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The National Portrait Gallery acknowledges the Traditional Custodians of Country throughout Australia and recognises the continuing connection to lands, waters and communities. We pay our respect to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures and to Elders both past and present.

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Common ground, 2007

by Dean Sewell

National Photographic Portrait Prize 2009 Finalist

Brungle elder Buddy Freeman and grandson, stand in the hollow of a 300 year old River Redgum on the common in Brungle on the Nimbo Creek. Sixty years earlier, Buddy recalls using the tree as a change-room when the creek was running, but today, the Nimbo Creek has had its flow restricted by the placement of a 'choke' at the junction of the creek and the Tumut River. This initiative was put in place without the consultation of the Brungle community, and its aim is to accelerate the flow of the Tumut River to irrigators downstream. This has created substantial environmental problems for the aquatic life of the Nimbo Creek, and has placed added stresses on the population of river red-gums along this water course.

National Photographic Portrait Prize 2009

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