"This project is about merging our knowledge with Western science to tell a story from multiple lenses. It's about caring for Country in ways that honour both our traditions and the new technologies available to us." - Sonia Lee Cooper (2025)
The Yorta Yorta led project X-ray of Country, was established in 2024 and subsequently supported by funding from the Murray-Darling Water and Environment Research Program in 2025. This funding enabled the purchase and application of advanced LiDAR and multispectral drone surveying. Imaging was undertaken across Yorta Yorta traditional Country with a focus area of 'The Narrows' on the Murray River.
The project builds on earlier drone survey work, undertaken by the Yorta Yorta Nation on behalf of the Elders Council. It helped to identify, document and protect Culturally significant sites for the Yorta Yorta People. Drone-based LiDAR scanning was used to assess vegetation height and environmental changes. The surveyed area from Picnic Point to the exit of 'The Narrows' covered both sides of the Murray River, with 22 kilometres in New South Wales and 22 kilometres in Victoria.
