Uncle Dave Wandin
Uncle Dave Wandin is a respected Elder of the Wurundjeri Woi Wurrung Tribe and Manager of the Coranderrk Wandoon Estate in Healesville, Victoria. His connection to the First Nations people of the Wurundjeri Woi Wurrung Tribe, and their community and culture, is demonstrated through his role as an adviser not only to his people, but to the wider Victorian public and policy makers.
His contributions to biosecurity include providing input into Victoria's Biosecurity Strategy, sharing insights as a Caring for Country panellist at Victoria’s 2022 and 2023 Biosecurity Roundtables, being a spokesperson for Victoria’s Make a difference in biosecurity campaign, and supporting community-led management of rabbits through the Victorian Rabbit Action Network.
Uncle Dave is also a representative member of the Wurundjeri Woi Wurrung Cultural Heritage Aboriginal Corporation on the Birrarung Council. The Birrarung Council is an independent voice of the Birrarung, overseeing activities in the Birrarung Corridor in relation to the implementation of the Yarra Strategic Plan.
As a custodian of the land, Uncle Dave is responsible for managing the cultural heritage of Country and supporting the environmental, biosecurity and economic benefits of the Coranderrk Wandoon Estate. He contributes to managing the threat of exotic and established pests, weeds and diseases through the practices he has put in place on Coranderrk Wandoon Estate. This supports the native bushfoods enterprise, grazing cattle and conservation projects. He and his team of volunteers manage rabbits, blackberry and deer through elimination and prevention methods.
He teaches young people about Aboriginal land management practices and combines this with the latest understanding in ecology and agricultural practices to support thriving land and waters.
Uncle Dave is a deeply valued teacher of Aboriginal ways and an experienced practitioner in best practice land management. He has been a strong advocate for building awareness of biosecurity threats to Country and supporting Aboriginal communities and government agencies to come together to discuss issues.
Uncle Dave Wandin was nominated by Katherine Clift from Agriculture Victoria.
Watch a video about their work
Introduction
This is the accessible text transcript of a 2024 Australian Biosecurity Awards winner video featuring Dave Wandin.
Transcript
My name is Uncle Dave Wandin and I represent the Wandoon Estate Aboriginal Corporation. Wandoon Estate Aboriginal Corporation runs a farm and biosecurity is not a threat. But I do not want it to become a threat to the example that I'm setting of best practice land management. Biosecurity is important to me from a cultural perspective, but also from a broader landscape, Australian, threat to the security of the food supplies of the Australian people.
I'd like to thank Katherine Clift for nominating me for this award, because she has recognised the value of the knowledge of Indigenous people, as being a crucial part of the overall concerted effort to protect biosecurity in Australia. The award represents the recognition of the Traditional Knowledge systems of the Aboriginal people that are not part of our, were a part of our history, but they're also a part of the future as we move forward, particularly in this climate change crisis that we're all facing as humanity.
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