Barmah-Millewa campaign
The Barmah-Millewa Collective (BMC) formed in late 2000 after FoE made a committment to the Yorta Yorta people to join them in a campaign to protect Barmah-Millewa Forest, stop the logging and grazing, and re-establish their rights to manage the forest. The campaign was first mooted in 1998 at the Dharnya Centre occupation in Barmah Forest. The Yorta Yorta had occupied the centre in protest against the Kennett and Howard governments’ racist “10 point plan” to water down native title legislation. Millewa Forest Blockade June 2009 Photo: Michaela Stubbs
Our campaign grew to cover the red gum forests along the length of the Murray and – with the combined efforts of many allies – achieved exciting victories in December 2008 and May 2010 as first Victoria and then NSW moved to create over 250,000ha of new red gum National Parks and Protected Areas, many of which will be co-managed or handed back to Traditional Owners.
FoE red gum banner – World Environment Day Rally for Victoria’s Forests 2006 Photo: Josie Lee
This historical success is not the end of the story – the Barmah-Millewa Collective continues to work with Traditional Owners, in particular the Wadi Wadi people in their negotiations over co-management of their park, Nyah-Vinifera (on the Murray near Swan Hill). We are also partnering with them to conduct Cultural Biodiversity Surveys of culturally and environmentally significant plants, animals and sites on their country.