A new partnership has been formed to help foster sustainable floodplain management on the Sunshine Coast.
The Kabi Kabi Peoples Aboriginal Corporation (KKDAC) has become an official partner of the Blue Heart project.
KKPAC joins Sunshine Coast Council, Unitywater and the state government for the initiative in the Maroochy River catchment.
The Blue Heart project is a large-scale scheme aimed at restoring natural floodplain, enhancing water quality, providing habitat for wildlife and carbon sequestration.
The 5000-hectare area includes more than 1700 hectares of public land, surrounded mostly by rural and lifestyle properties.
The partnership was formalised through a Memorandum of Understanding, signed by Blue Heart partners.
KKPAC chair Norman Bond said the organisation had long been involved with Blue Heart activities, providing advice and helping safeguard cultural heritage.
“While our role in this project has been focused on cultural heritage, we recognise the broader importance of initiatives like the Blue Heart in addressing environmental challenges and creating a sustainable future,” he said.
“We hope that this MoU signing signifies a continued commitment to collaboration, respect and the protection of both the environment and First Nations cultural heritage.”
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Sunshine Coast Council liveability and natural assets group executive Bill Haddrill said welcoming Traditional Custodians as equal partners would bring new insights to the project.
“The Kabi Kabi peoples have maintained a deep connection to this land for millennia and they carry profound knowledge of its ways, connections and history,” he said.
“This partnership is a commitment to caring for Country together, learning from each other and finding new ways forward as this land transitions over decades.
“We have been working with Kabi Kabi peoples in the Blue Heart for some time. Formalising this relationship ensures their advice and expertise, cultural expressions, heritage and values will be embedded in Blue Heart activities.”
