Community connects and celebrates

The Narrabri Local Aboriginal Land Council welcomed visitors for the first time to Tippereena, a newly established native food production area on the outskirts of town.

Designed to showcase climate-smart agriculture techniques, the site was planted last year with over 800 native food, medicine and fibre plants.

On 10 September, the community celebrated the site’s establishment by releasing native fish and yabbies into the dam, sharing a meal, and learning about the project’s past and future.

Children watch as Rick Cunningham releases silver perch and yabbies into the Tippereena dam.

Plans for Tippereena include establishing a cultural centre next year, supporting participants to complete TAFE study in conservation and land management, and creating businesses that use the site for education, tourism and food production.

Farmers, farm advisers, Narrabri Shire mayor, council representatives and local businesses joined the celebration along with members of the public and the local Indigenous community.

Ian Fox with Kerrie Saunders from Yinarr-ma Bush Tucker Tours.

After enjoying native grain bread from Yinarr-ma Bush Tucker Tours and yellow belly from Narrabri Fish Farm, visitors were given a tour of the site.

This included the unique floodplain simulation for native grain production, the original Namoi River (Ngamaay) corridor, the Landcare bird and microbat monitor, and the two native plantation areas.

Narrabri Fish Farm’s Rick Cunningham and Narrabri Shire mayor Darrell Tiemens.

The site blends both ancient and modern ways of managing land, included producing climate-resilient native foods, restoration of habitat for endangered animals and creating on-Country education and tourism spaces.

Over the next six months the project will complete the regenerative agriculture landscape rehydration and erosion control measures, plant more native fruit and vegetable species, and rehabilitate the old dam for yabby production.

Narrabri LALC chair Jackie Jones and Marie Hatch.

“Thanks to all those who attended and thanks to Angela (Pattison),” added Narrabri Local Aboriginal Land Council chief executive officer Lynn Trindall.

The Narrabri LALC looks forward to welcoming visitors again in 2027 to celebrate the next phase of caring for Country.

The event was supported by the federal government through funding from the Climate-Smart Agriculture Program under the Natural Heritage Trust, Northwest Local Land Services, Landcare, and the Narrabri Local Aboriginal Land Council.