‘It’s our kinship’: can #Australia learn to coexist with #dingoes?

As dingoes vanish from parts of Australia, a new documentary is calling on governments to move away from #eradication and towards solutions that benefit both #farmers and #animals

By Rosamund Brennan, 11 May 2026

Excerpt: "As Takau began looking into dingo laws, she says she found that policy was shaped largely by livestock interests, with little regard for #FirstNations cultural authority. 'There were no Aboriginal people having a say in this animal,' she says.

"In many parts of Australia, dingoes are grouped with 'wild dogs' under biosecurity laws and treated as pests or invasive animals, allowing – and in some places requiring – landholders to kill or exclude them to protect livestock.

"But Takau argues that framing ignores both their cultural significance and their ecological role. 'Dingoes keep Country healthy,' she says; they can control #overgrazing by animals like goats and #kangaroos, and reduce pressure from feral cats and foxes, which prey on #NativeWildlife.

"Through her advocacy, Takau met #AlixLivingstone, founder of #DefendTheWild, and the two began working to centre #Aboriginal voices in #DingoConservation. That work led west, through a #CulturalExchange that brought rangers from #Queensland and northern #NSW together with Aboriginal corporations on WA’s south coast to share dingo monitoring knowledge and cultural stories.

"The film and campaign grew out of that exchange. In February, Moort was screened at WA parliament, where custodians called on the state government to remove dingoes from pest classifications in biosecurity law and phase out 1080 baiting and #strychnine-laced foothold traps, which can cause prolonged, painful deaths.

"Livingstone says the campaign is not about pitting Aboriginal people against farmers but shifting support from killing programs to coexistence measures such as #BetterFencing, #GuardianAnimals and practical help for landholders. 'It’s about finding solutions for farmers that protect their interests but also maintain dingoes in the environment,' she says."

Read more:
https://www.theguardian.com/film/2026/may/12/australia-dingoes-documentary-calling-dingo-back-to-country

#SolarPunkSunday #NativeAustralians #SonyaTakau #Rewilding #EndangeredSpecies #Coexistence #Nature

‘The environmental movement needs many hands’: saving Australia’s biodiversity is getting personal

Powered by individual donations and bequests, the country now has one of the world’s largest networks of privately protected and managed land

by James Norman, Fri 17 Apr 2026

Excerpt: "Over three decades later, #BushHeritage today owns and protects 45 bought or gifted bush reserves around #Australia – covering more than 1.4m hectares of land and providing habitat for over 9,000 native species. Working with #FirstNations communities and farmers, it supports the management of an additional 20.5m hectares beyond what it owns directly.

" 'Some of Australia’s most threatened and fragile #ecosystems and #wildlife sit outside of the national reserve system,' says Rachel Lowry, Bush Heritage Australia’s chief executive officer.

" 'They’re found on private land or pastoral country, and they may have deep cultural and ecological values, but they’re not protected from threats such as #LandClearing, #mining or #InvasiveSpecies.'

"The organisation reports a rise in the number of personal bequests, from 2,500 in 2022 to more than 4,600 bequests last year. Lowry puts the increase down to a personal desire to have a meaningful impact on the worsening global climate and #biodiversity crisis.

"Bush Heritage’s model has inspired other groups around Australia to acquire and conserve lands and forests of significant ecological value. One such example is the #NorthEastTasmania #LandTrust (#NETLT), which secretary Dr Christine Hosking describes as 'a microcosm of Bush Heritage'.

"Formed in 2009, the organisation manages donated land through weed control and regeneration of the native environment.

" 'Currently, we have 10 acres [4 hectares] of endangered eucalyptus forest in #BinalongBay that adjoins the #BayOfFires #Conservation Area, and a smaller patch of coastal habitat for the endangered swift parrot,' she says."

#SolarPunkSunday #LandConservation #EndangeredSpecies #ClimateCrisis #ProtectTheForest #ProtectTheForests #Regeneration #PreserveNature #Conservationists #NativeAustralians #TraditionalLandManagement

#SouthAustralia - #PointPearce #FirstNations #CultureGarden

"#LandcareAustralia is proud to partner with #PointPearceAboriginalCorporation in establishing a First Nations community-led conservation and education project. Located in South #Australia’s Point Pearce in the #WardangIsland #IndigenousProtectedArea (IPA), the project is led by the #TraditionalOwners, the #Narungga people, and aims to support #Indigenous youth to learn about their Cultural heritage and knowledge that will lead to career and leadership pathways in #EnvironmentalConservation. 


At the heart of this initiative is the Point Pearce First Nations Culture Garden, a space where #Elders, #FirstNationsRangers, and #IndigenousYouth come together to bridge and transfer #CulturalKnowledge. Designed as a hands-on learning environment, it will inspire young people to explore environmental conservation, deepen their appreciation for the natural world and discover career pathways that utilise Cultural knowledge. 


The Culture Garden will feature a #medicinal and #ceremonial plant area, #NativeBushFoods, water features to attract #wildlife, #SensoryGarden, and dedicated spaces for learning and Cultural practice. With a #seedling #propagation zone, a #NativeSeed cleaning station, a fruit and nut #orchard, and interpretive walking trail. More than just a garden, it serves as a ‘cultural learning hub’—fostering pride and offering a comprehensive setting for community events, educational programs, and vocational training opportunities. With funding from #OneTreePlanted, the tree planting will also help #restore #NativeVegetation and improve habitat for threatened species including the Southern Hairy-nosed #Wombat. 


