Abstract

The concept of sustainable development has emerged over the last 30 years and its development and articulation has a number of antecedents and it can be interpreted in many ways. But the idea of sustainability, as we now understand it, was articulated in the 1987 Brundtland Report as the development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs. However, in today’s world the concept is more complex and it includes economic achievements, social institutions of our society and the ecological considerations. In Australia, sustainability is interpreted as Ecologically Sustainable Development (ESD), which is the formally established policy goal at local, state and national levels. This study is based on the findings of a research study conducted in rural Australia to understand how irrigators who are at the sharp end of Australian water policy visualize ESD. It used a novel method called ‘photostory’ to encourage a dialogue between the irrigators and policy makers who strive to communicate effectively and tried to picture sustainable water management. The photostories represent their experiences in working on the sustainability elements of water policies; they suggest that sustainability to the participants includes sustainability of the social, economic and environmental aspects.