Country-based management




Country is a term used by Aboriginal peoples to refer to the land to which they belong and their place of Dreaming.

Country can be used effectively as the basis of planning and management approaches for lands and waters, known as country-based planning and management. These approaches enable Aboriginal groups to express their own vision, values, strategies and actions for their country, irrespective of the various legislation, land ownership and other constraints imposed since European arrival. It can be a powerful tool to engage with government, land holders and others to build partnerships to achieve this vision (see examples below).

Evidence demonstrates that the ability to own, access and undertake practices on country is essential to sustaining and improving the wellbeing of Aboriginal peoples and delivering the benefits that cultural practices bring to the land. This is now recognised in Closing the Gap targets to increase Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people’s legal rights or interests to their lands and waters.

We promote country-based planning and management approaches to enable greater Aboriginal rights and interests in ways that protect Aboriginal people's cultural and intellectual property.

Banbai Rangers lead On-Country pilot

The Banbai Rangers and Guyra Local Aboriginal Landcare Council (LALC) have partnered to deliver an Aboriginal-led,
on-Country planning pilot in northern NSW.

The pilot aims to deliver a Country-based investment plan that identifies and targets Banbai values that can attract public and private investment. This plan will help to pro-actively address Banbai people’s aspirations to manage their Country and cultural values and determine how they do business with investment partners.

The pilot will showcase how Aboriginal knowledge and practice can be used as a critical input to support decision making for policy and improved natural resource management outcomes. It will provide an example that can be further applied or scaled-up in the region or other areas of NSW.

This pilot builds on previous Aboriginal-led case studies undertaken to explore cultural values in forests, including with the Banbai Rangers.

A vision for Banbai Country

The Banbai Rangers and Guyra Local Aboriginal Land Council (LALC) partnered to deliver the Banbai Whole of Country Plan. The plan expresses Banbai’s aspirations for their Country and people. It shows how government and stakeholders can work with Banbai to protect and nurture Country for all.

'Our Vision for Banbai Country is a place that our Ancestors would recognise, where we can come together, teach our kids and look after all of the things that are important to us'.
Banbai Vision Statement
"The Banbai Whole of Country Plan is about connection to culture and making a sustainable future for our kids. We have a past to look back on, when our Elders worked hard to get our Country back. We want this plan to help us to look forward so that our kids know what wewant for them. We are building on our past and this helps us to guide our future".
Kane Patterson, Banbai Ranger (September 2023)
"Come join our vision, the pathway is for everyone".
Aunty Lesley Patterson, Banbai Ranger (September 2023)

The plan identifies specific themes that success depends on. For each of these themes, Banbai have identified key stakeholders that have an important role in enabling Banbai to achieve their vision.

Banbai Rangers have produced videos to explain their vision and why they believe it is important we support them on their journey.

Scaling-up for further success

The Plan was led and developed by the Banbai Aboriginal Nation with Guyra LALC and support from NSW agencies and experts. It was generated ‘on-Country’ within the Banbai traditional lands, and from a ‘whole-of-Country’ (tenure-blind) perspective.

The project pilot aimed to showcase how Aboriginal knowledge and practice can be used as a critical input to support decision making for policy and improved natural resource management outcomes.

Kowa Collaboration independently evaluated the pilot. Overall, it found “The On-Country Planning Pilot, led by the Banbai Rangers and commissioned by the Natural Resources Commission, represents a groundbreaking initiative aimed at integrating Aboriginal knowledge and values into natural resource management”. Trudgett, C. et al (2024)

The pilot was funded and supported by the Commission. We will continue to promote the pilot as an example that can be replicated and scaled-up to other regions in NSW.

A partnership to support

Partners in the pilot that supported the Banbai Rangers and Guyra LALC through a coordination group included NSW Aboriginal Affairs, Local Land Services, National Parks and Wildlife Service, Forestry Corporation of NSW and Crown Lands. Bhiamie Williamson, an Euahlayi man and Research Fellow at Monash University chaired the group.

Banbai Rangers, Guyra LALC and the Commission would like to particularly acknowledge Dr. Michelle McKemey (Melaleuca Environmental Consultancy Services), Dr. Mal Ridges (NSW Department of Climate Change Energy, the Environment and Water), Oliver Costello (a Bundjalung Man from the NSW Northern Rivers) and local land owners and community members who contributed to the pilot.

On-Country plans

Supporting guidelines