Aligned with the South Australian Department for Education’s Aboriginal Education Strategy, the project aims to inspire engagement, Cultural pride, and environmental responsibility among First Nations students. It focuses on educational outcomes and how Cultural activities can play in enhancing social and academic competence among First Nations students."

https://landcareaustralia.org.au/project/point-pearce-aboriginal-corporation-culture-garden/

#SolarPunkSunday #Rewilding #PreservingNature #CulturalPreservation #NativeAustralians #Australia #NatureEducation #NativePlants #BushTucker

#Australia - Creating an #Indigenous plant-use #garden: harvesting

April 14, 2022, #LandCareAustralia

"The satisfaction of eating straight from the garden is one of life’s best learning experiences, however we need to be respectful and mindful to only harvest what we need to allow the plant to continue to thrive for generations to come.

This activity involves the assessment and mapping of local environments to create a successful and thriving Indigenous plant-use garden.

To understand local perspectives and support these activities, we recommend reaching out to the local #TraditionalOwners and #FirstNations peoples community groups who can assist in knowledge sharing and understanding local land, histories and culture. This is an important consideration to ensure that any reconciliation initiatives are being driven in a local, meaningful way.

This learning activity is the last part of a sequence of 6 individual learning activities focused on creating an Indigenous plant-use garden. The order of these learning activities are: resources from the bush, vision, plant list, site assessment, planting and harvesting.

Landcare is an amazing grass roots, volunteer movement that harnesses individuals and groups under the ethic of caring for the land. There are approximately 6,000 volunteer environmental group across Australia that fall under the Landcare umbrella. The movement focuses on the sustainable management of all of Australia's natural resource assets and encompasses individuals and groups across the whole landscape from coastal to urban and remote areas of Australia."

Watch video:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BkZ6GRx2rZg

Full learning activity:
https://juniorlandcare.org.au/learning_activity/creating-an-indigenous-plant-use-garden-harvesting/

Landcare website:
https://landcareaustralia.org.au/

#SolarPunkSunday #HonorableHarvest #NativeAustralians #IndigenousGardens #IndigenousPlants #NativePlants

#Australia - Native '#superfood' #grasses used to create flour, beer growing in popularity

By Fiona Broom, August 27, 2024

"Just three years ago, Chris Harris was using an old metal bed frame to shake out the tiny seeds that hide in native #KangarooGrass.

"The #AncientGrains can be roasted, brewed or ground into high-protein flour for baking.

" 'I spent a lot of time on my country — #Ngiyampaa country — with my pop, my dad, my mum and aunties and uncles,' Mr Harris said.

"Mr Harris has made flour out of #WattleSeed, as well as #MitchellGrass, #ButtonGrass and #KangarooGrass.

"He has sent native flours and seeds to kitchens across the country for the past two-and-a-half years but said he was looking at ways to expand his operations.
From builder to bush foods

"Mr Harris is the farm manager at #BlackDuckFoods, an #Aboriginal social enterprise at #Mallacoota on Victoria's far eastern border with New South Wales.

"The farm, named #Yumburra — the Yuin word for the black duck native to the Mallacoota region — was set up by award-winning author Bruce Pascoe, whose book Dark Emu shone a spotlight on the lost history of #AboriginalFood systems.

"Mr Harris was a plasterer with an Aboriginal construction company when first visited the property about four years ago.

"But he said after discussing bush foods with Mr Pascoe, he realised his future would be as a farmer and native foods educator.

" 'I'd been talking a lot to him about the lilies, the murnong, and the grains and he'd seen a real interest that I had in the native food space,' Mr Harris said.

"In the past few years, the small team has grown its knowledge of the ancient grains at their former beef farm on the banks of the Wallagaraugh River.

"They have encouraged the return of the #NativeGrasses, wattles and #tubers that produce the nutritious ingredients that foodies across the country are learning to love."

Read more:
https://www.abc.net.au/news/rural/2024-08-27/native-superfoods-flour-grasses-seeds-kangaroo-grass-black-duck/104153962?future=true&

#IndigenousFood #NativeAustralians #BushTucker #TraditionalFoods

#Australian #WitchettyGrub Recipe

April 28, 2023

"A witchetty grub is the larva of the witchetty bush cricket, considered a delicacy by some Indigenous Australians. It is high in protein and is usually eaten either raw or cooked. The raw grubs have a nutty flavor, while the cooked grubs taste like scrambled eggs [I think they taste a bit like scallops].

"The traditional way of cooking witchetty grubs is to roast them on hot coals, although they can also be boiled or fried. Witchetty grubs are still consumed by Indigenous communities in Australia today, and are sometimes served as a novelty dish in restaurants or available for purchase in specialty food stores.

Origin & Cultural Significance

"Witchetty grubs have been a staple food source for #IndigenousAustralians for thousands of years. The witchetty bush cricket is found in arid regions of Australia, and its larvae are an important food source for many Indigenous communities. The grubs are high in protein and provide a valuable source of nutrition in an environment where food can be scarce.

"In Indigenous culture, the witchetty grub holds great cultural significance and is considered a sacred food source. The grubs are often gathered by women and children and are a crucial part of many traditional hunting and gathering practices. The grubs are also an important part of Indigenous storytelling and cultural practices, and have been passed down from generation to generation as a symbol of cultural heritage and tradition.

"Today, witchetty grubs continue to be an important part of Indigenous culture, and are sometimes served as a novelty dish in restaurants or available for purchase in specialty food stores. However, the use of witchetty grubs as a food source has declined in recent years as Indigenous communities have been exposed to a wider range of foods and Western diets. Nevertheless, the witchetty grub remains an important symbol of Indigenous culture and heritage, and its cultural significance continues to be recognized and celebrated."

Read more (includes recipe):
https://travelfoodatlas.com/australian-witchetty-grub-recipe

#WitchettyGrubs #WichettyGrubs #IndigenousFood #NativeAustralians #BushTucker #EdibleInsects #SolarPunkSunday