develop a Fitzroy Management Plan that considers land use, economic development and water use together, with Traditional Owner values at its centre.
Minister Daniel Pastorelli and KLC CEO Tyronne Garstone
Moving Forward
While the past 18 months have delivered important progress through engagement with DWER, if the implementation is not done well and co-designed by with Traditional Owners, it will be wasted. Traditional Owners must have the resources, authority and ongoing support to participate as genuine partners in water governance.
The KLC is seeking continued government leadership and commitment to working alongside Kimberley Traditional Owners to put these priorities into action and secure the long-term health of the region's waterways. The work cannot stop once the water resource management plan is finalised.
A genuine partnership would create opportunities to jointly implement Traditional Owner recommendations, develop the Fitzroy Management Plan, support Government commitments under Closing the Gap and the Aboriginal Empowerment Strategy, align with the new National Water Agreement and progress broader water law reform.
Kimberley waters must be protected for future generations. Traditional Owners must have a genuine say in decisions about their future.
The Kimberley cannot afford to repeat the mistakes of overallocation and water mismanagement seen elsewhere in Western Australia and nationally.
Healthy water and healthy Country underpin human health, cultural practice, community wellbeing and a strong regional economy. Protecting these values requires long-term thinking, responsible water management and recognition of the rights, knowledge and aspirations of Traditional Owners.
The engagement process has laid important foundations and now, the State Government must work with Traditional Owners to ensure their recommendations lead to meaningful change.