Murray–Darling Basin First Nations Enduring Water Holding Arrangements

Acknowledging Traditional Owners of the Murray—Darling Basin

We acknowledge First Nations Peoples as the Traditional Custodians of the land, water, sky, and spirit, and recognises them as the first water managers, holders, and scientists. We honour the profound spiritual and physical connection that First Nations Peoples, particularly those of the Murray–Darling Basin, have with water. This connection encompasses care, knowledge, and respect that has been passed down through generations.

We pay our respects to Elders past, present, and emerging, and commit to celebrating and preserving this heritage.

Project Overview

For generations, Murray–Darling Basin (Basin) Basin First Nations Peoples have called for greater ownership and control of water.

The Australian Government and First Nations Peoples are working together to develop enduring arrangements that will enable First Nations Peoples to own, manage and make decisions about water.

The water entitlements will be purchased through the Murray–Darling Basin Aboriginal Water Entitlements Program (AWEP), a $100 million Australian Government investment that supports increased First Nations water ownership across the Basin.

Water purchased through AWEP is currently held and managed under interim arrangements led by Basin First Nations Peoples. Work is now underway to develop the enduring arrangements, building on earlier co-design that identified a charitable trust as the proposed model.

Project Background
Project Timeline

First Nations Peoples have cared for water across the Murray–Darling Basin (Basin) for thousands of generations. Many Basin Nations have called for long-term arrangements that return decision-making about water to First Nations Peoples.

In 2025, the Australian Government Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water engaged Cox Inall Ridgeway (CIR) to facilitate a Basin-wide co-design process. CIR is an independent First Nations-owned and led consultancy.

Basin First Nations Peoples explored different models to hold and manage water purchased through the Murray–Darling Basin Aboriginal Water Entitlements Program.

A charitable was the proposed model. The Australian Government has agreed in principle to continue work on this option. A final decision has not yet been made.

Explore the key milestones that have shaped the co-design of the Murray–Darling Basin First Nations Enduring Water Holding Arrangements

2024
- Basin Nations shared their views through the Have Your Say survey.
2025
- Cox Inall Ridgeway engaged.
- Literature Review completed.
- Basin-wide co-design. Nations explored governance options.
- Basin Nations identified key outcomes and principles.
2026
- Basin Nations considered a charitable trust.
- Recommendation Report on the proposed charitable trust released.
- A new phase of co-design begins.
- Workshops continue to refine the proposed model.

First Nations Water Programs

First Nations leadership in water helps care for Country, strengthen communities and support future generations.

The Australian Government Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water delivers several First Nations water programs across the Murray–Darling Basin.

Learn more about these programs below.

Murray–Darling Basin Aboriginal Water Entitlements Program

The Australian Government has committed $100 million to the Aboriginal Water Entitlements Program (AWEP). The program aims to increase First Nations water ownership of water in the Murray–Darling Basin. Basin First Nations Peoples are helping shape how the water will be owned and managed into...

Cultural Flows Planning for Cultural Economies

This program supports First Nations Peoples to plan for future water ownership and build skills in water management. The Australian Government has committed $20 million to the program. More than 50 First Nations-led projects have received funding across the Murray–Darling Basin.

Frequently Asked Questions

Indigenous Cultural and Intellectual Property (ICIP) includes knowledge of Country, including land, water and skies. It refers to the rights of First Nations Peoples to protect and control their Culture and knowledge. ICIP may be shared by families, communities or Nations and passed from one generation to the next.

ICIP may include:

Traditional Knowledge and sciences
sacred, secret and traditional stories
Culturally important objects or places
value systems and customary laws
information related to men’s and women’s business

ceremonies and Cultural practices

music, dances and art

traditional objects and artefacts

language, traditional symbols or sounds

human remains and tissue, including DNA.

The Australian Government Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water is committed to respecting and protecting ICIP during the engagement process. The department has developed an ICIP Policy and Privacy Notice. These documents explain how information will be:
•   collected
•   used
•   stored
•   protected.

These documents are available in the Document Library on the right-hand side of the project page.

The department is not asking participants to share ICIP during this process. You do not have to share any Cultural knowledge or information that you want to keep private. The department is not seeking ownership of any ICIP. ICIP remains owned by the relevant Traditional Custodians.

