The Roper River map

In 2023, Traditional Owners from across 20,000 square kilometres of the Roper river catchment travelled to the Australian Parliament to ask for protection of the river from threats posed by new water intensive industries in the catchment and to be at the forefront of decision-making for the river. Representatives presented a 13-metre hand-painted cultural map and associated statement signed by hundreds of remote community residents.

Cecilia Lake talks to ABC News as she travels to Canberra to talk to Parliament.

The Roper River map arrives in Canberra, to be presented to Australian politicians.

View the full roper river map

The Roper River map - a cultural painting
Click to see full size
Click to see full size
A a large painted map of the Roper River showing detail around Minyerra
Click to see full size
Click to see full size

The Roper River Map was produced by artist Simon Norman, in collaboration with Traditional Owners from across the Roper River catchment.

Indigenous and non-Indigenous people sit on a rock, looking over a large painted map of the Roper River
Indigenous and non-Indigenous people look over a large painted map of the Roper River
Children from a remote Indigenous school hold a large painted map of the Roper River