A three-day water camp to explore, share and practice Indigenous water science and governance in a nation will be held on Ngunnawal Country in May.

The first two days of the three-day event will be for Mob, with the final day devoted to training non-Indigenous water academics, practitioners, and policymakers about the importance of Indigenous water science and governance, as well as building their expertise in working with Mob.

The event will be Indigenous focussed, with a majority of First Nations people attending and Indigenous water experts passing on their deep knowledge.

These include discussions on practising Indigenous sciences to resist aqua nullius (water belonging to no one); the impact of aqua nullius on Country and Indigenous people; and a water country plans workshop.

Wiradyuri woman and research fellow - Indigenous water at Monash University, Kate Harriden, said the camp was looking at policymakers, but also practitioners and non-Indigenous practitioners and researchers come along to listen and learn.

It comes as several issues around water sovereignty have come to the fore nationally in recent times, with experts noting the management and science of water has remained most untouched since the pivotal Mabo and Wik High Court decisions on native title were handed down in the 1990s.

Last year, the Yoorrook Truth-Telling Commission heard that First Peoples in Victoria received none of the $83 billion in water revenue the government received over 13 years.

Despite acknowledgement of the negative implications of aqua nullius, limited work has been done to rectify the situation at either a state or federal level.

Ms Harriden, along with Katie O'Bryan and Bree Williams wrote in 2022 that, "Unlike the separation of land and water found in current water legislation and policies, First Nations ways of being don't separate the two."

"Even though First Nations peoples' connections to land are now legally well-established, their connections to water are not, legally or socially," they said.

There is hope a water camp will run every two years, with the long-term goal the establishment of an Indigenous water research centre.

It is geared around practicality rather than a 'talkfest,' with a First Nations art tour, workshops on practising Indigenous sciences to resist aqua nullius, and Waterway Assessments taking place alongside panel discussions.

Speakers and hosts will include Dja Dja Wurrung man Ben Muir, Tati Tati woman Mel Kennedy, and Ms Harriden.

There will also be a walk around Sullivans Creek to identify aqua nullius in action, where participants will be able to practice deep listening and discuss Indigenous water design principles.

On the third day, non-Indigenous participants will be given the option to "choose their own adventure".

These include a 'working well with mob' with Nicola Lambert, the co-founder of Catchment Studio and Nyssa Miller, manager of bandalang studio: Indigenous Engineering Design; Your position, Your responsibility with Rachael Gross from Tikkun Olam environmental consulting at the Australian National University; and 'Working on country protocols' with Renee Hartley from the Fenner School decolonising research and teaching circle, Bush Heritage Australia.

"Everything's really geared around things being practical," Ms Harriden said. "People can practice what they're learning and doing."

First Nations campers will also be invited to attend an ANU campus tour with Ngunnawal Traditional Custodian Wally Bell, where he will share the importance of Sullivan's Creek and how Ngunnawal mob managed Country, including bush foods and medicines, ceremony, and tradition.

The camp is being held at the Australian National University, and is being hosted by Monash University from May 20-22. Non-Indigenous water practitioners are invited to camp on day 3.

The registration link for First Nations campers can be found here

The link for non-Indigenous expressions of interest can be found here