We understand that ICIP may sometimes be shared voluntarily or come up naturally during discussions. You can choose to share your ICIP.

Information sharing during the engagement will become part of the official engagement record. The department may not be able to delete these because of its legal responsibilities. The department will take steps to limit the use of ICIP and protect it using the department’s interim ICIP Policy.

Department staff will take notes during workshops. The notes may record responses, discussion themes and general feedback.

Records may include:
•   written notes from discussions
•   materials created during group activities, such as table placemats
•   photos or scanned copies of group materials.

The department manages these records. The records will not include your name. They will not include other details that identify you. With your consent, records may include the workshop location or nominated group.

The department may share de-identified information with consultants supporting the Project.

The department will manage these records in line with:
•   the Archives Act 1983
•   the Public Governance, Performance and Accountability Act 1983
•   the Privacy Act 1988
•   participant consent.

Yes, you should only share information that you feel comfortable sharing. You do not have to share Cultural knowledge, stories or other information that you want to keep private.

If you share information that you believe should be treated as ICIP, tell a departmental staff member. We will work with you to make sure the information is handled appropriately.

You can also raise concerns about how your information will used during the consent process. The department will explain how your information may be used, discuss how you would like it used and explain any limits that may apply.

To register, you will first need to create an Engagement Hub account.

Once you’ve joined, you can register for a workshop by:
• selecting a workshop from the Workshops Registrations list; or
• clicking on a workshop location on the interactive map in the 'Find a Workshop' section.

These workshops are for First Nations Peoples with connections to the Murray–Darling Basin. We aim to provide a safe and respectful space to share their your views.

Yes. We recognise the value of the knowledge, experience and time that First Nations Peoples bring to this work. We pay participants for their time.

Eligib le participants may receive a Participation Payment of $81.16 per hour for attending a session.Due to the high volume of participants expected to take part in the engagement process, the department will begin processing Participation Payments only after the engagement phase concludes in mid-September. Payments will be processed in the order that completed claims and required documentation are received. Approved out-of-pocket travel expenses may also be reimbursed through this process. All travel-related expenses must be approved by the department prior to being incurred. Unapproved expenses will not be reimbursed.
We will help you complete the required forms and process your payment. If you want to complete your forms before the workshop, you can find them in the Document Library. You can email completed forms to firstnationswater@dcceew.gov.au or bring them with you on the day.

Hard copies of all forms will also be available at each workshop. Department staff will also be available to help you complete any forms.

Yes.
The department will be able to help with reasonable travel and accommodation costs for people attending a workshop. Travel assistance, including fuel reimbursement, must be requested and approved at least 5 days before your session. The department may assist with flights, accommodation, coach travel, taxis/rideshares, and approved out-of-pocket travel expenses. Approved out-of-pocket expenses may include meals while travelling, overnight parking, and fuel costs.
Fuel: If you are required to travel a significant distance using your private vehicle to attend an engagement session, the department may reimburse your actual fuel expenses (not a flat-rate allowance). Requests must be made before your session and include your vehicle make, model, fuel type, and departure address.

Yes. We are offering two online workshops as part of this engagement process.
To register, sign in to the Engagement Hub and visit the Workshop Registrations section on the right-hand side of the project page. From there, you can select and register for an online workshop.

We want everyone to feel safe, comfortable and supported during the workshops.
When you register, tell us if you need any support. This may include:
•   mobility or access support
•   interpreter services
•   cultural needs
•   allergies
•   special dietary needs.
We will work with you to understand what you need and how we can help. If you would like to discuss your needs directly, please contact firstnationswater@dcceew.gov.au.

If you can no longer attend a workshop, please cancel your registration as soon as possible. You can do this on Engagement Hub.
If you need help updating your registration, please contact firstnationswater@dcceew.gov.au.

Workshops are designed to be open conversations.
These workshops provide an opportunity for Basin First Nations Peoples to share their views on the co-design of the proposed model, including:

•   What a charitable trust is?
•   What the purposes are, including who may benefit?
•   How the trust decides its priorities?
•   Discussing the proposed path forward with Basin First Nations

The Enduring Water Holding Arrangements is the proposed model for holding and managing water purchased through the Murray–Darling Basin Aboriginal Water Entitlements Program (AWEP).

