Yesterday DEG's Virginia Robinson Welcomed Dugald Saunders MP to Gamilaraay Country & Walgett beside Namoi River where the community held a funeral for the river back in March 2019. The Minister for Ag. & Western NSW announced a new Aboriginal Ranger program for the Local Land Services.

Observing protocols, NW Regional Councillor Anne Dennis NSW Aboriginal Land Council spoke next, urging the Minister to implement the 5 NSW #CTG priorities which include building the capacity of local ACCOs like DEG & LALCs to undertake effective local service delivery in communities like Walgett.

Min. Saunders announced the new NSW LLS Aboriginal Ranger program, explained how it will employ 16 trainees & offer permanent jobs after their training completed, & intent to collaborate with DEG's River Rangers - who attended with DEG's Clem Dodd, NSW LLS staff & min. advisor.

Bow Simpson has returned safely from the Amazing Race AU. He was happy to pose here with Gizelle Taunton after her introduction this morning to Dharriwaa Elders Group & our work with Yuwaya Ngarra-li: 'Vision'. She works with Dept Regional NSW as a "Change Agent" Community Co-ord Officer.

Learn about DEG with Aboriginal Legal Service's nifty Yuwaya Ngarra-li: 'Vision' Dealing with Fines program - & why ACCOs are best to do it. We're smashing Walgett fine debt! Couldn't be proving this innovative service without publicly available data & philanthropic support youtu.be/fU9PCAx1p0Q?si…

1/6 The first Walgett gali water kiosk incorporates a bespoke reverse osmosis unit that was designed & assembled pro-bono by Bruce Atkinson of Beca Group and installed by HL Mullane & Son with the support of the Mullane Foundation.

2/6 It was installed at DEG to provide Walgett community with free access to chilled, safe drinking water ie water that community can be confident is suitable for people with existing chronic diseases to safely consume & will not contribute to the development of chronic disease.

3/6 DEG & Walgett AMS Health are working together to ensure many more free drinking water kiosks are installed in high public use areas of Walgett - we think further demonstrating our #PublicHealth leadership.

4/6 As Christine Corby AM, CEO of Walgett AMS Health reminded us, ACCOs should not have to be providing critical public infrastructure like this so it is a sad day really, to celebrate this achievement.

5/6 Photos here show Dharriwaa Elders Group’s Ricky Townsend officially untying the ribbon at the launch, DEG’s Virginia Robinson with Mullane’s rep Taylor Jordan, Food & Water for Life project offcers Trish Tonkin and Tyrin Hickey, and the launch ceremony.

6/6 Our work to provide Walgett drinking water is made possible through DEG's Yuwaya Ngarrali partnership with UNSW, & advised by Greg Leslie UNSW Global Water Institute. It is part of the joint DEG / Walgett AMS Health / The George Institute for Global Health /UNSW Global Water Institute /Yuwaya Ngarra-li: 'Vision' Food&Water4Life project

1/5 DEG announces the Walgett River Ranger team's Weekly River Water Monitoring Results Report. We are using a traffic light system to present the results that we collect. Green light: Good Yellow light: Average Red light: Bad

2/5 Results for 27 February 2024: The pH levels at all sites are within a good range. The dissolved oxygen that has been measured at all sites are all at a dangerously low level. #Fishkills happen at levels below 3mg/L.

3/5 Electrical conductivity on Baawan River is slightly below the comfort level for some fish. The EC levels at both sites on Ngamaay River is within a good range for the fish. The temperature measured at all sites at all depths are high, but typical for this time of the year.

4/5 The river depth at both the site and the nearest gauge are at good levels for small, medium and large fish. The river flow that has been measured at the nearest gauges are good flows for the native fish in Baawan but lower and not so good for the two Ngamaay sites.

5/5 Full report and definitions: dharriwaaeldersgroup.org.au/index.php/wate…

2/5 The electrical conductivity measured at each site are all within a good range. This is good for freshwater fish. The temperature measured at each depth at each site are all within a good range. There are no extreme changes to the temperatures which is good for the fish.

3/5 The river depth measured at each site is at a good level for small, medium and large fish. The river depth at the nearest working gauge on the Baawan River is at a good level for small, medium and large fish.

4/5 The river depth at the nearest working gauge on the Ngamaay River is at a suitable level for small and medium fish but not for large fish. The flow at the nearest working gauge on the Baawan River is at good flow rate.

5/5 The flow at the nearest working gauge on the Ngamaay River is not at the expected flow. This could cause health issues for the fish. Full report and water quality definitions: dharriwaaeldersgroup.org.au/index.php/wate…