After 50 years, this patch of Worimi Country was healed by fire

For years, Worimi people have not been able to care for this part of Country. Aunty Michelle hopes this is the end of that era.

Aunty Michelle Perry during the cultural burn on Saturday. Credit: Alex Pike

Saturday was a special day for Aunty Michelle Perry.

Surrounded by her family, the Worimi Elder set fire to her Country, to regenerate and to encourage regrowth and the sustainability of an endangered orchid.

Sixty people gathered at Biyan Biyan Plain at Barrington Tops for the two-hectare snow grass burn, which was the first in half a century.

Surrounded by her family, Aunty Michele led the burn, lighting the first blade of grass.

"To be amongst it when all the smoke was going and bending down and encouraging that next blade of grass to go, really gave you a sense of what the old people did back in the day to look after Country,” she said.

“To be there with all your family and all your mob was quite emotional, and a couple of people came up to me quite emotional, just watching that burn take place."

There were around 60 people who took part in the burn. Credit: Alex Pike

Aunty Michelle was contacted by NSW National Parks, who were concerned about the regeneration of Bularr-Gulga Watuun, the endangered orchid.

“That burn was the first on Beean Beean since the mid-1970s, and the first Cultural burn potentially since colonisation,” said NSW govt Senior Threatened Species Officer Luke Foster.

“We aim to use fire as a way of not only getting community back on their own Country, but also making the decisions around the conservation and management of the plants and animals that live there.“

Bularr-Gulga Watuun. Credit: Luke Foster

'One big family'

The burn was just one part of a four-day cultural experience at Little Murray campground.

Aboriginal families gathered to complete the burn and partake in other cultural practices including dancing, singing, spear and walking stick-making for men and Gathang language lessons for women.

Worimi Elder Aunty Colleen Perry and granddaughter Gabby Perry preparing brooms for the fire. Credit: Jodan Perry

Aunty Michelle said it was a special opportunity to get not only Worimi families but other Aboriginal people back on Country.

"Bringing all the family back, that's been so important, kids, grandkids, extended families," she said.

"It's just so good the connections that have been made here . . . we're not all blood-related but we're going to walk away as one big family."

'A belonging to Country'

Aunty Michelle's brother and academic Dr Joe Perry said it gave those who'd been off Country for some time a "sense of who they are, what Country means and what it is all about".

"It's easy to live an assimilated life, but we have to come back to our land, our roots and our people," he said.

"There's a belonging to Country and there's a belonging to people."

Latifah Taylor collecting Scotch Broom ahead of the burn. Credit: Jodan Perry

Like his sister, Dr Perry said the orchid is just one small part of the experience.

"I've never done a burn, we weren't allowed to, that is what has really annoyed us for a very long time because our culture has slowly been eradicated through the process of colonisation," he said.

"Things are slowly happening now, revitalisation of language, bringing people back on Country . . . it's something we have to do.

"The orchid is a minor thing, what is most important is bringing Aboriginal people back on Country and doing a cultural practice we've done for millennia."

For Aunty Michelle, this may be the first burn in half a century, but it won't be the last.

She's determined to maintain a strong relationship with NSW Parks, and to continue bringing her loved ones back to Country whenever she can.

The burning happened across four days on site. Credit: Alex Pike