First Nations people and fireys keep traditions alive together

Traditional Owners, firefighters, vegetation management officers and other stakeholders have come together to preserve culturally and ecologically important traditions in West Wimmera.

The Western Victorian Woodlands three-year project, is a partnership between Barengi Gadjin Land Council, CFA, Forest Fire Management Victoria, Trust for Nature, Greening Australia, Bank of Australia, and Wimmera Catchment Management Authority, which provided a $25,000 grant to fund it.

The project culminated in a traditional burn led by the Wotjobaluk Nation at Minimay in West Wimmera in October last year.

As Australia celebrates the history, culture and achievements of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples as part of NAIDOC Week (8-15 November 2020), CFA Acting Chief officer Garry Cook said the project was a perfect symbol for how we can work together to learn from one another.

“We recognise that First Nations people have occupied and cared for our continent for over 65,000 years and we have a lot to learn from their culture,” he said.

Supporting cultural burns is part of CFA’s Koori Inclusion Action Plan, and CFA works with Indigenous communities across Victoria to promote and conduct the practice.

“By better looking after the landscape together, we can also improve bushfire safety,” Acting Chief Officer Cook said.

While fire agencies conduct planned burns for fuel reduction purposes, traditional burning uses “cool burning” with minimal flame height that clears excess fuel, eradicates introduced species and allows native flora and fauna to return.

The burn was made possible by Bank of Australia purchasing a 598-hectare block of land featuring culturally significant trees to establish a conservation reserve.