Aboriginal Partnerships
Working in partnership with Aboriginal communities
We employ an Aboriginal Partnerships Liaison Team to work with Aboriginal communities throughout NSW. Our team strives to conserve the qualities and attributes of places that have spiritual, historic, scientific or social value. Some of our partnerships are highlighted below.
Cultural burning
For thousands of years, Indigenous Australians shaped and managed the health of the country’s forests using the firestick. Regular cool burns, used by Aboriginal communities for thousands of years, helped forests develop a more open understorey and denser canopy. Forestry Corporation has been working with local Aboriginal communities throughout NSW to carry out cultural burning as part of our regular hazard reduction burning program. These partnerships are both continuing culture and lowering the risk of bushfire by reducing fuel levels on the forest floor.
The Gumgali Track at Korora Lookout
We've transformed the 400-metre walking track to the secluded Korora Lookout in the Orara East State Forest into a cultural walking track — telling the story of Gumgali the black goanna through sculptures, a 30-metre mural and recordings in both Gumbaynggirr language and English.
Gumbaynggirr cultural showcases
A cultural experience developed by Bularri Muurlay Nyanggan Aboriginal Corporation is offering visitors to the award-winning Sealy Lookout and Korora Lookout in Orara East State Forest a unique insight into the region’s Aboriginal cultural heritage.
Watch the video below to find out more. Bookings through Bularri Muurlay Nyanggan Aboriginal Corporation.
Bulahdelah Mountain Aboriginal Place
Forestry Corporation of NSW and Karuah Local Aboriginal Land Council worked together to create unique carvings at Bulahdelah Mountain Aboriginal Place. Find out more in the video below.
Managing Aboriginal cultural heritage during harvesting
Forestry Corporation also works in partnership with Aboriginal communities across the State to complete a range of forest management activities including:
- carrying out cultural heritage surveys
- jointly managing culturally significant sites
- delivering firewood to elders
- providing forest products for cultural purposes, such as bark for canoes
Information about management of Aboriginal cultural heritage is reported annually in our sustainability report.