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Walawaani — Welcome to Yuin Country
I’m a Murramarang woman whose family line is the Browns, which have been here since pre-colonisation. I was born at Milton, which is just near Ulladulla.
Back in the day when people would come to your Country and ask to pass though, there would be a Welcome to Country ceremony, where there would be conversations about what their business was, and they would be smoked so they smell like Country and given safe passage to go on their way. Our Dhurga word for safe journey is walawaani. When we use this phrase it is providing a blessing or well wishes for safe passage.
As you can see, I love language revitalisation — Dhurga is my grandmother’s tongue — so it’s a big passion of mine. I have a language book, published through AIATSIS, called ‘G is for Gugunyal: A Dhurga alphabet book’, and my second Dhurga language book is in development.
Born and bred
When my eldest son, Jayden, was ready for kindergarten, I was [working] in childcare where I ran a little family daycare, but then I just decided one day that I was going to go to uni.
I hadn't finished Year 12. It was a bit of a tough time for me but I thought, ‘No, I’m going to go. I’m going to be the first person in my family to go to uni!’ So I packed him up and moved to Wollongong. I did a bridging course and then put myself through uni [at University of Wollongong] as a single mum.
I completed a Bachelor’s Degree in communication and media with a major in marketing and advertising and a minor in professional writing. During my last year of uni I fell pregnant with my younger son, Oscar. A few years later I moved back home to Ulladulla to be close to family.
Powering the Ulladulla LALC
After working in various government roles for a few years, I was lucky enough to have stepped into the CEO position at the LALC. The former CEO who was here for 30 years [Shane Carriage] did some pretty amazing things during his time as CEO, and I was excited to be starting work at such a stable land council.
I felt like one of the main challenges we have had with the transition to a new CEO was we we’ve gone from being a very quiet operating land council into a period of growth and expansion.
Nowadays, we’re a busy little organisation; we do big things here, and we’re out on the Country all the time now.
The board supports this shift of energy, and our new direction. I have a wonderful board, and my staff are simply amazing. Everybody’s really engaged and committed. I think there’s a deep responsibility that we feel for our people, and that shows in the work we’re doing.
Core business
Coming into this position it became clear that we didn’t have a deep understanding of our land portfolio, let alone the list of undetermined land claims. I applied for some funding through [the Department of] Aboriginal Affairs for our crew to undertake training in GIS mapping and to build a community owned GIS mapping tool. With this tool, we can clearly see what land the LALC owned and its potential uses, to assist in creating future aspirations for Country.
This project was helpful for ‘jump starting’ our ranger team. It also provided a way for Elders and community to gain access and connection back to Country.
Land claims are LALC’s core business, that’s what we’re set up to do. Activating our land has been crucial for the success of our ranger team. Because Country needs people to care for it and to nurture it; we’re just another species living here, adding to a bigger picture.
People needing Country is probably more important. People need Country more than Country needs people, because it gives us life. What Country needs is for people to care and protect it.
Ranger work
At the beginning of this year (2026) we were successful in receiving NIAA IRP [Indigenous Ranger Program] funding. So now we have a team of four rangers doing an array of amazing on-Country work, from flora and fauna studies, mapping hollows and feed trees, building artificial hollows, Culture and heritage protection, providing school and visitor education experiences.
They work with fire practitioners here putting djamaga ganji (good fire) on Country.
Storied history
What I think is unique about the Ulladulla Aboriginal community is there was never an official mission here. Our traditional campground was not a formally gazetted mission. Aboriginal people could come and go from the campground — not to say that our people were treated any better — but I feel that because there wasn’t an official mission where people would be rounded up from different mobs all over the place, there was somewhat less conflict within community caused by the breakdown of cultural lore and protocols.
We’ve got a good, recorded history in our area and a long oral tradition as well.
We’re part of the Yuin nation — we’re one of the 13 mobs of the Yuin Nation, as told in the traditional story of Bandhuula and his 13 wives. We’re Sea Country people. I guess every mob and every kind of community have their own specialness about them and their Country.
Here, we have a gorgeous coastline and a strong connection to Sea Country. In the west we have the beautiful mountains on sandstone Country with gorgeous art shelters.
The area is also home to a strong Italian community which is a legacy of our long fishing history. This connection to fishing saw Aboriginal and Italian families working together, creating a unique cultural landscape where different traditions share a deep relationship with the ocean.
We have stayed connected to our culture in many ways and hold deep respect for Country. We might be a small community but do well to get along so we can create opportunities for mob.
At the end of the day, I just think Country gives us responsibility. It gives us something to protect and nurture and in return it nurtures us. It keeps us healthy. It’s being able to be connected to something bigger than yourself.
We need Country, it gives us meaning, it gives us places to go to connect, it gives us places for ceremony, it grounds us still in modern-day life.
-Leanne Brook
We pay our respects to all the First Nations people around Australia and their unbroken commitment to keep Country strong on land and sea. We acknowledge Indigenous partners, Traditional Owners, Elders past, present and emerging and extend our appreciation of their support and guidance of our daily work.
