Warddeken: Land management history

Land management history

Up until World War II the plateau was occupied only by Bininj. It was utilised for its animal and plant life, and regular fire management took place. A slow drift away from the plateau began in the 1940s and by the mid-1960s the majority of the plateau peoples had moved to places like Gunbalanya, Pine Creek, Barunga (then Bamyili) and Wugular (then Beswick). A lack of fire management saw a rise in the number of intense late-season wildfires, which by the 1980s were threatening the plateau's entire ecosystem (NLC 2006). 

Collecting plant specimens.The reconnection with country began through the leadership of senior traditional owners and an unusual cross-cultural partnership with Peter Cooke. In the late 1990s, with Cooke's guidance, a series of innovative land management planning meetings and back to country trips were convened. Here, traditional owners from the north, south, east and west of the plateau got together at Kamalhkamalhdjang in Karnbirr country to talk about caring for the Arnhem Land Plateau. Much of the discussion focused on the inaccessible nature of the plateau and of people no longer living on country and what problems this was causing to country and culture. At these early meetings discussions focussed on the damage to country and biodiversity from wildfires and feral animals and the loss of Indigenous knowledge about country and law.

During the Dry seasons of 1996 and 1997 large, very late, hot fires ravaged much of central Arnhem Land. In areas where there had been many late season hot fires traditional owners noticed that there was less biodiversity from when country was occupied and managed by traditional owners. The loss of variety of plant species was also impacting on important bush food.

Not only was the plateau being damaged by wildfires but also buffaloes and pigs. These feral animals were damaging many important places. People were talking about how billabongs, many of them sacred sites, had been damaged by these animals. In some areas around the billabongs people reported that the margins of the wetlands had been trampled so the land resembled a cratered-concrete surface. Any turtles hibernating in the mud would have been trampled to death or eaten by pigs. Many of the trees around the billabongs had also been knocked over by buffaloes.

The first task that traditional owners worked on was helping people get back to country. In addition to moving back to country many visits or back to country camps, were organised to fit in with school holidays so that parents could take their children and grandchildren to learn about country and how to look after it.

Currently, Warddeken Land Management has approximately 12 rangers (with numbers fluctuating depending on the season and amount of work) working in its program. A number of senior traditional owners are also play a pivotal role in guiding and providing cultural advice to the land management program. 

Updated:  4 December 2017/Responsible Officer:  Centre Director/Page Contact:  CASS Marketing & Communications