Visions for healthy Country

Key information

This project will support Aboriginal-led initiatives and focus on delivering outcomes for the critically endangered native guava and UNESCO-listed Gondwana Rainforest.     

Project background

North Coast LLS acknowledges the importance of Country to Aboriginal communities in the region and supports their continuing deep and reciprocal relationship with Country. 

Caring for Country is about ensuring Country's physical and spiritual features, as well as the beings within it, remain healthy and balanced through sustainable Aboriginal-led approaches to care.

This project continues to support Aboriginal groups to deliver Healthy Country Plans that will improve threatened ecological communities (TECs) and native guava conservation efforts. 

Project objectives

The Visions for Healthy Country project will:  

• empower Aboriginal communities to continue traditional and contemporary caring for Country practices and share knowledge with younger generations
• support conservation of areas of national environmental significance, including the critically endangered native guava (Rhodomyrtus psidioides) and TECs in the region’s rainforests and coastal areas.   

Project delivery

Work includes:

• supporting Aboriginal communities to implement conservation actions and continue cultural practices on Country
• enabling Aboriginal groups to implement Healthy Country Plans  
• Country visits and cultural heritage surveys
• delivering programs or events that maintain intergenerational connection to Country
• identifying and monitoring matters of national environmental significance on Country
• controlling weeds
• fire management.  

Project timeline

2023–24: 

• develop project scope and delivery initiatives.  

2024–25: 

• engagement activities with Aboriginal communities
• Country visits and cultural heritage surveys
• threatened species and ecological communities' surveys and impact assessments.

2025–26: 

• continue engagement activities with Aboriginal communities
• develop healthy Country work programs and skills in weed control and fire management.

2026–27: 

• continue healthy Country work programs
• cultural storytelling and events.

2027–28: 

• complete healthy Country work programs
• project close (June 2028) and outcomes reporting. 

Work underway

• 8 engagement events, including a webinar, were conducted with Aboriginal groups across the North Coast region to identify project delivery partners.  

How to get involved

Although broader community participation opportunities are not available for this project, you can learn about natural resource management and species protection in your own area through our newsletter and by accessing information and resources on our website. 

Funding and partnerships

Local Land Services' key delivery partners are Aboriginal communities and organisations.

This project is funded by the Australian Government Natural Heritage Trust and delivered by North Coast Local Land Services, a member of the Commonwealth Regional Delivery Partners panel.