Not often, research projects receive specific funding for community engagement activities. Recognizing the importance of community engagement, the Commonwealth Environmental Water Office Monitoring, Evalution and Research (MER) Project provided dedicated funds to support researchers including the Lower Murray team for engagement with recreational fishers and indigenous groups. The aims of such activities were to build new and strengthen existing relationships with key groups, for example, by connecting with indigenous people, exchanging knowledge, and listening to history and cultural values, and promoting the delivery of Water for the Environment to benefit plants and animals, in the Lower Murray River. Six months into the MER project, COVID-19 hit and with it, many challenges appeared for our planned engagement activities. Activities with recreational fishers occurred virtually and most face-to-face activities were postponed a few times, due to the high-risk demographics for COVID-19. The initial indigenous engagement activities were also put on hold, including the consideration of the risk posed by COVID-19 to the indigenous population. We had to sought alternative activities, as this engagement opportunity could not be missed. Our focus shifted to communication products and to engage with younger indigenous. We created two animation and two evidential videos, showcasing the MER project, sampling techniques, the importance of the Water for the Environment and what monitoring we do. Engaging with young indigenous students were enabled by a partnership program with a conservation station (Calperum Station) and with local high schools. We co-host three Indigenous Ecology in Action workshops, when the interactive learning from indigenous rangers and teachers as well as the exchange of knowledge took place. The workshops were well received, teachers now seek future opportunities including the continuation of such workshops and incorporation of indigenous artwork as a story-telling tool.