The solution

We supported the development of management plans through a project with the Northern Rivers Catchment Management Authority (CMA) and we now have gained funding from North Coast Local Lands Service (LLS) to implement management actions within the budget of the program. The team identified two properties owned by the Land Council at Mylestom in the Bellingen Shire as their preferred sites under this Program and a workplan was developed for these as well as a public reserve at Mylestom where the newly formed Landcare Group required some professional support.

The team carried out bush regeneration over 15ha of coastal bushland including three Endangered Ecological Communities (Littoral Rainforest, Lowland Subtropical Rainforest and Swamp Sclerophyll Forest). They used canoes to access Tuckers Island in the Bellinger River with their tools and equipment and they established excellent relationships with the local landcarers.

The team now has boundary markers in place for the first time, which show the four corners of their land which is adjacent to Bongil Bongil National Park at Mylestom. A training exercise in fox and dog control with National Parks and Wildlife Service pest manager, Brad Nesbitt, also encouraged them to closely engage with their land.

An interpretive sign about the local history of the Gumbaynggir people was developed in consultation with local aboriginal community members and the sign was installed at the public reserve at Mylestom. Local stories were told during a gathering at the reserve.