Lachlan Aboriginal Natural Resource Management Group

Condobolin is a country town of some 3500 people in New’s Central West, located very close to the geographic centre of NSW. It is approximately 463 km west of Sydney at the junction of the Lachlan River and Goobang Creek, 189 m above sea-level. Wool, wheat, sheep, cattle, fruit and mixed farming are the economic mainstays of this red-soil plains district.

Prior to white occupation the area was inhabited by the Wiradjuri people. It is from their language that the town's name derives, said to mean 'hop bush', or 'hop brush'.

In a unique event the Condobolin Rural Lands Protection Board (RLPB), Lachlan Shire Council, the Lachlan Catchment Management Authority and Murie Elders signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) returning responsibility for the management of the site to the local Aboriginal community.

The Murie Reserve Site is a section of land approximately 5 hectares in area. It was formerly an Aboriginal settlement and has significant cultural heritage value. The MOU provides the Condobolin Aboriginal Community with access to the historic site to enable them to care for Country and commence natural resource management activities. This will provide employment for local people to restore the natural environment so that the cultural significance of the area is maintained.

Different types of native grasses, scrub and trees will be planted at the site which is currently neglected and contains areas of noxious weeds.

This will also provide the Murie Aboriginal Community with a venue for cultural tourism activities that they will develop. In the 1970s the fringe dwellings at the Murie site were removed and the Aboriginal people were moved to other locations.
The site was then zoned as a Travelling Stock Reserve (TSR) and has since been managed by the Condobolin Rural Lands Protection Board (RLPB). The Condobolin Aboriginal Reference Group identified the Murie Reserve Site as one with the potential to be managed by local people. Lachlan Catchment Management Authority and Department of Natural Resources staff facilitated meetings between Lachlan Shire Council, Murie Elders and the Condobolin Rural Lands Protection Board to develop the MOU. This project demonstrates the value that can be gained through partnerships between Local Government, Aboriginal communities, Government departments and service providers.”

Webmaster Scott Turnbull