Reports and Publications

This page provides access to all my available reports and publications, either stored on this website or via links to other sources.

The four publications below represent key stages in my research and consultancy work.

1993

A VOICE IN ALL PLACES

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Interests in Australia’s Coastal Zone

This consultancy report for the Resource Assessment Commission’s 1992/93 Coastal Zone Inquiry summarised submissions, workshops and consultations regarding Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander rights, interests, concerns and aspirations regarding the governance, management and use of Australia’s coastal zone – including coastal land, estuaries, Sea Country and islands. Key issues raised in this report became the basis for recommendations contained in the Final Report of the Coastal Zone Inquiry. This work alerted me to to a wide range of coastal and Sea Country issues that led to my later involvement in Indigenous Protected Areas and Country-based Planning.

This consultancy report for the Resource Assessment Commission’s 1992/93 Coastal Zone Inquiry summarised submissions, workshops and consultations regarding Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander rights, interests, concerns and aspirations regarding the governance, management and use of Australia’s coastal zone – including coastal land, estuaries, Sea Country and islands. Key issues raised in this report became the basis for recommendations contained in the Final Report of the Coastal Zone Inquiry. This work alerted me to to a wide range of coastal and Sea Country issues that led to my later involvement in Indigenous Protected Areas and Country-based Planning.

1994

UNDERSTANDING COUNTRY

The Importance of Land and Sea in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Societies

This little booklet, commissioned by the Council for Aboriginal Reconciliation in 1994, summarised my understanding of the Indigenous concept of Country, informed by quotations from Indigenous people and published sources.  It was aimed to introduce a wide public readership to the traditional and ongoing connection of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples to their land and sea estates, their engagement in land and sea management, their land, sea and resource rights (including recently ‘discovered’ native title rights) and speculation on future recognition of Indigenous peoples’ land and sea interests – including implementation of recommendations from the 1991 Royal Commission Into Aboriginal Deaths in Custody and the 1993 Coastal Zone Inquiry.

1996

INDIGENOUS PROTECTED AREAS

Conservation Partnerships with Indigenous Landholders

This two volume consultancy report provided the foundation for the development of the Commonwealth Government’s Indigenous Protected Area (IPA) Program, which supports the planning, dedication and management of IPAs by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people.

The first volume, by Ms Johanna Sutherland, reviews  legislation relating to Commonwealth Government support for Indigenous organisations to undertake land and sea management activities throughout Australia.

My second volume documents research and consultations undertaken to establish potential support among Indigenous groups and representative oganisations for the concept of Traditional Owners to dedicate and manage their land and sea Country as an Indigenous as an IPA.

The report concluded that there were no legal impediments and there was support from Indigenous people for the Commonwealth Government to initiate a pilot IPA funding program, which led to the establishment of the first IPA in 1998.  Twenty three years later, there are now 78 dedicated IPAs across Australia totalling 74 million hectares, which account for more than 46 per cent of Australia’s National Reserve System of terrestrial protected areas.

2011

GUIDELINES TO COUNTRY-BASED PLANNING

These Guidelines summarise my approach to supporting Traditional Owners to develop and implement strategic plans for their traditional Land and Sea Country, whether or not they currently have legal ownership over all or any of these areas.  This approach empowers Traditional Owners to initiate and lead planning, partnership-building and implementation processes rather than merely engage in planning processes initiated by government agencies or others.  The Guidelines include several examples of successful Country-based Plans, further examples of which are provided on the Country-based Planning page of this website and among the publications listed below.

Books and book chapters

Smyth, D. and Isherwood, I. (2016) Protecting Sea Country: Indigenous Peoples and Marine Protected Areas in Australia.  In, Fitzsimons, J. & Wescott, G. (eds) Big, Bold and Blue – Lessons from Australia’s Marine Protected Areas.  CSIRO, Melbourne.  Click here for a pre-publication version of the chapter.  Click here to access publisher’s website.

Smyth, D. and Ward, G. (Eds) (2009) Indigenous Governance and Management of Protected Areas in Australia. E-book by the Australian Institute of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander studies. Click here to download

Smyth, D. and Ward, G. (2009) Indigenous governance and management of protected areas.  In, Smyth, D. and Ward, G. (Eds)  Indigenous Governance and Management of Protected Areas in Australia, Chapter 1 pp 1-8. E-book published by the Australian Institute of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Studies. Click here to download

Smyth, D. (2009) Just Add Water? Taking Indigenous Protected Areas into Sea Country. In, Smyth, D. and Ward, G. (Eds)  Indigenous Governance and Management of Protected Areas in Australia, Chapter 8 pp 95-110. E-book published by the Australian Institute of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Studies. Click here to download

