Spinifex Land Management took out the Rio Tinto Indigenous Land Management Award last night at the 2018 National Landcare Awards which were held at the Brisbane Conference & Exhibition Centre.

This award recognises an outstanding Indigenous community group or individual that is working towards improving land use or enhancing or protecting an area on behalf of the community.

The Spinifex Land Management Program is a collaboration between an Indigenous ranger team and the local community to provide direction, technical support and resources in the management of the northern fringes of the Nullarbor Plain and deep within the Great Victoria Desert.

Based in Tjuntjuntjara, the second most remote community in Australia, patrolling the region is a logistical feat and an adventure on country requiring careful planning to ensure appropriate cultural and ecological outcomes and the safety of participants. Spinifex Land Management’s Healthy Country Plan currently overseas nine key projects including; reducing the threats of buffel grass, camels, altered fire regimes, and introduced predators.

Ian Baird was delighted to accept the award on behalf of Spinifex Land Management. He said, “Receiving this award is an amazing honour for us. We just manage the land our people have taken care of for thousands of years. It’s a huge area between Kalgoorlie and the Nullarbor, so very challenging, but also very rewarding.”

Landcare Australia CEO, Dr Shane Norrish, commended the National Landcare winners on their outstanding accomplishments.

“It’s an honour to be able to recognise the great work being carried out by our Landcare champions,” Shane says. “The national Landcare awards offers landcarers the ideal opportunity to get together and celebrate the individual and collective achievements of the community. Landcarers across Australia deserve to be acknowledged and praised”.

Winners across nine diverse categories from sustainable farm practices to Junior Landcare, were announced at the National Awards gala dinner last night, which was emceed by ABC Landline host, Pip Courtney.

The National Landcare Awards are part of this year’s three-day National Landcare Conference, which finishes today, 12 October 2018. The conference provides the Landcare community an opportunity to celebrate their accomplishments and share knowledge. For more information on the National Conference and Awards go to nationallandcareconference.org.au
All finalists case studies and photos by category are available at nationallandcareconference.org.au/awards.

The National Landcare Awards is delivered by Landcare Australia and the National Landcare Network in partnership with the Australian Government’s National Landcare Program.