Funding boost helps River Dreaming reach more sites

The River Dreaming Aboriginal Corporation will now be able to take visitors onto country beyond the sealed roads, with funding for a new suspension lift kit, snorkel and tow pack thanks to grants. River Dreaming offers Indigenous cultural tours ranging from an hour at the Wiradjuri Dreaming Centre on Lake Forbes to overnight on the Lachlan River, the corporation's Brett Smith explained. Aboriginal Affairs NSW funding kitted the corporation out with bus, kayaks, tents and other gear - but the van really also needed an off-road upgrade to be able to take their guests to more sites. MP Phil Donato supported the application for NSW Government grants to open up a whole new range of opportunities for the tours. River Dreaming has already hosted people from all over our region and beyond, Mr Smith said, sharing Indigenous culture with them. They host quite a few government and corporate groups. "We do a number of cultural tours," Mr Smith said. These start at the Wiradjuri Dreaming Centre, with a one-hour tour explaining the poles there that share Wiradjuri culture. Their cultural discovery tour takes guests to cultural sites, sharing knowledge about the bush and its plants over about two hours. Then there is their overnight River Dreaming tour, which includes kayaking on the river and Aboriginal astronomy at night - with catering by Eat Your Greens. The River Dreaming Aboriginal Corporation will now be able to take visitors onto country beyond the sealed roads, with funding for a new suspension lift kit, snorkel and tow pack thanks to grants. River Dreaming also works in schools in the vast Southern Murray Darling Basin region, running their Junior River Ranger program for year 5 and 6 students. A new Classrooms on Country program is designed for Year 9 and 10 students, this series of workshops starting with a focus on inland river health. You can find out more about River Dreaming Aboriginal Corporation online at www.rdac.org.au/ or pick up a brochure at our Forbes Visitor Information Centre.