Community Mapping: A Study into Australian Indigenous Peoples’ Participation in Cultural Mapping

By investigating the current literature on the growth in collecting and managing Indigenous knowledge and its relationship to place through the use of geographic information systems (GIS) and other technologies, and by investigating the outcomes of four case study projects, this research demonstrates that there is a missing link in the implementation of knowledge mapping type programs. The missing link identified in this research is why these programs in most situations have shown to be unsustainable regardless of the level of funding they receive and more importantly have not created sustainable community futures such as business development. The upcoming PhD research ‘Mapping for Sustainable Futures’ will investigate further how spatial information technology can be incorporated to ensure this type of program contributes to sustainable futures and that this new knowledge benefits Indigenous communities, industry, the broader public society and the geospatial industry and its practice.