Building collaborative partnerships between Landcare and Aboriginal stakeholders across the region has been a key focus of the North Coast Regional Landcare Network – supported by funding from Landcare NSW, under the Working Together Program, the first Aboriginal Landcare Officer in NSW was appointed in 2021 to help coordinate activities and find ways to connect, support and work together. In the second phase of the Working Together program in 2022 there was clear opportunity to build on this collaborative platform the Aboriginal Landcare Officer has established and utilise the networks, communication channels and momentum of interest to integrate the diverse Aboriginal communities and organisations into biodiversity recovery programs.

The important work of providing culturally appropriate platforms to allow Indigenous voices to contribute to actions meeting their local priorities – recognising the importance of local and cultural knowledge to build stronger partnerships to create resilient and connected communites continues. Project-based funding was secured from several sources for the Aboriginal Engagement role to continue full time in 2023:

• Children and Young People Wellbeing Recovery Initiative Bush Tucker Education and Installation of Gardens in Grafton and Tabulam – funded by the Australian Government through the Office of Regional Youth
• People Led Preparedness Resilience Workshops – Nature Based Disaster Preparedness – a Landcare NSW Program funded by Reconstruction NSW
• Far North Coast Aboriginal Partnership – NSW Koala Strategy – funded by the NSW Department of Environment and Heritage

Clarence Council News Native Bush Tucker Garden South Grafton

South Grafton Highschool students digging new outdoor classroom – NBN News

Working Together – North Coast Report_2021_2022