Aboriginal Cultural Burning in Wingecarribee Bushland Reserves
Acknowledgement
Aboriginal people have been using fire on Country for thousands of years. It is important to recognise and respect the deep connection Aboriginal people have to Country and their expertise in land management.
Project Background
The catalyst for the Aboriginal Cultural Burning in Wingecarribee Bushland Reserves Project followed the 2019-2020 Black Summer bushfires and the Final Report of the NSW Bushfire Inquiry (2020). There were 76 recommendations including Recommendation 26: “That, in order to increase the respectful, collaborative and effective use of Aboriginal land management practices in planning and preparing for bush fire, Government commit to pursuing greater application of Aboriginal land management, including cultural burning….”
Project Development and Governance
The project was co-designed and developed with Illawarra Local Aboriginal Land Council (ILALC), Aboriginal stakeholders and Wingecarribee Shire Council (WSC). Project commenced in late December 2021.
Council set up a steering committee to guide the implementation of the project. The Steering committee has membership from WSC, ILALC, Gundungurra Aboriginal Heritage Association Incorporated (GAHAI) and NSW RFS.The steering committee meets every two months.
What has been achieved so far?
A draft Aboriginal Cultural Burning Strategy for Wingecarribee Bushland Reserves and Draft communications plan have been prepared. These drafts will have further input from Aboriginal community in coming months.
Three burns planned and completed at Gibbergunyah Reserve include:
• Gun09 (26-27 August 2023) (5 ha)
• Gun06 (part) (13 April 2024) (5ha)
• Gun08 (14 April 2024) (7ha)
All cultural burns were led by Yarrabin Cultural Connections and Aboriginal community members with NSW RFS volunteers and WSC staff providing support.
Gibbergunyah Reserve Cultural Burn Film
Acknowledgement: This Local Economic Recovery Project is jointly funded by the Commonwealth and New South Wales Government under the Disaster Recovery Funding Arrangements.