Victorian Landcare Magazine - Winter 2024, Issue 87
The Narrap Unit is a natural resource management business of Wurundjeri Woi-wurrung Cultural Heritage Aboriginal Corporation – the peak body representing Wurundjeri people. Wurundjeri Country extends north to the Great Dividing Range, east to Mt Baw Baw, south to Mordiallic Creek and West to the Werribee River.
The Narrap Unit was established in 2012 and has expanded rapidly, developing skills in re-introducing cultural land management practices on Country which were recognised with a 2021 Victorian Landcare Award. The unit now deploys several crews to various sites on Country and works in partnership with different natural resource management agencies.
Narrap Unit rangers have forged a strong bond that includes knowledge sharing and skills exchange with Darebin Creek Management Committee (DCMC), an environmental network working around the reaches of the Darebin Creek. DCMC is involved in landscape-scale planning, revegetation works, citizen science and training for emerging natural resource managers.
In 2021 DCMC and La Trobe University were approached by Melbourne Water for a collaborative project to restore a 10-hectare Grassy Eucalypt Woodland in Bundoora. Although La Nina conditions has reduced the window for when fire can be effectively used, a cool burn conducted by the Narrap Unit in May 2021, complemented by follow up weeding, pest management and direct seeding has seen significant ecological recovery. Matted flax lily and chocolate lily have been recorded at the site after a prolonged absence and kangaroo grass and tussock grass have been re-established.
Above: Narrap Unit Rangers after their cultural burn at Nangak Tamboree in 2021.
The project has also focused on increasing the representation of First Nations women within the Narrap Unit. Nine female rangers have worked on the project, including two women who are working towards their Certificate III in Conservation and Ecosystem Management for First Nations/Traditional Owners.
All of the rangers from the Narrap Unit worked on the cultural burn, billabong surveys, installing and monitoring nestboxes, and direct seeding and assessment techniques.
In a review of the project one of the First Nations women trainees commented that the opportunity to monitor and survey the site had been a highlight of the project.
“This was my first exposure to a cultural burn. It’s been beautiful to see what’s come up pre and post burn – the comparison – and seeing the Country take its own course,” the trainee wrote.
The La Trobe University Nangak Tamboree Wildlife Sanctuary has been a hub for the project, providing seedstock from its nursery and a venue for constructing nest boxes. In the Wurundjeri Woi-wurrung language Nangak Tamboree means respecting, sharing and looking after the waterway.
The project has strong community support and has been assisted by Flora Victoria, Ross Trust, La Trobe University Botany Society, La Trobe Nursery and Reservoir Secondary College. Banyule and Darebin Councils were involved in a Welcome to Country and smoking ceremony at the site.
Danny Reddan from DCMC said collaborating with the Narrap Rangers has added immense depth to this environmental restoration project.
“It is a great privilege to be working with the Wurundjeri Woi-wurrung Narrap Unit on their journey of reconnection to Country and healing, and very satisfying to see the benefits for team learning, culturally affirming knowledge and skills, and building pride. We are looking forward to working with La Trobe University and Melbourne Water to realise the project vision for the next three years and beyond,” Danny said.
The Narrap Unit Rangers and DCMC are restoring Country at Nangak Tamboree, an authentic cross-cultural project, using cultural burns and best practice natural resource management techniques.
Above: Narrap Unit Rangers manage the cool fire cultural burn at Wollert Community Farm in April 2023.
Yarra Valley Water, one of Melbourne’s biggest water retailers, operates across much of the traditional lands of the Wurundjeri Woi-wurrung people. Guided by the principle of ‘honouring and healing Country’ Yarra Valley Water is working on a partnership with Wurundjeri Woi-wurrung Cultural Heritage Aboriginal Corporation. Since 2022 Wurundjeri Woi-wurrung Narrap Unit rangers have been caring for Country at the Aurora Treatment Plant site in Wollert, delivering a multi-year project to restore biodiversity, regenerate landscapes and improve vegetation quality. A low intensity, cultural burn undertaken in an endangered grassy eucalypt woodland in April 2023 provided safe passage for fauna, suppressed weed species and rejuvenated the indigenous seedbank. A meeting place, interpretive trail, and bushfoods pilot are also planned for the site.
Above: Narrap Unit Ranger Dave Mullins during the cultural burn at Wollert Community Farm in April 2023.