North East Case Study

Bush for Birds Project assists Traditional Owner Groups to build capacity and work together for cultural burning. In 2022-23, North East CMA worked with Duduroa Dhargal and Bangerang Aboriginal Corporations to build on fire safety training previously delivered through the program. We provided grants for fire safety equipment and increased resourcing and opportunities to conduct Cultural Burning on private land to care for Country.

In early May 2023, a shared Cultural Burn was planned and conducted on five hectares of private Grassy Woodland ecosystem at Wooragee, Victoria, part of the Bush for Birds project. The event was arranged and led by Duduroa Dhargal and Bangerang Elders, and was supported by staff from North East CMA and Trust for Nature.

The Burn was the result of strong momentum developed with the Traditional Owners in the burning space. It followed:

• Completion of Fire Safety Training in May 2022.
• Practical training and certification in conducting two separate burns on private land between July and October 2022.
• Graduation event for participants of the prescribed burn training at Beechworth in April 2023.

The North East CMA offered a grant to both groups to fully equip themselves with fire safety equipment. The groups took full advantage of this opportunity to “gear up” by purchasing equipment including full firefighter personal protective equipment, a trailer-mounted water tank and firefighting pump, backpack sprayers, a gear trailer and ignition drip torches.

The equipment is highly valued by the groups and will continue to support their cultural burning activities and aspirations beyond the Bush for Birds Project.

Elders from both groups are keen to expand a shared cultural burning program to educate their younger people and provide opportunities to engage with private landowners and the community.

Traditional Owners, agency staff and landowners at the shared cultural burn at Wooragee. Image Jacqui Schultz.