Re-conceptualising desert landscapes: unpacking historical narratives and contemporary realities for sustainable livelihood development in central Australia |
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Authors: | Kirsten Maclean |
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Institution: | (1) School of Natural and Rural Systems Management and The UQBoilerhouse Community Engagement Centre, University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD, Australia |
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Abstract: | Desert landscapes of central Australia have inspired various narratives for nation building. These narratives, based upon
discourses of land as a commodity for the colonial project, include the inferior peripheral wastelands of the colonial centre;
the wild and pristine haven of ‘noble aborigines’; and the frontier home of heroic explorers and pastoralists. These narratives
continue to influence land management policy and practice. However they do not reflect the diverse contemporary realities
of individuals living in the region. In this paper I juxtapose these narratives and realities to reveal the multitude of ways
in which desert landscapes are known and understood. A case study of a fire management project that involved Aboriginal, pastoral
and conservation land managers from the southern Tanami region of central Australia provides evidence as to why desert landscapes
should be re-conceptualized as cultural, contested and dynamic. To conceive of these spaces and places in this way can facilitate
open discussion and dialogue between land managers from the region. It is the first step in working towards the process of
cultural hybridity that I argue is necessary for equitable and sustainable environmental governance and management in Australia. |
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