Jaireth, H. and Smyth, D. (Eds) (2003) Innovative Governance: Indigenous Peoples, Local Communities and Protected Areas. IUCN-sponsored by publication, published by Ane Books, New Delhi. Click here for access to CONTENTS and INTRODUCTION & OVERVIEW

Szabo, S. and Smyth, D. (2003) Indigenous Protected Areas in Australia. In, Jaireth, H. and D. Smyth (Eds), Innovative Governance: Indigenous Peoples, Local Communities and Protected Areas, pp 145-164. IUCN-sponsored by publication, published by Ane Books, New Delhi. Click here to download

Smyth, D. (2001) Joint Management of National Parks. In, Baker et al Working On Country: Indigenous environmental management in Australia. Oxford University Press, pp 75-91. Click here to download

Smyth, D. (2001) Management of Sea Country. In Baker et al Working on Country: Indigenous environmental management in Australia. Oxford University Press, pp 60-74. Click here to download

Thackway, R., Szabo, S. and Smyth, D. (1997). Indigenous Protected Areas: a new concept in biodiversity conservation. In, Longmore, R. (Ed.) Biodiversity – Broadening the Debate 4: The Beat Goes On…. Australian Nature Conservation Agency, Canberra. Click here to download

Smyth, D. (1995) Caring for Sea Country – accommodating Indigenous peoples’ interests in marine protected areas. In, Gubbay, S. (Ed) Marine Protected Areas – Principles and techniques for management. Conservation Biology Series, Chapman and Hall, London, pp149-173. Click here to access this chapter

Smyth, D. (1994) Understanding Country – The Importance of land and Sea in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Societies. Commission by Council for Aboriginal Reconciliation. Australian Government Publishing Service, Canberra. Click here to download

Other publications and reports

Jackie Gould, Dermot Smyth, Whitney Rassip, Phil Rist and Katie Oxenham (2021). Recognizing the contribution of Indigenous Protected Areas to marine protected area management in Australia.  Maritime Studies 20(2).  Click here to download

Rist, P., Rassip, W., Yunupingu, D., Wearne, J., Gould, J., Dulfer-Hyams, M., Bock, E., and D. Smyth (2019) Indigenous Protected Areas in Sea Country: Indigenous-driven collaborative marine protected areas in Australia, Aquatic Conservation Volume 29, Issue S2, pages 138 to 151. Click here to download

Smyth, D., Gould, J., Ayre, M., Bock, E., Dulfer-Hyams, M. and and Vernes, T. (2016).  Indigenous-driven Co-governance of Sea Country through Collaborative Planning and Indigenous Protected AreasIndigenous Law Bulletin, University of NSW Vol. 8 (27).

Smyth, D. (2015) Indigenous Protected Areas and ICCAS: Commonalities, Contrasts and ConfusionsPARKS Vol 21.2, pp 75-86. IUCN, Switzerland. Click here to download

Rist, P. and Smyth, D. (2013) The Indigenous Perspective: Sea Country Indigenous Protected Areas (IPAs) in Zischka, K., Leverington, A., Figgis, P. (eds) Australia’s Marine Environment: Progress, Challenges and Opportunities. Australian Committee for IUCN, Sydney. p30-31 Click here to download

Davies, JocelynHill, RosemaryWalsh, Fiona J.Sandford, MarcusSmyth, Dermot, and Holmes, Miles C. (2013) Innovation in management plans for community conserved areas: experiences from Australian Indigenous Protected Areas. Ecology and Society, 18 (2). Click here to access Abstract

Smyth, D. and Grant, C. (2012). Recognition and Support of ICCAs in Australia.  In Kothari, A., C. Corrigan, H. Jonas, A. Neumann, and H. Shrumm, Recognising and Supporting Territories and Areas Conserved by Indigenous Peoples and Local Communities – Global Overview and National Case Studies. ICCA Consortium, IUCN/TILCEPA, Kalpavriksh, and Natural Justice. Click here to download

Smyth, D. and Jaireth, H (2012) Shared governance of protected areas: recent
developments.  National Environmental Law Review Issue 2012:2 pp 55-63.  Click here to download

Smyth, D., Whitehead, P. (2012). Reflections on Researching and Developing Indigenous
Livelihoods on Country. Charles Darwin University, Darwin. Consultancy Report for Tropical Rivers & Coastal Knowledge (TRACK) and the North Australian Indigenous Land and Sea Management Alliance (NAILSMA). Click here to download

Smyth, D. (2011) Guidelines for Country-based Planning. Report to the Queensland department of Environment and Resource Management, Cairns, Australia. Click here to download

