Floods]]> Droughts]]> Silt]]> Hunting]]> Water quality]]> Social customs]]> Indigenous knowledge]]> Colonisation]]> Stock and station agents]]> Fishing--Australia]]> Aboriginal history]]> Aboriginal customs]]>
In the interview Tud describes the changes he has noticed in the Paroo River, mentioning that the river itself has not changed much, while the vegetation has. In spite of this, Tud remains rather upbeat about the condition of the river adding that silting is a natural and inevitable process. Tud also tells of his culture including the hunting techniques used to lure and catch native Australian animals and the friendships between the Aboriginal Nations of the Paroo and the Warrego Rivers.
]]> CC-BY]]> Floods]]> Weirs]]> Dams]]> Cotton]]> Camping]]> Aboriginal spirituality]]> Water pollution]]> Introduced fishes]]> Storytelling]]>
Pearl and Joe Trindall are an Indigenous couple who have lived in the Namoi region for most their lives. Pearl was born in Boomi, while Joe was born in Narrabri and they both, along with their children, have spent a lot of time travelling around Australia droving.

Pearl and Joe talk at length about a number of topics including growing up on the river and how it was central to their lives - it was a source of food, meeting and socialising, as well as a means for passing on Indigenous knowledges by the Elders. The Elders told the younger generation that they were to practice sustainable fishing and were only to take what they needed. The Elders also taught language and spirituality, told stories and were respected members of their community.

Pearl and Joe also speak about the changes in the region they have witnessed. They both say that the pollution from cotton farming has had the greatest impact on the deteriorating health of the river, compared to when they were younger when the water was clean enough to drink. They also mention the impacts that the installation of weirs and dams have had.

Mentioned: carp impacts, and 1956 floods.

Animals mentioned: Worms, gudgeon, goanna (neebie), black snake.]]> CC BY-NC]]>