About 50 people attended the Save Our Macleay River (SOMR) Rights of Rivers Macleay community information event. 

Uncle Fred Kelly a local Thungutti elder, acknowledged & welcomed all to Country

Dr Michelle Maloney from Australian Earth Law Alliance presented the topic of ‘nature based’ law and gave several international and Australian examples of where the rights of rivers and other environments had been and are in the process of being adopted.  She posed these as possible options for the Macleay, should the community wish to pursue this for the Macleay.

The film “I am the River, the River is me”, was shown; where the guardian/spokesperson, Ned Tapa (and his crew) relayed how New Zealand’s Wanganui River was protected and had representation as a living entity, since 2017.  The film followed two canoes down the path of the river, with two Australian First Nations, an elder, Brendan Kennedy and his daughter, Melissa, showing them and the audience the beauty and Māori cultural connection with the river and how it is alive with natural systems, now it is protected as an entity.  The film, if you missed it, can be viewed on SBS on demand with link:

https://www.sbs.com.au/ondemand/movie/i-am-the-river-the-river-is-me/2456555075962

James Dungay performed a song he’d written about the Macleay with the words “The Water flows downstream” which relayed the interconnectedness the river provides.

The admission and sales of raffle tickets have helped to cover SOMR’s financial liabilities for at least one more year.

Thank you to all those that attended and organised this event and we hope you found it interesting and food for thought as to where to from here for The Macleay.