Smyth, D., Isherwood, M. and Schnierer, S. (2010). Right to Use Country: Towards a freestanding statutory right for Traditional Owners to non-commercial access to and use of natural resources in Victoria.  Consultancy report prepared for the Victorian Department of Justice

Ross, R., Grant, C., Robinson C., Izurieta, A., Smyth, D. and Rist, P. (2009) Co-management and Indigenous Protected Areas in Australia: achievements and ways forward. Australasian Journal of Environmental Management 16(4) 242-252. Click here to download

Smyth, D. (2007) Indigenous Protected Areas in Australia. Parks Vol 16 No 1, pp14-20. World Conservation Union, Switzerland.
Click here to download

Smyth, D. (2007) Sea Country Planning. Waves, Vol 13 (2) p. 3. Click here to download

Smyth, D. and Bauman, T. (2007) Outcomes of three case studies in Indigenous Partnerships in Protected Area Management: Policy Briefing Paper for the Australian Collaboration. Australian Institute of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Studies, Canberra. Click here to download

Bauman, T. and Smyth, D. (2007) Indigenous Partnerships in Protected Area Management in Australia: Three Case Studies. Click here to download

Smyth, D. (2007) Sea Countries of the North-West: Literature review on Indigenous connection to and uses of the
North-West Marine Region.  National Oceans Office Branch, Marine Division,
Australian Government Department of the Environment and Water Resources. Click here to download

Smyth, D., J. Fitzpatrick, and D. Kwan. 2006. Towards the development of cultural indicators for marine resource management in the Torres Strait. Torres Strait Cooperative Research Centre, Townsville. Click here to download

Smyth, D. (2006). Dugong and Marine Turtle Knowledge Handbook – Indigenous and scientific knowledge and values of dugongs and marine turtles in northern Australia. North Australian Indigenous Land and Sea Management Alliance, Tropical Savannah Cooperative Research Centre, Darwin. Click here to download

Robinson, C., Smyth, D. and Whitehead, P. (2005) Bush Tucker, Bush Pets, and Bush Threats: Cooperative Management of Feral Animals in Australia’s Kakadu National Park. Conservation Biology, 19 (5) pp 1385-1391. Click here to access Abstract and journal website

Smyth, D. (2004) Living On Saltwater Country: A review of literature about Aboriginal rights, use, management and interests in northern Australian marine environments. National Oceans Office, Hobart. Click here to download

Smyth, D., Beeron, C., Bresolin, S., Rist, P. (2003) Development of Cultural Indicators for the Management of The Wet Tropics World Heritage Area. Paper delivered at the World Parks Congress, Durban, South Africa. Click here to download

Smyth, Dermot (2002) Indicating Culture – Development of Cultural Indicators for the Management of the Wet Tropics World Heritage Area. Final report of Rainforest Cooperative Research Centre, James Cook University, Cairns. Click here to download.

Smyth, D. (2001) Indigenous People and the sea in the South-east Marine Region. In, National Oceans Office. In,Sea Country – an indigenous Perspective pp 69-186, National Oceans Office, Hobart. Click here to download

Hill, R., Smyth, D., Shipton, H. and Fischer, P. (2001) Cattle, mining or fire? The historical causes of recent contractions of open forest in the wet tropics of Queensland through invasion by rainforestPacific Conservation Biology 7: 185-194.  Click here to access Abstract

Smyth, D. (2000) Fishing for Recognition: the search for an Indigenous fisheries policy in Australia. Indigenous Law Bulletin, 4(29): 8-10.
Click here to download

Hill, R. and Smyth, D. (1999) Collaborative environmental research with Kuku-Yalanji people in the Wet Tropics of Queensland World Heritage Area, Australia. In, Posey, D. (Ed.) Cultural and Spiritual Values of Biodiversity pp 227-232. United Nations Environment Programme, Intermediate Technology Publications, London,  Click here to download

Smyth, D. (1999) Joint Management of Canadian and New Zealand National Parks. Consultancy Report to the Queensland department of Premier and Cabinet, Brisbane.

Smyth, D. (1998) Saltwater Country – Issues Paper 6, Australia’s Ocean Policy. Environment Australia, Canberra. Click here to download

Smyth, D. (1998) Nurturing Namadgi: exploring options for the joint management of Namadgi National ParkConsultancy report for the National Parks Association of the ACT

Smyth, D. and Sutherland, J. (1996) Indigenous Protected Areas: conservation partnerships with Indigenous landholders. Consultancy Report for Environment Australia.

Smyth, D. (1996) Managing Country – Indigenous Environmental management Degree Proposal for James Cook University. Final Report to the School of Tropical Environment Studies and Geography, James Cook University.

