There are 3 groups that provide advice on the management of this World Heritage property:
- Willandra Lakes Region World Heritage Advisory Committee
- Willandra Lakes Region World Heritage First Peoples’ Consultative Group (formerly the Aboriginal Advisory Group)
- Willandra Landholders Group.
The groups work together to manage the property. All members of the First Peoples’ Consultative Group are members of the Advisory Committee, and they meet 3 times a year on or near the World Heritage property. The Willandra Landholders’ Group meets twice a year with one of these meetings being a joint meeting with the First Peoples’ Consultative Group.
Advisory Committee 2022–2025
The Willandra Lakes Region World Heritage Advisory Committee provides advice to relevant government ministers and the NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service on the management of the property.
It provides advice to other government agencies through the intergovernmental Willandra Lakes Region World Heritage Management Committee on matters relating to the property's World Heritage values.
The committee has 18 members.
The committee’s terms of reference specify that the committee Chair should be an independent, non-government person with no current direct financial or political interest in the management of the Willandra Lakes Region.
The committee members represent relevant interest groups, stakeholders, scientific disciplines and rightsholders. Members of the committee are:
- Mr Mike Williams (Independent Chair)
- Mr Warren Clark (Barkandji/Paakantyi representative)
- Mr Ivan Johnston (Barkandji/Paakantyi representative)
- Ms Kathy Potter (Barkandji Registered Native Title Group Aboriginal Corp representative)
- Ms Patricia Winch (Mutthi Mutthi representative)
- Ms Verna Eade (Mutthi Mutthi representative)
- Mr Jason Kelly (Mutthi Mutthi representative)
- Ms Joan Slade (Ngiyampaa representative)
- Mr Mark Brettschneider (Ngiyampaa representative)
- Mr Keith Hampton (Ngiyampaa representative)
- Tom Wakefield (southern landholder representative)
- Wade Griffiths (northern landholder representative)
- Jane MacAllister (local government – Wentworth Shire)
- Professor Tim Denham (science)
- A/Professor Nicola Stern (science)
- Dr Nathan Jankowski (science)
- Sarah Hope (tourism expert)
- Marie Russel (NPWS West Branch Regional Advisory Committee).
Landholders are nominated by the Willandra Landholders Group to represent the northern and southern landholder clusters in the area.
Representatives of local government are nominated by their local government. The relevant National Parks and Wildlife Service regional advisory committee members are nominated by their committee.
Tourism and scientific community committee members are appointed by the NSW Minister for the Environment, following a public call for nominations.
All 9 elected members of the First Peoples’ Consultative Group are appointed by the NSW Minister for the Environment to the World Heritage Advisory Committee.
First Peoples’ Consultative Group 2022–2025
The Willandra Lakes Region First Peoples’ Consultative Group provides advice to NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service.
First formed in 2015 as the Aboriginal Advisory Group, it changed its name in 2023. The group is in its third term.
The First Peoples’ Consultative Group has 9 members. The members are elected from each of the 3 Aboriginal peoples associated with the World Heritage property – the Barkandji/Paakantyi, Mutthi Mutthi and Ngiyampaa peoples.
- The Mutthi Mutthi and Ngiyampaa peoples elect 3 members each.
- The Barkandji/Paakantyi people elect 2 members.
- The third member is appointed by the Barkandji Registered Native Title Group Aboriginal Corporation to represent their interests.
All members of the First Peoples’ Consultative Group also sit on the Willandra Lakes Region World Heritage Advisory Committee.
The elected and then appointed members are also able to nominate a member’s representative to attend meetings on their behalf. This position is appointed by an National Parks and Wildlife Service Executive Director.
The term is 3 years, and members can be re-elected as per their terms of reference:
- Mr Warren Clark (Chair – Barkandji/Paakantyi representative)
- Mr Ivan Johnston (Barkandji/Paakantyi representative)
- Ms Kathy Potter (Barkandji Registered Native Title Group Aboriginal Corp representative)
- Ms Patricia Winch (Mutthi Mutthi representative)
- Ms Verna Eade (Mutthi Mutthi representative)
- Mr Jason Kelly (Mutthi Mutthi representative)
- Ms Joan Slade (Ngiyampaa representative)
- Mr Mark Brettschneider (Ngiyampaa representative)
- Mr Keith Hampton (Ngiyampaa representative).
Aboriginal Advisory Group report
Future reports will be known as the First Peoples’ Consultative Group report to reflect the change to the group’s name.
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people should be aware that this report may contain images and names of deceased persons.
Aboriginal Advisory Group 2015–19 public report summarising meetings, workshops and events (PDF 2.8MB)
Willandra Landholders Group
The Willandra Landholders Group meets with NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service to discuss matters relating to the management of the World Heritage property.
The Group is made up of all leaseholders of pastoral properties within the World Heritage property.
There are 13 stations currently within the Willandra Lakes Region:
- Mulurulu
- Spring Hill
- Pan Ban
- Gol Gol
- Baymore
- Turlee
- Top Hut
- Marma
- Chibnalwood
- Arumpo
- Banoon
- Guthul
- Prungle.