An anthropological survey has identified 29 sacred sites threatened by a 40,000-megalitre water licence granted recently to a Northern Territory cattle station.
The sites, which include trees and soakages, are outside Singleton Station's boundaries but depend on the same groundwater as the controversial licence.
The Territory's water controller approved the water licence in April, saying it was satisfied the licence was sustainable if the proponent, Fortune Agribusiness, met several conditions related to water monitoring and environmental compliance.
But the region's water allocation plan, a document used by government to allocate water licences, rates the potential threat to Aboriginal cultural values as "high".
Lesley Turner, head of the Central Land Council which commissioned the survey, said it was an insult to traditional owners.
"Traditional owners are not being listened to, disregarded," he said.
Fortune Agribusiness has obtained sacred site certificates for locations on the station, but the 29 sites are outside the property's boundaries.
Water running dry
One of the sites identified by the CLC's report is Alyerenyre, a soak hidden among arid spinifex country 25 kilometres from the station.
Kaytetye and Warlpiri woman Maureen O'Keefe grew up visiting the site and remembers it fondly.
"We would collect yininti (bean tree seeds), bush foods, camp out, share stories — there was always water there, it was a wonderful time," she said.
A soakage where water was historically close enough to the surface to dig for, Alyerenyre today is different, changed by a warming climate.
Ms O'Keefe said the yininti tree she used to collect seeds from was barely holding on, while plants around the soak had perished from the heat.
Traditional owner David Curtis said while good rains could recharge the soak, it was in a precarious position and could deteriorate further if the water table dropped because of the station's water licence.
Mr Curtis said while he was glad to see green shoots on some of the nearby trees, indicating the groundwater-dependent ecosystem was hanging on, every drop of water was precious thanks to climate change.
"We've seen larger trees drying out just from the heat alone; we've had some years here where it's been four months plus of 45 degrees," he said.
"If this happens and it draws it down, well, they're gone forever ... once the water's gone and the ground structure changes, they don't come back."
Sacred water
Many of the sites named in the report are sacred because there is water there.
"They were safe places for people to access water when they were travelling, they've supported people for who knows how long," Mr Curtis said.
Traditional owner Michael Jones Jampin said the arid spinifex country around the station was rich with sacred sites.
He said he hoped these sites could be there for future traditional owners.
"Children should be able to come and immerse themselves, that's how Aboriginal people learn, through experience," Mr Curtis added.
"If these things are gone, it won't be possible to teach in that way."
In a statement, Fortune Agribusiness chief executive Peter Wood said the company wanted to address the concerns.
"We are keen to work with traditional owners and to have them engaged as part of our environmental management regime, and we have sought to discuss an ongoing environmental ranger program by way of demonstrating good faith," he said.
"We have also sought their involvement in setting up the comprehensive monitoring program to ensure it encompasses sites of critical importance to them."
