Good Fire Gathering

Restoring Cultural fire, strengthening Country and building resilient communities

Good Fire Gathering is an Indigenous-led initiative focusing on Cultural fire pathways to build community resilience and preparedness by sharing knowledge, strengthening capacity, and promoting collaboration across the Northern Rivers.

What is the Good Fire Gathering project?

Good Fire Gathering is bringing Cultural fire back to landscapes where it has long been excluded — restoring balance to Country and strengthening the communities who care for it.

By connecting Aboriginal community members, Aboriginal organisations, rightsholders, and landholders, the project supports the planning and practice of Cultural burning on Aboriginal-held and private lands.

This program builds community resilience, adaptive capacity, and preparedness for natural hazards, while sharing Cultural fire knowledge that has cared for Country for thousands of years.

Ngalii-ngaa wala-wala guuriilaa wuuyun-girr 
Ngalii-ngaa nyaagii gaany ba-aarn nguubuugan 
We share old ways into the new 
We need these ways now and for our future

Key activities

Good Fire Gathering combines on-ground action, collaboration, and knowledge-sharing to strengthen Cultural fire pathways across the Northern Rivers and beyond. 

This three year project will address key gaps in community capacity and preparedness in communities at risk of or impacted by natural hazards using the following activities:

  • Field days with property owners across the region to conduct Cultural burning activities and develop Cultural Fire Plans that guide Healthy Country management.

  • Workshops with communities, partners and government agencies to raise awareness and improve understanding of Cultural fire.

  • Host a National Indigenous Disaster Resilience Summit and yearly regional forums to share learnings and develop and strengthen relationships

  • Seek opportunities to collaborate with research partners to raise awareness and improve understanding of Cultural fire.

  • Develop an Integrated Knowledge Platform to integrate data and empower decision-making.

Why is Good Fire Gathering important?

For thousands of years, communities have cared for Country through fire—using it as a tool to maintain balance, regenerate ecosystems, and protect communities. Where Cultural fire has been excluded, Country has become more vulnerable to intense bushfires, loss of biodiversity, and disconnection from Cultural Knowledge Systems.

Good Fire Gathering seeks to change this by restoring fire as a Cultural practice, supporting both ecological health and community safety. By bringing people together to learn, share, and act, this project helps rebuild the resilience of landscapes and the people who live within them.

How you can you be involved

Good Fire Gathering is a collective effort, and your involvement is welcome. Whether you are a Knowledge holder, community member, or someone interested in Caring for Country, there are ways to participate:

  • Attend workshops: Join our community workshops across the Northern Rivers to share your knowledge and learn from others.

  • Participate as a landholder: Register your interest to work with Jagun Alliance and local Custodians to develop a Cultural Fire Plans for your property, and work with Custodians to implement key actions.

  • Become a partner: Collaboration with Local Aboriginal Land Councils and Native Title representatives are key to ensuring the success of our Good Fire Gathering project, alongside education, government and non-government organisations.

  • Work with us: Keep up to date with our job opportunities by following us on our socials (Instagram, Facebook and LinkedIn) and our website.

For more information or to get involved, please contact us via the JotForm below.

Contact us here

Respecting Cultural Protocols 

Good Fire Gathering is committed to respecting Indigenous Cultural and Intellectual Property Rights (ICIP). We follow strict protocols to ensure that all cultural knowledge and data shared during the project are protected. Participation is entirely voluntary, and consent is obtained following the principles of Free Prior and Informed Consent. 

All information shared will be kept confidential, and participants have the right to withdraw their knowledge at any time. We are here to collaborate under your cultural authority, ensuring that your knowledge is recognised and applied in a way that respects your rights and traditions. 

Good Fire Gathering is funded by the Australian Government through the Disaster Ready Fund, administered by the NSW Reconstruction Authority.