Image Caption: Ten NQ Dry Tropics Traditional Owner Management Group members. Left to right: Sheryl Wake (Gia), Virginia Wyles (Wulgurukaba), Richard Hoolihan (Chair) (Gugu Badhun), Reg Kerr (Gudjala), Jim Gaston (Juru), Josephine Smallwood (Wangan and Jagalingou), Trevor Robinson (Bidjara), Dorothy Savage (Birriah0, Eddie Smallwood (Bindal), Jim Gaston (Juru), Charles Morganson (Warrungnu). © NQ Dry Tropics
A cultural burning project led by traditional owners in North Queensland is helping farmers overcome their fear of fire and learn ancient cultural fire practices from Them. Since 2022, Jervoise Station near Greenvale has hosted workshops to show graziers the benefits of cultural burning and to mentor and teach cultural burning skills to the next generation of First Nations people. The project is a collaboration between natural resource management group NQ Dry Tropics, the Firesticks Alliance, the World Wide Fund for Nature-Australia, Gugu Badhun Traditional Owners, and graziers. With more than 80% of the Dry Tropics region grazing land, the project has focused on improving pastures on cattle stations using Indigenous Knowledge and rebuilding those skills among Traditional Owners. The project has national implications, showing how First Nations people can use ancient skills to heal and regenerate Country, in partnership with graziers, at scale to benefit their communities, food production and nature.
In the heart of North Queensland, a transformative project is underway. It draws on ancient Indigenous fire knowledge to breathe new life into the land and the community. NQ Dry Tropics, the Firesticks Alliance, WWF, and local Traditional Owners lead this initiative. It is about restoring grazing land, bridging cultures, reclaiming ancestral wisdom, and nurturing a shared vision for a sustainable future.
Graziers, eager to embrace Traditional Owners' expertise, gather to witness cultural burns on Gugu Badhun Country at Jervoise Station near Greenvale. Here, amidst the crackling flames and billowing smoke, a robust exchange is taking place. Traditional Owners are passing down their age-old fire practices, while graziers are shedding their fear of fire and embracing a new way of land management.
This collaborative effort extends beyond mere land restoration. It's about fostering relationships, building bridges across different backgrounds, and sowing the seeds of a brighter future for Australia. By partnering with graziers, First Nations people are revitalising the land on a scale that benefits their communities, food production, and the natural environment.
Image Caption: Dr Janine Gertz, Gugu Badhun Traditional Owner on Jervoise Station © Scott Radford-Chisholm
At the heart of this endeavour is a collaboration between NQ Dry Tropics, the Firesticks Alliance, the World Wide Fund for Nature-Australia, Gugu Badhun Traditional Owners, and graziers. Together, they breathe new life into the region, guided by a profound understanding of the land and a deep respect for ancient traditions.
In the wake of the devastating 2019-20 bushfires, the NQ Dry Tropics Traditional Owner Management Group recognised the urgent need to restore right-way fire practices and recover the skills essential for cultural burning. This led to a partnership with the Firesticks Alliance and its co-founder, Victor Steffensen, a cultural burning expert and Tagalaka descendant.
The project, which focuses on improving pastures on cattle stations and rebuilding Indigenous knowledge among Traditional Owners, has found a home at Jervoise Station near Greenvale. Here, graziers are gaining insights into the transformative power of cultural burning and mentoring the next generation of Indigenous Australians.
The impact of this initiative extends far beyond the boundaries of Jervoise Station. It has drawn graziers like Barry O'Sullivan from Glenalpine Station, who travelled 600 kilometres to attend a workshop. Barry's eagerness to embrace Indigenous knowledge reflects a growing recognition of the invaluable role that traditional practices play in maintaining the landscape's delicate balance.
Victor Steffensen, committed to mentoring emerging First Nations leaders, sees this project as a catalyst for connecting Indigenous communities with their land and creating employment opportunities. For him, it's about reclaiming identity through knowledge of the land and collaborating with pastoralists to improve landscapes.
Dr. Janine Gertz, a Gugu Badhun Traditional Owner, emphasises the shared vision between graziers and Traditional Owners: healthy, productive land. This project is not just about restoring pastures; it's about breathing new life into ancient Indigenous traditions and forging a harmonious and sustainable future for all.
