We're pleased to share "Healing Butchulla Country - Land, Sea, Sky" - a film showcasing our partnership with Butchulla Native Title Aboriginal Corporation (BNTAC) on an innovative approach to ecological and cultural restoration.
The Great Sandy Strait Project combines:
- Cultural heritage monitoring
- Pest and weed management
- Traditional cool burning practices
- Ongoing ecological surveys
What makes this partnership approach so effective is the integration of traditional Butchulla knowledge with environmental science - recognising that these landscapes have been actively managed by Butchulla people for millennia.
As one team member reflects in the film: "From a science perspective, we tend to remove the human element. These landscapes have had humans in them forever. Humans are an essential part of this landscape."
A Butchulla project leader shares: "When our people are healing, Country is healing. We need to get our youth back out here and reconnect and understand how our people use these islands and the Great Sandy Strait."
The project delivers outcomes for both ecological health and cultural continuity - particularly for younger generations learning traditional knowledge and reconnecting with Country.
The Great Sandy Strait represents a unique convergence of ecosystems where forest meets mangroves meets coastal heath. Recognised through Ramsar protection, it serves as critical habitat for dugongs, turtles, migratory birds, and as an important fish nursery.
Watch the short film: https://youtu.be/xDeJU1_Lyy8
Film by: Human Terrain
This project is funded by the Australian Government Natural Heritage Trust and delivered by Burnett Mary Regional Group a member of the Commonwealth Regional Delivery Partners panel.
Related Article:
Reviving Korrawinga: Restoring Great Sandy Strait’s Ecological and Cultural Heritage