Acknowledgement
The department acknowledges the Traditional Owners and Custodians of the lands, water and sea country and pays respect to Elders past, present, and future leaders. We recognise Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples’ unique cultural and spiritual relationships to place and their rich contribution to society.
We show our respect through thoughtful and collaborative approaches to our work. We seek to demonstrate our ongoing commitment to providing places where Aboriginal peoples and communities are included socially, culturally and economically to self-determine their own futures.
About Regional Aboriginal Water Committees
01 July 2026
The NSW Government is committed to working in genuine partnership with Aboriginal peoples to support cultural, social, environmental and economic outcomes in water management.
Regional Aboriginal Water Committees (RAWCs) were established in 2023 to strengthen Aboriginal input into water planning and program delivery across NSW and help shape the NSW Aboriginal Water Strategy.
Through an expression of interest process, Aboriginal community members were engaged to provide advice, share cultural knowledge and bring community perspectives into water management.
Over their 3 years of operation, RAWCs contributed to a range of water planning and policy processes, helping to embed Aboriginal values and priorities into government decision-making.
RAWCs concluded on 30 June 2026 as the Aboriginal Water Program transitions to its next phase.
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Artist acknowledgement: Nathan Peckham
As a proud Tubba-gah man from Dubbo in the Wiradjuri Nation, I respectfully acknowledge all nations which the NSW DCCEEW operates on. I acknowledge this artwork will be viewed off my home country of the Tubba-gah people and therefore ask you accept this artwork as an offering on behalf of my family as a gesture of continuing the legacy of the knowledge of our ancestors.
I would also like to pay respect to all traditional custodians of the country whose ancestral lands we all walk upon. I thank the Elders for their wisdom, courage, and sacrifice and pledge my commitment to preserving their legacy for future generations.
- Nathan Peckham