The Uunguu Healthy Country Project

Bevan Stott, Lillian Karadada and Robert Warren accepting the Caring for Country award on behalf of the Uunguu Healthy Country Project.

The Uunguu Healthy Country Project is a Caring for Country project where Wunambal Gaambera people are taking a partnership and two worlds approach to looking after country. This approach embraces traditional knowledge, rules and responsibilities and combines them with modern science and technology to keep the Wunambal Gaambera people's uunguu – their living home – healthy. The Wunambal Gaambera people have joined forces with both the private and public conservation sector to support their caring for country work.

Wunambal Gaambera people, through their work and partnerships, are promoting to both their future generations and other Australian’s an understanding of the unique cultural and natural assets their country and how to look after them. Their partnership approach with other conservation organisations provides tangible examples of the benefits of using two way knowledge and approaches:

The Wunambal Gaambera people have developed a Healthy Country Plan – a two year on country planning process engaging all Native Title families in partnership with Bush Heritage Australia and Kimberley Land Council.

As the first partnership of its kind with a private conservation organisation in Australia, the Wunambal Gaambera people have established a 10 year Healthy Country plan implementation agreement with Bush Heritage Australia.

These are just two examples of the innovative and pragmatic way in which the Wunambal Gaambera people are ensuring a healthy future for their country.