This Event will be a celebration of our beloved Kangaroos, a chance for concerned citizens to form local community groups to help protect and care for our local mobs, an opportunity for us to learn how to 'Care for Country’ plus get official support to Care for all Kangaroos & Macropods
and as a fundraiser for Rescuers/Carers of Kangaroos.
‘Buru, the kangaroo, has been protected for thousands of years
– we are mentally, physically and spiritually connected to this ancient animal through our living cultural lore.
We all must protect Buru, the kangaroo.‘
Uncle Dean Kelly, Yuin
Location of the 2024 Conference - Theatre of Wentworth Falls School of Arts
Program of the 2024 Conference
1. The Welcome to Country will be delivered by Graham Davis King
Professor Mick Dodson "When we talk about traditional ‘Country’…we mean something beyond the dictionary definition of the word.
…we might mean homeland, or tribal or clan area and we might mean more than just a place on the map.
For us, Country is a word for all the values, places, resources, stories and cultural obligations associated with that area and its features.
It describes the entirety of our ancestral domains. Most First Nations People consider themselves the custodians or caretakers of the land."
2. Morning Session - COMMUNITY: Stories of Communities joining together to care for and protect Kangaroos
This Session starts at 10:10am and ends at 12 noon.
This session will cover...
10:10am - Rescuer/Carer, Greg, talk about how individuals or groups have been able to save, protect and/or care for local Kangaroos.
"For example the local community have stopped a wealthy land owner killing the Mornington Peninsular Kangaroos who were caught on 'his' land when he had it fenced off."
10:35am - Alexis will then talk about how she and the local kangaroos share the land.
10:45am - Rescuer/Carer, Tracy, talk about how she and local residents were able to get a kangaroo friendly gate into the fence around the local cemetery.
11:00am - Award Winning Author and Poet, David Brooks, will recite three poems Requiem, Taralga Rd & Leaping to Boston. We hope his books will also be available for sale.
11:15am - Group discussion and Q & A, with the above people on a panel, about how to...
work with local First Nations People
set up a local community group
and create a list of activities like ...
advocating for the Yuin Declaration for Kangaroos,
advocating for kangaroo meat not to be sold in Blue Mountains Area
implementing a slow down between dusk and dawn campaign
implementing a 'Kangaroos need our help now' campaign
get kangaroo safe fencing only in Blue Mountains area
Midday Session - CONNECTION: Rest and Relaxation
This Session starts at 12 noon and ends at 2pm.
This session will cover...
12:00pm - Dr Veronica Kleinert (Sri Yantra), will be taking us through a Group Meditation. Feel the power and connection when we work as one.
12:30pm - Vegan Lunch is provided free of charge
The lunch will consist of ...
1. vegan protein food like pakoras and tofu skewers made by Rafida, from Bibi's Kitchen, who has the philosophy 'MADE WITH LOVE, SHARED WITH LOVE'
2. Salads loving made by BMWKD volunteers - green, roast vege and ??
3. Tabouli and Falfel from Blackheath Kebab House
4. Sunflower Sourdough and Pita Bread from local bakeries
Eat healthy life-giving food and chat to like minded souls.
Videos of Kangaroos will play in the background.
1:30pm - Frances of WildTalk - a not-for-profit wildlife carer counselling service - will show us how "caring for self" helps us to be able to "care for others".
Afternoon Session - COMPASSION: How we can stop the forces that are killing our unique and magnificent Kangaroos.
Session 3 starts at 2pm and ends at 4pm.
2:00pm - Rescuer/Carer, Greg, talks about the problems with society that result in our precious Kangaroos being lost forever.
Some of those problems are ...
the profit driven kangaroo killing industry,
indifference and intolerance of native wildlife by Australians,
barbed wire fences,
no wildlife corridors across roads,
climate change etc"
2:30pm - Educator, Graham Davis King, talks about ‘Care for Country’, the Yuin Declaration, First Nations People and Care of Kangaroos.
3:00pm - A panel will discuss and have Q & A about the legal and political mechanisms to effect real change for Kangaroos.
At the beginning of this panel, Elizabeth Ellis will be giving us a summary of the issues animals face that are covered in her book 'Animal Law'
Then BMCC Councillor, Suzie vanOrDorp, will talk about...
her personal connection to Kangaroo Rescue & Care
how BMCC currently supports local wildlife especially kangaroos and how the community can help BMCC to do this
how can community groups get support from BMCC to protect and care for local native wildlife especially kangaroos like signs, speed limits, monitoring, outreach & lobby council.
Discussion and Question/Answers will follow.
All Day there will be books and photos for sale as well as free giveaways.
Rescuers/Carer, Melinda, will be selling her childrens' books including Vinnie.
Photographer, Tina, will be selling her photos of the local ACT kangaroos (cash only).
We have two copies of Elizabeth Ellis' book 'Animal Law' to sell on the day (cash only).
