Topic:
Gondwana Link
Learning Noongar through Connection to Country
Natalie Cordon delights in teaching Noongar language at Ravensthorpe, in an area that's crucial to Gondwana Link’s 1000-kilometre-long ecological program. Noongar is an oral language that comes from Boodja (Country), says Natalie, and "you've got to teach the connection between the language and Country - that’s where the words come from.". Her story demonstrates the joy and learning that come from this approach. Actually, there’s a depth to this teaching that we can all learn from!
Ambitious new plan taking shape at Wilyun Pools Farm
Sylvia Leighton celebrates a bold new future for the family’s farm at Wellstead. Those who worked with Sylvia and her partner Peter McKenzie to create and implement this change include a capital investor, a Noongar group, a carbon organisation and an ecological program. Sylvia showcases their perspectives to portray the thinking, teamwork and challenges behind the roll-out of this ambitious project.
Committed environment campaigner from beginning
Margaret's journey in environmental advocacy began at Yarrak, her family farm near Kojonup, where her father instilled in her a deep respect for the land.
Yarning about fire
This story offers so much! It is a heart-warming yet serious yarn that shines more light on a way forward with fire. Here's Uncle Aden: "Kaarl (fire) was always part of our life ... We had a good life in camps and the kaarl made sure we were alright. We had all the comforts thanks to the fire." Join Uncle Aden Eades, Aunty Eliza Woods and PhD student Ursula Rodrigues as they sit and yarn about fire.
Katrina Syme: Delving into the fascinating world of fungi
The world is waking up to the vital role of fungi in maintaining healthy ecosystems. They enrich our lives too, with their extraordinary shapes and colours. Here's fungi aficionado and expert, Katrina Syme, wooing us to be fungi lovers with her infectious excitement and knowledge about these remarkable organisms.
Balijup farm: family, people and nature working together
Alan Hordacre and Basil Schur tell the heart-warming story of Balijup farm, near Tenterden. Balijup shows how conservation, farming and forestry can co-exist, boosted since 2012 by the enthusiastic collaboration between conservation group Green Skills and the Hoardacre siblings - Alan, Richard and Anne - who own the farm.
Keith Bradby: Go west young man?
With his enquiring mind, Gondwana Link’s Keith Bradby is always reading and listening, both to learn more and to find effective ways to bring about change. Since the mid-1970s, he has been intensely involved in major efforts to change land use in south-western Australia, including ending land clearing, promoting landcare and launching large-scale ecological restoration plantings. Here’s Keith, tracing the origins of his landcare ethic, Gondwana Link and some of what has been achieved along the Link, so far.
Speaking out: Dr Joanna Young challenges prescribed fire practices
For 35 years, as a forest scientist, farmer and local conservation group member, Joanna has been observing, exploring and loving the Walpole Wilderness Area. But current prescribed burning practices, with their immense impact on the area’s ecosystems and biodiversity, are spurring Joanna to speak out. She is part of a growing chorus of scientists and community members calling for an expert, independent review of the State Government’s prescribed burning program.
Farming family maintains a landcare tradition
Kingsley Vaux, the Shire of Gnowangerup’s Citizen of the Year for 2023, is a passionate leader in landcare, instrumental in founding the Yongergnow Malleefowl Centre. Growing up immersed in the bush, Kingsley credits his mother, Kaye, for instilling a deep love for nature, and highlights the importance of community involvement in conservation. Kingsley recalls how the massive land clearing in the 1950s and 60s negatively impacted local ecosystems, a lesson he learned firsthand. Since then, he and his wife Sandy have engaged in tree planting and land restoration. Despite facing challenges like declining community engagement and climate concerns, Kingsley remains hopeful. The success of the Malleefowl Centre and the resurgence of the Ongerup General Store demonstrate the community's resilience and commitment to sustainability, inspiring him to influence future generations in conservation efforts.
Art, poetry and their place in an ancient landscape
Bill Bunbury OAM speaks to artist NIKKI GREEN and poet RENEÉ PETTITT-SCHIPP about their award-winning imagery and words and how they engage us with both the region’s ancient landscapes and the challenge of managing human impacts. Their works also reflect respect for the land’s Noongar Custodians.
Peat, Fossils, Palaeohistory + Art
Red tingle and red flowering gums, peat swamps and pollen fossils — all this magic is focused in the glorious Walpole Wilderness and our storyteller is DR ELIZABETH EDMONDS. Elizabeth lives an incredible life as a scientist, artist and gallery owner. Here she explains how she’s weaving together these threads to protect the places, plants and wildlife she loves.
Sayah Drummond: a refreshing perspective on making a difference
"I am a 'people person', so working with the community and working with passionate people is just really energising ... I’ve learned that a lot of environmental recovery is done by volunteers because they care, they make the effort to learn, and they truly make a difference to their little patch."
Giving fire back to Goreng Country
"Uncle Aden Eades articulated the Elders were feeling like their “tyres were going flat” and their presence was token. This conversation centred on the need to properly fund a thorough cultural assessment before any burn."
Habitat plantings bring the birds
From bare paddocks back to bush full of wildlife. In this story, animal ecologist Dr Nic Dunlop explains the rationale behind undertaking high quality ecological restoration.
