Central Coast News

Indigenous-led cultural burn promotes safety and heritage preservation at Daleys Point

By NSW Department of Planning and Environment

Archived 16 Jul 2024 - Posted: 16 May 2024

Cultural burn at the Daleys Point Aboriginal Site in Bouddi National Park Credit: Vicki Elliott/DCCEEW

The NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service (NPWS) completed a successful cultural burn at the Daleys Point Aboriginal Site in Bouddi National Park late last month.

The burn, which covered 1.1-hectare area, is a crucial component of a broader hazard reduction effort which aims to maintain safety and preserve the cultural heritage of the site.

The cultural burn was led by indigenous NPWS staff, Aboriginal community members, and the Darkinjung Local Aboriginal Land Council (LALC).

This event, designed as a 'medicine burn,' aimed to revive native grasses and vegetation that historically thrived in the area.

Traditional burn techniques, including the use of fire sticks instead of drip torches, were employed to ensure a cool, slow 'medicine burn', which will revive native grasses and vegetation that historically thrived in the area.

This careful approach was essential in preserving the site's significant cultural features. Daleys Point Aboriginal Site protects over 20 rock engravings, charcoal drawings, axe grinding grooves, and a shell midden dating back over 5,000 years.

The cultural burn was Stage 2 of a larger hazard reduction plan for the area, following the successful completion of a 27.7 ha hazard reduction burn in November 2022.

It also complements the ongoing conservation work being undertaken at the site, including high lighting, drainage improvements and vegetation management, funded by the Aboriginal Partnership Program.

This article archived 16 Jul 2024