Marring Country: New First Nations-Led Native Nursery at Bundanon

Image credit Marring Country at Bundanon Photo Hayden Griffith

A new First Nations-led native nursery at Bundanon will bring together caring for Country, cultural knowledge, horticulture and skills development in the Shoalhaven.

Marring Country has been created and will be operated by Marring, in partnership with Bundanon, with support from the NSW Government.

The nursery will propagate local native plants for use across Bundanon and the wider region, including plants for revegetation and environmental restoration projects.

Importantly, Marring Country has also been designed as a place where knowledge can be shared, culture can be practised on Country and members of the Marring community can develop practical horticultural and land management skills.

Marrin Country | Growing Plants, Knowledge and Opportunity

For Marring CEO Ray Timbery, the project extends well beyond the nursery itself.

“Marring Country is about more than growing plants. The nursery is about growing knowledge, skills and opportunities for our mob while contributing to the health of Country.”

Timbery said he wants to create places where cultural knowledge can be shared and practised on Country, while creating something meaningful for future generations.

The nursery will become part of Bundanon's broader land care and cultural work, supplying locally propagated native plants while providing a place for learning, connection and cultural practice.

Caring for Country at Bundanon

Bundanon CEO Rachel Kent said the project reflects the organisation's commitment to working collaboratively with First Nations communities in caring for Country.

“The nursery will grow for many years to come. It brings First Nations knowledge, environmental care and opportunity together in a very practical way.”

She said Bundanon was proud to work alongside Marring and support its leadership.

The NSW Government's support has helped establish the foundations of the project, which is intended to deliver long-term environmental, cultural and economic benefits to the region.

A Nursery Designed to Grow With the Community

Rather than being a short-term project, Marring Country is being developed as a living initiative that can evolve over time.

As the partnership between Marring and Bundanon develops, the nursery will continue to be shaped by community, culture and the practical work of caring for the local environment.

For visitors familiar with Bundanon as an arts destination, Marring Country also highlights another important part of the organisation's work, caring for the remarkable landscape in which it sits and supporting the people whose cultural connection to Country extends across generations.