Allan Murray, Indigenous educator, takes us through from his early days as a ‘young fella’ who was born in Mooroopna, then going into NSW with his parents picking fruit and vegetables, to returning to his roots in NE Victoria.
A skilled bushman he has shared his Aboriginal heritage and bush knowledge for over 30 years with several groups and is especially recognised with the Warby Range Landcare Group, who as an early Landcare Awards winner become a leader in adopting and linking aboriginal knowledge into land management.
Allan’s knowledge to all has provided invaluable understanding of how to identify Aboriginal sites. He talks of the change from landholders, those previously not educated on what to look for, where many important areas were lost through ploughing paddocks. Now, through understanding, landholders are more inclined to fence out sacred sites.
Allan also talks about the different burning regimes required across the State – and the importance of knowing the local landscape as to when and how to carry out a successful burn to eradicate weeds and encourage grass species. In encouraging everyone to work closely and share knowledge together in Landcare, Allan pays tribute to his other Aboriginal peers who were part of the change in his country; Wally Cooper, Kevin Atkinson and Pat Larkin.