Land and water aims to build a greater understanding of Indigenous peoples’ relationships both with country and the governance of their lands and waters, and government policies affecting Australian land and waters.

Our research is set within the context of environmental change – climate change, land use change, and the resulting consequences for people, ecosystems and biodiversity. Indigenous peoples, whose laws, cultures and knowledge are embedded in country, are at the forefront of experiencing and responding to these changes. Indigenous peoples have survived different climatic periods in earlier times; however, climate change is occurring on a much more rapid time scale, with profound implications for all. One of the challenges we now face is to research new ways of thinking and living sustainably with country.

Current areas of research focus include climate change, water, sustainable livelihoods and resource use, philosophies of country and cultural landscapes, and we work closely with the Native Title and Traditional Ownership as well as the Governance Development and Public Policy research themes.

Our research is often conducted in partnership with other research institutions, Indigenous regional alliances, Indigenous representative and corporate bodies, communities and individuals.