But that’s where dozens of Dubbo school children could be found on Thursday as they put the finishing touches on a rehabilitation project.

The children were tasked with researching the animals living in and around the Macquarie River, and then painting them onto new concrete bollards at the edge of Troy Reserve.

Physically, the bollards will protect the site from “mindless dumping”, the IWRA’s Mel Gray said. But the project was symbolic as well.

“This is a very special part of the river [but] it was a very degraded site … we wanted to infuse a bit of culture back into the site, while protecting it,” she said.

“The kids get a bit of ownership of the river … this is a chance for them to do some research and learn about all the animals that live in the river.

“As they grow up they will remember what happened here when they were kids and … how important it is to protect the animals and the water in the river.”

ALSO MAKING NEWS

Sue Burns-Mitchell hoped the day could help shape the children’s perception of traditional owners as well.

“I think today’s way of thinking among some adults is not accepting of our culture because we go about things quietly,” she said.

“It gives the young fellas a connection to our culture … a sense of pride and build up their relationship with the traditional owners in Dubbo.”

Aunty Coral Peckham helped coordinate the day, which also featured the Burns’ family traditional owners dance group, and she shared stories of how traditional owners used the river.

“This place holds a lot of history for us, and stories going right back into traditional times,” she said.

“My grandmother and my mother and my aunties handed down that knowledge of place and I could show you where they … gathered to go fishing. They certainly wouldn’t leave holes like this in the ground and back fill it.

“So we’re hoping to get back to a little bit of pristine but we’ll never get it back to what it really was like.”

She said it was “hard for me to describe” the significance of Thursday’s gathering, “because I’m so proud”.

“It’s very important that we educate the community that we’re still here on country,” she said.

“The perception in the community is that we’re a secretive organisation and we’re not … there’s a little bit of fear there which we want to try to dispel.

“We want to educate the community and be inclusive … planting the seed, getting the schools involved and hopefully they will want to know more about the local history.”