Building Relationships with Fire
Learning and building relationships on a fire ground
Capacity building - Lp&g#2026
The issue
Landcare NSW Aboriginal Communities Engagement Program aims to increase opportunities to consciously develop stronger connections and partnerships between Landcare Groups and Aboriginal communities.
As a previous landholder member of Upper Mooki Landcare (and now the Local Landcare Coordinator) I have been interested to develop Landcare connections with the local Aboriginal community through the Walhallow Local Aboriginal Land Council.
The current Executive of Upper Mooki Landcare (UMLC) share this interest.
The solution
The Walhallow Aboriginal Land Council has established the Warruwi Dhuurran (Pathway of Knowledge) Rangers – an Indigenous Ranger program run by the Walhallow Aboriginal Land Council. This female-only team program aims to strengthen cultural leadership, workforce development and on-Country land, fire and water management skills.
Female UMLC Executive members have met on Country with the Warruwi Dhuuran to discuss ways and means to develop a relationship.
On 1/04/2026 I (and members of UMLC), attended a cultural burn at Walhallow a village in the centre of the Liverpool Plains. It was a chilly Dhandarraa (Winter – time of frost and ice) day. This burn was arranged by the Warruwi Dhuurran Rangers, aiming to cool burn a section of country, leaving a small block unburnt for audit and comparison in several months.
Several of the Walhallow Elders were present.
The Gauluma-li Dhawun Rangers from the Red Chief Local Aboriginal Land Council (Gunnedah), and members of the Nungaroo Rangers Program (Quirindi) also attended.
Indigenous staff from Local Land Services attended.
Dr Michelle McKemey, Ecologist at Melaleuca Environmental Services who has longstanding involvement with cultural fire programs on ground attended on the day, and will be involved in the ongoing monitoring of the regeneration of the burnt country, providing education to the Warruwi Dhuuran
The burn was also intended as a training opportunity for RFS staff, with teams from the Liverpool Plains Rural Fire Services actively involved.
The impact
As the Landcare Coordinator for the Liverpool Plains and Gunnedah Shires, the event was a great opportunity to work with the Warruwi Dhuuran on the fire ground, to continue building friendships and meet new people, review and observe the actions on the day and observe the animals, birds and insects reaction to the fire.
The Warruwi Dhuuran and the Upper Mooki Landcare women are now actively seeking opportunities to gain and share knowledge. An initial goal is to conduct cultural audits on country, and possibly list new sites on the Aboriginal Heritage Information Management System