Chris Oldfield, Naracoorte Community News

Basket weaving and learning about Aboriginal culture are “the right thing to do” for Landscape SA Limestone Coast board members and staff, according to chair Penny Schulz.

And a creekbed used by Landscape SA board members, staff and an Aboriginal focus group for a training day was a revegetated “centrepiece” of the day.

It had been extensively renovated over many years by landowner/board member, Naracoorte’s Bruce Wood, with much help from the former natural resources management (NRM) staff.

During part of her address to Naracoorte Lucindale Council’s June 22 meeting, Mrs Schulz said it was disappointing the staff day had “hit the media”.

She claimed some comments she had heard about the day were “borderline offensive”.

At the council’s April 28 meeting, Cr Cameron Grundy had reflected on the introduction of NRM levies around 20 years ago – to fund management of the region’s water, soil, pests, weeds and feral animals.

He queried why the board was now funding other portfolio areas including sustainable agriculture, climate change, and Aboriginal culture, highlighting a training day on March 31 which featured basket weaving in a creekbed.

“That day was a very well organised on the ground workshop with both board and staff members from Limestone Coast Landscape SA,” Mrs Schulz said.

“It was hosted by board member Bruce Wood who lives just out of Naracoorte here.

“The aim was to build awareness and knowledge for key board priority and focus areas as well as identify issues and challenges that we need to be working on and what our region faces.

“We worked in small teams to build understanding and problem solve the actions.

“It definitely built rapport and respect between board members, staff members … We were joined by the SE Aboriginal focus group where we were not only able to share learning throughout the day but also to take part in a Welcome to Country from a young lady who has reclaimed her First Nations language. Quite exciting.

“We were able to sit with the Boandik women who also tried to teach us their traditional basket weaving methods.

“Most important were the discussions that we had over that lunch break.”

Regarding the creekbed the gathering had sat in for lunch, Mrs Schulz said it “was actually a bit of a centrepiece for our workshop”.

“It was an extensively large revegetated part of Bruce Wood’s farm and had some particular points of interest over it.

“He had been working it for several years and used both NRM staff and knowledge.

“The day received overwhelming feedback from both staff and board members and helped to set a real positive culture in our workplace.

“I may even go as far as to say some of the comments reported in the media, and some of the things I heard anecdotally about our staff day at Bruce’s were a little bit disappointing.

“And some of the references to First Nations were borderline offensive and it was disappointing.”

Mrs Schulz told members she had a farm at Field “at the top of the Limestone Coast”, did some university teaching and sat on a few boards, including LC Landscape SA.

During a session for questions, Cr Grundy said since the board’s plan was released, “I’ve had plenty of people talk to me about it”.

“The cultural aspects and pursuits are not in line with what people’s expectations are.

“What do you think the costs are on that aspect of it?

“How do you think those cultural pursuits will control pest animals and pest weeds?”

Mrs Schulz replied: “Not necessarily linked together, aside from being in the legislation, it is the right thing to do.”

She said the current spend on cultural pursuits was “about $300,000”, which was less than 3 per cent of the board’s $1.4 million budget.

“I think the benefits are huge not only for our landscape, but for its people,” Mrs Schulz said.

“I’m not sure, it might not be in line with some people’s expectations the cultural work, but I think the vast majority, it would be.

“It is part of the Act … part of law to do it, but I also think it is the right thing to do as well.

“We do have (Aboriginal) people employed now to work … doing contract spraying through their businesses, and provide advice about bushfire prevention, they are helping with prescribed burns.

“And, there are some projects where we are actually learning together … so we are learning from them, they are learning from us.

“It’s been very enlightening. It’s very valuable for our board.”

Landscape SA Limestone Coast general manager Steve Bourne said regarding some of the Australian Government funding the board received in a regional Landcare partnership, “a minimum of 4 per cent has to be spent on Aboriginal employment”.

“We are directly upskilling them, and delivering our work,” he said.

There are no agendas or minutes available regarding the March 31 workshop.

Board members are appointed by Environment Minister David Speirs.

This article appeared in Naracoorte Community News, 7 July 2021.