Bunya Rangers develop a regional RightFire network
Aims and overview
Bunya Peoples’ Aboriginal Corporation (BPAC) Rangers are working to revive ‘RightFire’ practices to retain the health of unique grasslands in the Bunya Mountains. Recent wildfires such as the Black Summer fires have increased the demand from agencies and landholders for RightFire services to manage Country.
BPAC gained funding through the Australian Government’s Preparing Australian Communities - Local Stream to develop a regional network of RightFire practitioners.
The project aims to ensure that the intellectual property (IP) of custodial groups and fire knowledge holders is protected, leadership is provided by custodial groups and their fire practitioners and meaningful partnerships achieved with agencies and the broader community.
The project is standardising RightFire practice with a model that works across different Country; and achieving systemisation of RightFire practice through development of workplace procedures driven by fire knowledge holders and the fire practitioner network.
Activities and outcomes
Together with Firesticks Alliance and iCHASE Safety Solutions, BPAC delivered RightFire training workshops to a regional network of Aboriginal fire practitioners across southern Queensland.
An induction workshop in the Bunya Mountains involved walking and reading Country in the Bunyas, ‘healing fire’, monitoring and mentoring. A ‘Reading Country’ workshop explored Storm-burn Country. RightFire workshops were then held for box/gum Country and grassland Country. Other RightFire workshops included youth engagement with the Silver Lining School at Ficks Crossing. Participants also undertook ‘Western’ Crew Member training, and fire training modules of the ‘Art of Engagement’ Safety program.
Alongside the training, BPAC, Firesticks Alliance and iCHASE developed a suite of RightFire work procedures; and continued engagement with key agencies to develop partnership support for RightFire practice led by custodial groups.
Learnings and next steps
A key learning from the project was the need for a flexible delivery model to overcome the barriers to practitioner participation, such as access to Country, different employment situations and varied experience levels in RightFire practice.
Feedback from participants was that the network was empowering and the opportunity to see what other Rangers do made their work stronger. Participants also said experiencing each other’s Country helped to build broader knowledge and skills in RightFire practice.
Next steps for the project include continuous improvement and delivery of RightFire workshops for the practitioner network across different Country types, with sandridge, coastal heath, storm-burn and healing fire workshops to come, as well as food and medicine plant knowledge workshops.
Rangers also plan to hold a series of educational and planning workshops with key fire partners and stakeholders including Queensland Fire and Emergency Services (QFES), Queensland Parks and Wildlife Services (QPWS), local government, Natural Resource Management (NRM) regions, and landholders.
Finally, Rangers plan to develop a regional RightFire strategy supported by all partners to facilitate Aboriginal-led fire practice that builds the resilience of Country and community.