Wantiku tjuma (Women’s story)
The first women-only Birriliburu Ranger trip, supported by Bush Heritage and Desert Support Services staff, helps to keep Martu knowledge strong.
When Ross Mitchell, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Partnerships Manager at Bush Heritage, first set foot on Nil Desperandum on Budjiti Country he knew immediately how significant it would be if the Traditional Custodians could return to this Country and work with Bush Heritage to restore the land.
For generations the Budjiti people have been disconnected from their land, and Ross sees the purchase of Nil Desperandum as a step towards returning Country to good health. Nil Desperandum has the potential to be a place where cultural and environmental restoration can happen hand in hand.
– Ross Mitchell, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Partnerships Manager“This is a rich, important landscape. Budjiti custodians have never had the chance to return to Country here. But if we purchase Nil Desperandum, we can ensure that they can.
They haven’t been able to transfer knowledge from Elders to the next generation. With this loss of connection to Country, the land has often degraded. If we purchase Nil Desperandum, we can bring the Budjiti people back to their Country, where they can learn from their Elders and continue the vital passage of passing on wisdom.”
The vision is for Bush Heritage to work alongside Budjiti custodians to build a future where the cycle of knowledge and connection to Country remains unbroken. As Ross puts it, it is "combining both sciences in a way – the conservation science in the Western world and the Aboriginal science in the cultural world. So, they come together as one and that's how you heal country, that's how you work together for Country.”
This is a bond that goes beyond simple conservation — it's about healing, preserving, and strengthening the connection between people and the land that is their home.
“We have a vision for this land where Budjiti people can return. We will be able to hold cultural camps, connect with schools in the region, and most importantly bring people back. I hope one day I can share with you a story of how this vision came to life.”
