.png)
OUR THINKING
Six Themes - What we think about
01
Country is the Economy
Country is not separate from economic life. We advance approaches that recognise the relationship between Country, governance, cultural authority and economic participation, strengthening culturally safe, self-determined and just pathways for First Nations communities.
02
Forever Economies
We explore economic futures grounded in intergenerational responsibility, long-term resilience and the obligation to care for Country and future generations.
03
Water is inseparable from Country, cultural authority and governance. Our work centres Indigenous knowledge systems and jurisdiction in decisions affecting land, water and living systems.
04
Climate justice is inseparable from Indigenous jurisdiction, cultural continuity and the restoration of right relationships between people, Country and institutions.
05
We advance collective, matriarchal leadership and First Nations women's knowledge as essential foundations for resilient communities and enduring change.
06
We work across policy, governance and institutional systems to support structural reform grounded in Country, accountability and care.
Latest Thinking
Recent articles & commentary.
Ulan Coal Mine Modification
Date Submission:
1 January 2026
Currie Country Social Change’s submission objects to Ulan Coal Mine Modification 6 on the basis of unresolved impacts to groundwater, surface water, headwater catchments and culturally significant water systems.
It argues that the proposal does not adequately recognise First Nations water rights, cultural responsibilities or Indigenous knowledge, and raises concerns about cumulative and intergenerational impacts from continued mining.
The submission calls for stronger assessment of groundwater impacts, genuine engagement with First Nations water knowledge holders, recognition of cultural water values, and application of the precautionary principle before further mining is approved.
Currie Country Ecology
The heart of Currie Country
Currie Country Social Change (CCSC) was founded by descendants of the original custodians of the Tweed and South East Queensland regions — proud members of the Bundjalung Nation and Mibbany language Nations. We are a First Nations–led organisation committed to intergenerational transformation through Country-centred governance, cultural authority, and an ecologically grounded worldview.
Since 2020, CCSC has worked at the forefront of environmental and cultural leadership, contributing to policy development at local, national, and international levels. Our work bridges First Nations knowledge systems with decision-making structures, ensuring that Indigenous law, science, and governance inform responses to climate, biodiversity, and systemic change.
A Sovereign, Country-Led Approach to Systems Change
We lead with purpose and collective responsibility, grounded in values of care, kinship, and obligation to Country and future generations. Our work seeks not only to influence policy, but to shift worldviews — affirming Indigenous governance as foundational to environmental justice and sustainable futures.
Currie Country Social Change supports and advocates alongside Aboriginal communities across Northern New South Wales and South East Queensland. We centre cultural authority and community-led solutions, particularly where they strengthen the voices, agency, and circumstances of those most affected by historical and ongoing injustice.
At Currie Country Social Change, we lead with Country — accountable to it, governed by it, and guided by its law.
We are a matriarch-led, sovereign First Nations organisation working across Bundjalung Country and the Mibbin language chain, and in collaboration with other Aboriginal Nations, to strengthen cultural governance, protect land and waters, and advance climate and environmental justice through Indigenous-led systems change.
Our work is grounded in an Aboriginal worldview and draws on First Nations sciences, ancestral law, and Indigenous diplomacy to shape enduring, Country-centred futures. We operate at the intersection of culture, law, environment, and governance — translating lived custodianship into policy, practice, and structural reform.
We do not operate as a service provider.
We work to transform systems.
Our role is not to replace government, but to re-centre Indigenous law, authority, and self-determination within the decisions that shape land, water, climate, and community futures.
We design and advance long-term, Country-led pathways that honour sovereignty, strengthen governance, and uphold responsibility to present and future generations.
Artwork by Kate Constantine, used with permission