The Australian Government is working with Basin First Nations Peoples to co-design this model. Basin First Nations Peoples can share their views on:

how the model should work
how decisions should be made
how water entitlements should be managed
how other assets could be managed into the future.

The model aims to support First Nations ownership and leadership in water management. It should reflect the values, needs and goals of Basin First Nations Peoples.

Water purchased through AWEP is currently held under interim arrangements. Once the long-term model is ready, the water and any remaining program funds will move to the new model.

Since 2023, the Australian Government has worked with Basin First Nations Peoples to develop long-term arrangements for water purchased through AWEP.

This has included:

face-to-face meetings across the Basin
surveys
online workshops.

During these activities, participants explored different models to hold and manage the water. Feedback from Basin First Nations Peoples identified a charitable trust as the preferred model for further development.

Participants said a charitable trust could provide:

greater independence from Government
stronger First Nations self-determination, leadership and decision-making
a way to hold and manage assets over the long term
opportunities to receive other funding and revenue
potential taxation concessions
benefits for future generations.

You can find more information about this earlier engagement in the Final Recommendation Report. This is in the Document Library.

The current engagement builds on this work. It will help refine key features of the proposed charitable trust, including:

its purpose
how it will be governed
how decisions will be made
how it will report to Basin First Nations Peoples.

A trust is a legal arrangement where a person or organisation, called a trustee, holds and manages assets for a clear purpose.

A trust is a bit like a safe with a set of instructions. The trustee looks after what is inside the safe and must follow the instructions about how the assets can be used.

For the Enduring Water Holding Arrangements, the trust could hold water entitlements and other assets for the benefit of Basin First Nations Peoples. The final purpose of the trust will be shaped by feedback from Basin First Nations Peoples through the co-design process.

The proposed model is a charitable trust. A company limited by guarantee would act as the trustee. This company would manage the trust’s assets (the water entitlements) and make decisions about how they are used.

The company would follow a Constitution. The Constitution is like a rulebook for the company. It explains who is responsible for making decisions, how decisions are made and how the company must operate.

The trust would also follow a Trust Deed. The Trust Deed is like an instruction manual for the trust. It explains why the trust exists, who it is meant to benefit and how its assets must be managed.

No. Earlier engagement identified a charitable trust as the preferred model for the Enduring Water Holding Arrangements. The Australian Government is now seeking feedback on key parts of the proposed model, including:

its purpose
how it will be governed
how decisions will be made
how it will report to Basin First Nations Peoples.

Your feedback will help shape future advice to Government and further development of the model. The Government will review the feedback before making final decisions about the arrangements.

AWEP is a $100 million Australian Government investment. It aims to increase First Nations water ownership across the Murray–Darling Basin.

First Nations Peoples’ have long been excluded from water access, ownership and decision-making. This investment helps address those impacts.

AWEP aims to support First Nations to achieve:

Cultural benefits
social benefits
economic benefits
spiritual benefits
environmental benefits.

AWEP purchases water entitlements through a Strategic Purchasing Framework. In July 2026, the Australian Government Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water released the 2026–27 Strategic Purchasing Framework. This outlines:

what the program has achieved since it began buying water in 2024
lessons from water purchasing
future purchasing priorities
the types of water entitlements the program plans to buy in 2026–27.

AWEP currently operates under interim arrangements. This allows water purchasing to continue while work continues the long-term arrangements.

All water entitlements bought through the AWEP will remain in the consumptive pool. This means they can be used for:

Cultural purposes
environmental purposes
economic development.

This gives First Nations communities flexibility in how water is used. It can also support long-term benefits for communities.

The $100 million is currently being used to buy water entitlements. The program currently holds these water entitlements under interim arrangements. Basin First Nations Peoples are co-designing long-term arrangements. When these arrangements are ready, the water entitlements will move to the new model. The goal is to create benefits for Basin First Nations Peoples now and into the future. How this happens will depend on:

feedback from Basin First Nations Peoples
future Government decisions.

View all

Document Library

The Document Library contains project reports, workshop materials, forms and other useful resources. Documents will be added as they become available throughout the engagement process. Check back regularly for updates and new resources.