Savernake Station and Boat Rock Field Day

Corowa District Landcare and the Biodiversity Conservation Trust hosted a field day at Savernake Station with property owners, the Sloane Family and also included a trip to the culturally significant Boat Rock site.

Community Participation - LP019-005

The issue

Landcare NSW and the NSW Biodiversity Conservation Trust (BCT) are working with regional Landcare networks to raise awareness and support private land conservation efforts across the state. Corowa District Landcare (CDL), a Landcare group in the Murray Region which is assisting to celebrate and investigate private land conservation in the local region.

The solution

CDL along with the Murray Riverina BCT team, hosted a biodiversity field day on Savernake Station, which is in the Central Murray Region. This field day showcased the biodiversity and remnant native forests on this historically significant property, as well as highlighting the conservation efforts of the landholders, the Sloane Family through generations. The field day including a visit to a nearby Aboriginal Cultural significant site – Boat Rock.

The impact

On Thursday 5th May 2022, over 60 enthusiastic people attended the field day, including local farmers and attendees from throughout the region. The day started with a Welcome to Country with Bangerang Elder Darren (Dozer) Atkinson, followed by a guided walk through some of Savernake Station’s high conservation woodlands and White Cyprus Pine forest areas with the NSW Biodiversity Conservation Trust (BCT). The Sloane Family also talked about their generational biodiversity conservation journey on Savernake Station, which dates back to 1862. In the afternoon at the Boat Rock Reserve, the Dumanmu Bangerang Dance Group and Bangerang Elder Darren Atkinson, told stories, danced and educated participants on the significance of Boat Rock for the local Bangerang People. Andrea Mitchell also talked about her journey and research undertaken for the Corowa District Landcare to produce the Boat Rock brochure.

To capture the inspirational conservational story of Savernake Station and the area’s rich indigenous heritage, including the significance of Boat Rock to the Bangerang People, Corowa District Landcare have produced a short video Here is the link - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Kus_3PVIyyk

The field day and production of the video was supported with funding through the Partnering in Private Land Conservation. A joint initiative delivered by Landcare NSW & the NSW Biodiversity Conservation Trust Partnership

Author: Judy Kirk