The Victorian government has announced the return of water rights to the Gunaikurnai traditional owners. 

For millennia, Indigenous Australians have relied on water for sustenance, fishing, and cleansing. However, since the era of colonisation, Indigenous communities have had limited involvement in water resource management. 

Current Native Title legislation lacks a clear provision granting rights to extract or manage water, except for small quantities intended for cultural purposes.

In November 2020, after years of advocacy,  the Gunaikurnai Land and Waters Aboriginal Corporation (GLaWAC) received two gigalitres of unallocated water in East Gippsland's Mitchell River. 

The latest announcement by the Victorian government includes the allocation of more water to the Gunaikurnai traditional owners, with licences granted for Buchan Munji (200 megalitres) and the Tambo River (500 megalitres).

GLaWAC CEO Daniel Miller has stressed the profound importance of this decision, describing it as one piece of a complex puzzle aimed at empowering First Nations people as land managers and future custodians. 

With this allocation, GLaWAC gains the ability to self-determine how the water is used. 

However, Miller says the group will take a cautious approach, focusing initially on preserving the natural environment.

The Victorian Government says it acknowledges and respects the profound cultural, spiritual, and economic ties that traditional owners have to their lands, waters, and resources. 

The action is part of the broader 'Water is Life’ initiative.