Smyth, D. (1994) Understanding Country: The Importance of Land and Sea in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Societies. Council for Aboriginal Reconciliation, Canberra. Click here to download

Smyth, D. (1994) Aboriginal Maritime Culture in the Far Northern Section of the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park. Great Barrier Reef Marine Park consultancy report. Restricted access

Smyth, D. (1993) A VOICE IN ALL PLACES: Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Interests in Australia’s Coastal Zone (revised edition). Consultancy Report, Resource Assessment Commission, Canberra. Click here to download

Smyth, D. (1993) Australian Plants and Animals: Workbook for Associate Diploma in Applied Science, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Natural and Cultural Management. Cairns College of TAFE.

Smyth, D. (1993) Aboriginal Maritime Culture: Implications for Managing Marine and Estuarine Protected Areas. In Protection of Marine and Estuarine Areas – A Challenge for all Australians. proceedings of the 4th Fenner Conference on the Environment, Canberra 9-11 October 1991, edited by A. Ivanovici, D. Tarte and M. Olson. Australian Committee for IUCN and ANCA.

Smyth, D. (1992) Resolution of Indigenous Interest in the Management of Australian Protected Areas. Paper delivered to the IVth IUCN World Congress on National Parks and Protected Areas, Caracas, Venezuela, Feb. 1992.

Smyth, D. (1992) Aboriginal Maritime Culture in Cape York PeninsulaPaper delivered at the Queensland Marine Parks Conference, Yeppoon May 1992.

Smyth, D. (1991) Aboriginal Maritime Culture: Implications for Marine Park Management. Paper presented at National and Marine Park Cross Cultural Workshop, Tinaroo, Nth Queensland.

Smyth, D. (1991) Aboriginal Community Ranger Training and Employment Handbook. Published by Cairns College of TAFE.

Smyth, D. (1990) Aboriginal Maritime Culture in the Cairns Section of the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park. GBRMPA Consultancy Report. Restricted access

Smyth, D. (1988) Aboriginal Involvement in the Cairns Section of the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park. GBRMPA Consultancy Report.

Smyth, D. (1987). Contemporary Involvement of Aborigines in Park Management: An Overview. Paper presented at ANZAAS Conference, Townsville.

Smyth, D., Taylor, P. and Willis, A. (1985) (Eds) Proceedings of First National Workshop on Aboriginal Ranger Training. ANPWS Publication, Canberra. Click here to download

Webb, L.J. and Smyth, D. (1983) Ecological Guidelines and Traditional Empiricism in Rural Development (with L.J. Webb). In: J. Hanks (Ed.) Traditional Lifestyles, Conservation and Rural Development. IUCN Commission on Ecology Papers No. 7, 99-105.

Smyth, D. (1980) Notes on the Diet of the Grey Swiftlet, Aerodramus spodiopygiusSunbird No.11, 20-21.

Smyth, D. (1980) Notes on the Distribution of the Grey Swiftlet, Aerodramus spodiopygiusSunbird No.11, 1-19.

Mayney L., Fraser I., Pearson L., Sanderson, K. and Smyth, D.(1980) An Autoradiographic Study of the Eighth Nerve Projections in the Galah, Eolophus roseicapilla. Brain Research 183, 200-204

Smyth, D. (1982) Aboriginal occupation of Inland Cape York Peninsula. Australian Institute of Aboriginal Studies Newsletter No.7, 8-13.

Smyth, D. (1981) The Use of Plants by Aboriginal People of Western Arnhemland. Australian Institute of Aboriginal Studies Report.

Smyth, D. (1981). Aboriginal Occupation of Inland Cape York PeninsulaAustralian Institute of Aboriginal Studies Newsletter, September.

Smyth, D. (1979). Studies on Echolocation in the Grey Swiftlet, Aerodramus spodiopygius. PhD Thesis, James Cook University of North Queensland.

Smyth, D. (1976). The Grey Swiftlet Colony at Finch Hatton Gorge. Sunbird 7(3), 65-66.

Smyth, D. (1976). Preliminary Studies on the Acoustic Orientation in Collocalia spodiopygia (Grey Swiftlet). Search 7(3), 97-98 (with J.R. Roberts and A.V. Spain).

Smyth, D. (1973). Temperature Regulation in the Platypus, Ornithorhynchus anatinus (Shaw). Comparative Biochemistry and Physiology 45A, 705-715.

Smyth, D. (1972). One of Many Thousands. Hemisphere 10(3), 10-15. (An account of the ANU biological expedition to Indonesia)

Smyth, D. (1970). Temperature Regulation in the Platypus. Honours Thesis, ANU.

 

 

LAND AND SEA COUNTRY PLANS

Click “Country Based Planning” tab for links to Land and Sea country Plans
facilitated by Dermot Smyth and others