Forging stronger connections – Desert mob at Dangkal Gwo'yal-wa

5 minute read

At the start of the month, the Dangkal Gwo’yal-wa First Nations Land and Water Management Forum was held on Larrakia Country. The forum was a great opportunity for rangers and TOs from across the country to come together, forge stronger connections and speak up in the same room as sector leaders and government bureaucrats.

Dr Anne Poelina addressing the forum.

Desert country was well represented, with rangers from Kiwirrkurra, Birriliburu, Arabana, Karajarri, Nyangumarta, APY Lands and Central Land Council travelling from all over the desert to be at the conference.

Rangers yarned up strong way for desert country while they were there, with Nyangumarta, Birriliburu, and Central Land Council all running their own presentations. Nyangumarta mob presented on feral cat management, the Great Sandy Desert Fire and Biodiversity Project, and tackling the complex challenges of managing cane toads on the country they manage.

Clockwise from left: Birriliburu rangers on stage; Nyangumarta rangers presenting; CLC Warlpiri rangers and kuyu pungu on stage.

Birriliburu Rangers presented with the IDA, focusing on the IDA’s desert internship program and right way desert fire. JM, Verna, Junior and Miranda spoke up on their experience working out on Country, and JM talked about how proud she was to use her training to successfully do an aerial burn with the Raindance machine.

CLC Warlpiri rangers ran a breakout session on Yitaki Mani (Reading the Country), with Warlpiri kuyu pungu (expert trackers), sharing the story of how they developed the program and its integral role in maintaining knowledge of Country for Yapa. Wanta Jampijinpa Pawu talked about the power of Warlpiri learning through hunting and how he is honouring his obligations to his old people and Country by carrying on and sharing this knowledge.

“For Yapa it is integral that we keep reading the country to carry on this knowledge."

Helen Wilson, Lead Ranger, North Tanami Rangers

IDA CEO Sam Murray spoke on a panel of First Nations and land management sector leaders, and yarned about the power of technology in desert communities and how rangers know how to use technology to elevate cultural knowledge of country transfer. She also spoke about her experience as CEO.

“I’ve only been in this role as CEO for 2 months but what makes it all worthwhile for me is seeing young female rangers in the front row when I yarn up at events like this. You can’t be what you can’t see, and with all the strong women I see here I have great hope for our leaders in the future.”

Sam Murray, IDA CEO

Keynote speeches were also given by Federal Minister for Indigenous Australians Malarndirri McCarthy, NIAA CEO Jody Broun, and Ricky Archer, Director of Parks Australia. Broun acknowledged the broad benefits of ranger programs, specifically speaking about the work of two desert teams: APY rangers on the Warru program, and Tjuwanpa women working to remove buffel from cultural sites.

NIAA CEO Jody Broun on stage.

“Rangers play an important role in protecting cultural sites.”

Jody Broun, NIAA CEO

Birriliburu rangers and IDA mob backstage.

Outside of presenting keynote speeches, desert mob caught up for dinner on the waterfront in Darwin to relax and spend some time together.

There was a strong desire from most speakers that this forum should become a regular feature of the ranger calendar, hopefully leading to more opportunities to build connections across the sector and communicate shared aspirations and concerns to government agencies and beyond.