The Murrumbidgee River—known as Marrambidya Bila or “big water” (or sometimes interpreted as a pathway for bosses) in Wiradjuri language—has been the lifeblood of Country for First Nations peoples for tens of thousands of years. It winds from the Australian Alps through
Ngunnawal, Ngarigo and Wolgalu lands in the east, across Wiradjuri Country on the slopes and plains, and into the western reaches of Nari Nari, Muthi Muthi and other nations before joining the Murray.
For the Wiradjuri (the largest nation along much of its course, whose name links them to the three rivers: Murrumbidgee, Lachlan and Macquarie) and neighbouring groups, the river was—and remains—far more than a water source. It is a sacred pathway, a provider of food and medicine, a place of ceremony, trade, meeting and connection. Wetlands acted as the “kidneys” of Country, filtering water, while the river itself was the “vein” carrying life through the landscape. Cultural practices revolved around its rhythms: seasonal camping along its banks and floodplains, fishing with nets, spears, traps and weirs for Murray cod, golden perch and other species, hunting kangaroos, emus and waterbirds, gathering yams, mussels and plants, and using river red gums for canoes, tools and shelter.
Large gatherings occurred for ceremonies, initiation, trade (including coastal goods brought inland) and social exchange, especially in the Canberra region where neighbouring groups met. Recreational and communal life included storytelling, song, dance and play along the water, all governed by Lore that emphasised care for Country and sustainable use.
Dreaming stories across the Murray–Darling Basin explain the carving of these great river systems. One widespread tradition involves the ancestral hunter Ngurunderi (or similar figures such as Totyerguil) pursuing a giant Murray cod (Ponde or Pondi).
As the powerful fish thrashed and fled downstream, its body carved the bends, reaches, billabongs and channels of the Murray; pieces of the fish thrown back into the water became other fish species.
Related stories tell of Baiame (or Baiami) sending a woman with a yam stick across dry plains, followed by a giant snake whose movements formed the riverbed of the Murray or Goulburn, later filled by rain.
These narratives encode deep knowledge of the landscape’s formation, the sacredness of water, and people’s ongoing responsibilities as custodians. While versions vary by nation and region, they bind identity to the rivers and underscore that the systems were shaped in the Dreaming for the people to care for.
Local Aboriginal Land Councils (LALCs) in the Jugiong, Yass, Tumut and Young areas operate under the Aboriginal Land Rights Act 1983 (NSW). That legislation, proclaimed on 10 June 1983 after years of advocacy (including a non-statutory NSW Aboriginal Land Council formed in 1977 and the Keane Report), recognised prior Aboriginal ownership and created a three-tier system: Local Aboriginal Land Councils, regional structures, and the NSW Aboriginal Land Council. LALCs can claim certain Crown land (not needed for essential public purposes), hold freehold title, manage assets, run community benefit schemes, protect cultural heritage, and support members through housing, employment, education and cultural programs.
Relevant councils include:
Onerwal LALC (Yass area), linked to Ngunnawal people; it has pursued land claims, cultural burning, land management training and reconnection to Country.
Brungle–Tumut LALC, serving Wiradjuri and Wolgalu communities around Tumut and the historic Brungle settlement/mission; it has focused on community rebuilding, housing and cultural continuity.
Young LALC, supporting local members through similar land and community functions.
Areas around Jugiong fall within broader Wiradjuri networks and nearby LALC boundaries (often linked to Cootamundra–Gundagai or related councils).
These councils coordinate by representing members, lodging and managing land claims, delivering community services, partnering with government and agencies on heritage, water, employment and cultural programs, and feeding into the statewide NSWALC network for advocacy, funding and policy. They work to return land, strengthen self-determination, and sustain culture for present and future generations.
Indigenous people of the Riverina and Canberra regions have long contributed to community life through sport, especially the football codes. Traditional games such as Marn Grook (a kicking-and-catching ball game played at large gatherings across south-eastern Australia, including Riverina and Tumut/Wolgalu country) formed part of cultural and recreational life and have been linked by some to the development of Australian rules football. In modern times, community clubs across the Riverina run Indigenous rounds, special guernseys, and programs that celebrate culture while building pathways. Sport fosters pride, health, leadership and social connection.
A standout athlete is Laurie Daley (Wiradjuri), born in Junee in the Riverina. He became one of rugby league’s greats with the Canberra Raiders (244 games, three premierships in the late 1980s–1990s), represented New South Wales and Australia, won the Dally M Medal, and was named five-eighth in the Indigenous Team of the Century. He later coached NSW to Origin success and the Indigenous All Stars. Other Riverina and Canberra-linked Indigenous contributors include players who have shone in local leagues, AFL pathways from Riverina clubs, and community programs that continue to develop talent while honouring cultural identity.
Today the river’s cultural significance endures. Traditional Owners continue to advocate for its health, cultural flows, and the return of significant places (such as Gayini Nimmie-Caira to Nari Nari people). Land councils, athletes, Elders and communities work to keep Country strong, knowledge alive, and future generations connected to the big water that has always sustained them.
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