At World Water Week 2025 – Prof Bradley Moggridge

Brad is a proud Kamilaroi man, having grown up on Dharug Country (Western Sydney) and now living on Ngunnawal Country (Canberra). Currently a Professor of Science and Associate Dean at the University of Technology Sydney, he celebrates water not as a commodity but central to all life, acknowledging that healthy water means healthy people, healthy country and healthy culture. 

“Our rivers are the arteries and the highways, and our wetlands are our supermarkets and in some instances our groundwater is ancient or fossil water and must be protected. If we abuse water and don’t care for it, how can water care for us?” Brad says. 

As a leading Indigenous voice in the Australian water sector, AWP is sponsoring Brad to share his insight and unique perspective on the importance of Indigenous voices in water management, “Water on my Kamilaroi Country is at the core of who we are,” Brad says. “it’s in our stories from the Burrugu (Dreaming), language, art, songs and dances… we have 14 rivers and many groundwater systems including the Great Artesian Basin. We must be part of its management, yet we are silenced and very rarely engaged.” 

He is no stranger to the forum of World Water Week; this shall be his third time attending the event. When asked what he was looking forward to this year, Brad was clear, “I am hoping to see Sami front and centre on main stage at WWW 2025.” 

On past trips, Brad’s own efforts were amongst those striving for the inclusion of Sami voices in World Water Week.  

“It was an AWP-supported delegation (Indigenous peoples from Australia, New Zealand and SE Asia) in 2022… that invited Sami people to our session. That included Sami Parliament, Elders, Sami Association and Sami Youth.” he explained. “I know there will be a strong Indigenous delegation this year so it will be about making new connections for potential collaborations and building on existing friendships.” 

For Brad, combining ancient knowledge with modern approaches is important. He reinforces that even with the oldest knowledge system and connections, also as the driest inhabited continent on Earth, Indigenous people Knowledges are often not part of the management of water.  

“When it comes to climate change, Aboriginal people have already survived a changed climate and to this day tell the stories of those experiences and adaptations dating back to the end of the last ice age. By embedding Indigenous knowledge through our Lores, songs and stories as well as our connections to Country must be seen as evidence to inform policy and adaptation strategies.”