A local Aboriginal Land Council plans to undertake more cultural burns across Goulburn and district in an effort to regenerate the landscape.
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Fire and smoke from land off Knox Street, West Goulburn, on Saturday and Sunday, July 29 and 30, sparked some local concern and claims by neighbours that they not notified. However Pejar Aboriginal Land Council (PALC) CEO, Delise Freeman, said it was an authorised cultural burn on a battle-axe block at the rear of 48 Knox Street and all permits were obtained. She said all neighbours were notified.
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However several immediate neighbours have told The Post they were not notified.
Goulburn's NSW Fire and Rescue station officer, Darrell Law, said the burn had all permits. One was required from the council and another from NSW Fire and Rescue surrounding safety guidelines.
He said both organisations met with Land Council representatives at the property some five weeks ago to discuss the burn.
Despite "numerous calls" from the public to the station, Mr Law said the burn complied with all rules, was safe and did not escape.
The council confirmed the permit was issued in May, 2023, following consultation with the Land Council and NSW Fire and Rescue. A spokesperson said under the permit, the entity must ensure neighbours are notified within 24 hours before burning; appropriate fire suppression controls are in place; smoke and ash does not impact neighbouring residences and that NSW Fire and Rescue and RFS approvals are obtained.
The Land Council's 1990s land claim for the two lots, covering 2.2 hectares, was granted in 2022 and the organisation subsequently fenced off the parcel. In March, 2023, 17 Crown Land lots loosely bordered by Slocombe, Ridge and Mary Streets were also granted to the Land Council. Part of this area takes in the West Goulburn Bushland Reserve.
Ms Freeman said the West Goulburn Land would also be fenced off to keep out intruders and to cover public liability. She told The Post that future public access would be up to the PALC board. Cultural burns would also occur on this parcel during winter and under controlled conditions.
Southeast Local Land Services provided funding for Saturday's burn.
"We want to get this back to its natural state," Ms Freeman said.
"It's about getting rid of stuff (vegetation) that shouldn't be here and allowing native species to come through."
"...The land is everything to Aboriginal people and to get part of it back is a good thing for us."
Saturday's burn started with a ceremony and gathering of 25 Aboriginal people.
NSW Fire and Rescue dropped in as a precaution on Saturday. South-coast based Firesticks Alliance oversaw the activity and had a water tank on hand.
'Cleaning up the country'
The Alliance's southern NSW regional coordinator and Yuin man, Dan Morgan, said the not-for-profit network educated Aboriginal groups about cultural burning, 'how to read country' and empowered them to undertake the practice themselves.
"It's about sharing that knowledge and connecting people back to country," he said.
"(Cultural burning) tidies up the land, puts good nutrients back into the soil and gets rid of introduced species."
In Knox Street, which was "Yellowbox country," he noticed box thorns, weeds and introduced grasses. But normally he said sedges, native grasses and microlaena would grow.
"The old journals speak of the Australian landscape as a native parkland. That's because it was maintained by fire but over more than 200 years that's been taken out of the country," Mr Morgan said.
"This is just about tidying it up. There are so many positive benefits;...it's a win-win for everyone because it connects people back to country and protects infrastructure assets."
Mr Morgan said the Knox Street land was in an "unhealthy condition," but it wasn't an overnight fix. Instead, it could take years.
Ms Freeman told The Post that the Land Council would appoint a cultural heritage and property maintenance officer for Crown land granted to them.
"We won't let it go to ruin," she said.
"...(But) people have to understand this is now private property and if they're gaining access, it is trespassing. We've had trespassers in here who have stolen outdoor chairs and ridden motorbikes across our yarning circle, which is disrespectful."
Ms Freeman said the Land Council was liable if someone was injured, hence the fencing. The group wants to plant an elders memorial garden and paint a mural at the site in future.
She expected the public access issue for Knox Street and the west Goulburn bushland would be considered by the PALC board in future. A cooperative arrangement with the West Goulburn Bushland Reserve volunteers, who have cleaned up a large section of the block, was yet to be decided.
Ms Freeman said the Land Council, which covered a vast area, lodged multiple land claims in the 1990s and it was heartening to see more being granted. The West Goulburn land covers three claims.
She believed there was still a "common misconception" about land claims.
"People think we can claim land that is already occupied but that is not the case. It relates to vacant Crown land under the (Aboriginal Land Rights) Act," Ms Freeman said.
She told The Post that while the Knox Street block didn't have a specific connection for her group, the land generally was "mother earth" and reclaiming some of it was important to Aboriginal people.
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