Shire of York - Kolbang Yanginy

A Traditional Mosaic Burning Programme comes to life on Ballardong Country

Cultural burning is a traditional fire management technique used by First Nations Peoples to enhance the health of Country and culture. The practice involves lighting low fires in small areas on foot, with matches or fire sticks. These fires are closely monitored, ensuring that only the underbrush is burnt.

For more than 60,000 years, this traditional practice has been instrumental in reducing fire hazards, encouraging new growth of culturally significant species, and protecting native wildlife already living on Country. Although this practice has not been common in many parts of Australia for generations due to historical land dispossession and cultural loss, there is now growing awareness of its considerable potential to mitigate the effects of extreme bushfires related to climate change.

In partnership with the Ballardong community, the Shire of York are integrating this age-old technique into their vegetation management and community bushfire mitigation strategies. This is not only honouring Aboriginal cultural heritage but also setting a new standard for effective and sustainable land management.

How the project came to life

For many years, the Ballardong community has been passionate about finding new ways to reconnect with and care for Country. In collaboration with the Shire of York, they explored the possibility of reviving traditional mosaic burning techniques on lands covered by York’s Noongar Standard Heritage Agreement.

In partnership with the Ballardong community, the Shire of York secured the necessary funding to make this vision a reality through the National Disaster Risk Reduction Grants Program. Ten participants from the local Aboriginal community, including three Elders, embarked on a journey of learning traditional mosaic burning techniques and completing critical bushfire safety awareness and firefighting courses.

At the same time, an Environmental Conservation Management Plan was created to underpin the project’s environmental strategies.

From October 2023 to September 2024, four cultural burns took place – two on hill terrain and two along river terrain. These burns brought together community participants and local bushfire brigade volunteers, with seamless coordination provided by the Shire of York Community Emergency Services Manager and the Cultural Fire Co-ordinator from the WA Department of Fire and Emergency Services Bushfire Centre of Excellence.

The project’s success owes much to the invaluable partnerships between the Shire of York, the Ballardong community, and support from the Ballardong Aboriginal Corporation, the York River Conservation Society, the York branch of the WA Wildflower Society, and the WA Department of Fire and Emergency Services Bushfire Centre of Excellence. Their collective expertise, dedication, and collaboration were instrumental in turning this project’s vision into a reality.

Looking ahead, there are plans to continue these cultural burns to further assist with bushfire mitigation, vegetation management and to provide ongoing opportunities for the community to continue to engage with and care for Country. The project will also culminate in a comprehensive case study report which will share best practice and insights on traditional mosaic burning with other communities.

Lessons Learned

To achieve the best results, organisations should meticulously plan their project timeline and allocate a lot more time than initially estimated.
It is essential to have Aboriginal role models on board – integral to this project’s success have been the involvement of a volunteer Noongar Trainer-Assessor in training delivery and an Aboriginal Cultural Fire Co-ordinator from the WA Department of Fire and Emergency Services Bushfire Centre of Excellence.
Ensure family members or support staff are available to help maximise the benefits of participant training and learning.