Pathways Walked Together at Bundanon

“The last few days have given me pause for rethinking a couple of projects I’m currently working on, to really step back and honestly ask ‘How is this benefiting Country?’ and ‘How is this supporting the goals and aspirations of community?’ These are questions that I will always foreground and start from in any project going forward.” (Workshop participant)

Batemans Bay Local Aboriginal Land Council staff (Walbunja Country) planning together with NSW NPWS

From 15-17 July, researchers and government staff met with local land stewards and practitioners from the Dharawal and Dhurga language groups on the South Coast of NSW at Bundanon, near Nowra.  The workshop was a key moment in the BNHRC’s commitment to walking pathways towards better land management alongside Aboriginal people.

Around 60 participants listened to firsthand accounts of how local Aboriginal custodians are reinvesting in traditional practices and knowledge to care for, nurture, and rebuild resilient and strong landscapes.

Community members from Gumea, Murramarrang and Walbanja First Nations shared local stories and discussed their current work to heal Country and their aspirations towards future land nurturing practices and treatments.

“Local custodians’ wisdom and science and the application of age-old traditional practices is mending landscapes and building stronger and resilient lands across local communities,” said Noel Webster, known as ‘Uncle Nook’.

Josh Cameron (left), Aboriginal Project Officer Fire at NSW Crown Lands talks to Walbunja Thungutti Practitioner Ado Webster (right)

The custodians were also keen to understand the research and science from the attendees, he added. “Knowledge sharing and two ways of doing things may complement each other to build collaboration to understand and mitigate the adverse impacts from natural disaster events,” explained Uncle Nook

“The willingness of the Elders and young leaders to share their knowledge and practices so openly, as well as their hospitality, has certainly left a lasting impression on me that has altered fundamentally my worldview and practices,” said one participant.

Thanks go to Uncle Nook and Kat Haynes, both from DCCEEW Science and Insights Division, who organised the event in collaboration with Jerome Comisari from the Bundanon Estate, and to all of the many Aboriginal facilitators and speakers involved.