Nic Dunlop: The power of citizen science
Meet Dr Nic Dunlop, Coordinator of the Citizen Science Program at the Conservation Council of Western Australia. For decades, Nic has used his scientific knowledge to assist and run citizen science projects, mostly involving birds.
Justin Jonson: Leadership in ecological restoration
Listen to Restoration Ecologist Justin Jonson describe his years of work refining the science of restoring habitats and ecological integrity on cleared land.
Eddy and Donna Wajon: Chingarrup Sanctuary
Meet Eddy and Donna Wajon from Chingarrup Sanctuary, the first private property purchased for conservation in the Gondwana Link.
Chingarrup Sanctuary brings life to the land
With the aim to protect and restore biodiversity, in 2002 Eddy and Donna Wajon purchased two properties within the Gondwana Link, including Chingarrup Sanctuary. This property spans 572 hectares near Boxwood Hill, and has become a thriving field studies center, attracting over a thousand visitors and researchers. The couple's efforts to rehabilitate the land include direct seeding and creating habitats for native wildlife, notably Malleefowl, which have established nesting mounds on the property. The sanctuary showcases rich biodiversity, and to date 780 fauna species and 575 plant species have been identified. Eddy and Donna have fostered a community of scientists and nature lovers, sharing their conservation journey and encouraging others to participate in protecting the environment. Their commitment demonstrates that individuals can make significant impacts on conservation, inspiring others to take action for the future of Australia’s unique ecosystems.
Eugene Eades: Coming back to Country
Eugene Eades is a Goreng - Menang Elder, and since 2006 he has played a pivotal role in creating a powerful healing and cross-cultural gathering place on a former farm, now called Nowanup.
Lynette Knapp and Alison Lullfitz: Connecting on Country
Lynette Knapp is a Merningar Elder and Adjunct Research Fellow and Dr Alison Lullfitz, is a Research Associate, both at the University of Western Australia.
Heather Adams: Leadership in Landcare
Heather Adams is the Chair of the Oyster Harbour Catchment Group and a long-term leader in the landcare movement.
Balijup Farm and Fauna Sanctuary
Listen to current co-owner Alan Hordacre and others describe the important work taking place at Balijup Farm, including the fully fenced Fauna Sanctuary.
Ranges Link: Caring for the Kalgan Valley
Meet some of the key people behind the Ranges Link initiative in the Kalgan Valley, a productive farming area between the Porongurup and Stirling Ranges.
Sylvia Leighton: A passion for ecologically-based farming
Sylvia Leighton is a farmer, landcarer and scientist with a passion for ecologically-based farming
Twin Creeks Reserve: Community driven conservation
Meet some of the members of Friends of Porongurup Range, an incredibly passionate and dedicated community group who own and manage Twin Creeks Conservation Reserve.
One thousand kilometres of hope
What is Gondwana Link? Sitting under a grand old salmon gum in Ngadju country, Keith Bradby explains how working with local people to tackle habitat loss enabled Gondwana Link to take an intractable problem and turn it into something quite achievable.
Yarraweyah Falls Restoration Project
Yarraweyah Falls is a 100 hectare ecological restoration project that is filling a gap for Gondwana Link, in the highly biodiverse Fitz-Stirling area.
Restoration ecologist is a man with a mission
Tash Kneebone from The Southerly charts the state of the Great Southern’s environment and goes one-and-one with local restoration ecologist Justin Jonson.
Balijup: A jewel in the Gondwana Link
From Green Skills, this film introduces Balijup - a special property in the Great Southern region and a vital link in the Gondwana Link.
Heather’s incredible life on the riverbank
Heather Adams has been a constant presence in the Landcare activities in the Upper Kalgan and Ranges Link for three decades.
Nowanup: Healing land, healing people
Under the extraordinary leadership and dedication of Elder Eugene Eades, Nowanup has become a beacon of hope, a force for cross-cultural sharing and a powerful healing place.
Ranges Link: Bringing country back to life
This uplifting story of landholder-led conservation and restoration comes from the farming country between the Porongurup and Stirling Ranges. Farmer and native seed pioneer Peter Luscombe has teamed up with his neighbours the Friends of the Porongurup Range, working from their Twin Creeks Reserve, to build a major habitat link between the ranges.
Nowanup: Healing country, healing people
This case study from the WA Landcare Network tells the story of the collaboration between the Noongar community and environmental groups that has resulted in Nowanup, a genuinely special place where country is being restored to health and people are coming back to the land.
Balancing nature: the south-west of Australia
From the ABC Science archives, this 2008 story focuses on the biodiversity hotspot of south-western Australia and features conservationists, ecologists and scientists to find out how conservation is succeeding both in small pockets of habitats and across extensive areas of landscape.
Giving back to country: Chingarrup Sanctuary
From Green Skills, this film highlights the wonderful environmental restoration and citizen science activities carried at Chingarrup Sanctuary - a 576 hectare bush property near Boxwood Hill, on Western Australia's south coast.
Technology working for wildlife
A Gondwana Link film featuring restoration ecologist Justin Jonson. Justin uses science, technology and heart to direct-seed large areas of cleared land back to bush.
Healing country on the Gondwana Link
From Greening Australia a short film about the restoration of habitat in the shadow of the Stirling Ranges National Park, in partnership with the Nowanup Rangers.
