Our mission

The inspiration for this Centre came from long conversations between Traditional Owners and researchers on Country, around campfires, in boats, caves, cafes, and laboratories. These conversations recognised the need for multiple knowledges to support healthy land and sea Country.

A group of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities with years of experience working with archaeologists, geologists, geographers, environmental scientists, palynologists, historians and others, agreed it was time to develop new approaches to bring Indigenous and environmental histories to the forefront of land and sea management. 

Thus, the first proposal for CIEHF was developed. Authentic co-designed research with Indigenous Partners is at the heart of the Centre. We maintain there is no other ethically sound and culturally appropriate way to do partnership research on Country. A co-designed approach to research will support both self-determination and Indigenous leadership throughout the research process.

The Centre will set new standards for research and management on Country across Australia. It will be reciprocal, not extractive, and will have the wellbeing of Country and community at its heart. It will recruit, empower, and inspire the next generation of Indigenous researchers as well as training non-Indigenous researchers to collaborate in culturally appropriate ways.

Driven by respectful, authentic co-design, and drawing from diverse cultural, environmental, and historical records, the Centre will work to enhance Land and Sea Country management, reframed by Indigenous knowledges and science.