#027 Regenerating the Never Never
A conversation with holistic management pioneer Moira Lanzarin
This unique region of Australia is famous for its ancient land and culture, luminous hot springs, and the best-selling book by Jeannie Gunn 'We of the Never Never'. It’s also developing renown for being an engine room for regenerating land, food and related systems.
Moira Lanzarin. Pic: supplied.
“We’re in a lot of chaos and stuff at the moment. But then you look down throughout history, there’s not been any shortage of that at times. But I prefer to concentrate on the positive and the good, and there’s absolutely no shortage of good or great examples out there - far more than just sustainable, but regenerative. That abundance thinking, and that caring, sharing attitude of ‘no, there is enough for all, it’s just a matter of how we utilise things’. ”
Moira Lanzarin is a business woman, an artist, a mother, and a leader in the regenerative agriculture movement. She’s been central to the introduction of Holistic Management in the Northern Territory of Australia, as Director of the family station at Coodardie. And her awards tell the tale. They include the Centenary Medal for Services to Regional Australia, NT Young Cattleman award (and no, she doesn’t flinch at being recognised as a Cattleman), NT Rural Woman of the Year Runner Up, and NT Young Australian of the Year.
She has extensive board experience at a local, Territory and national level within industry and Government. From 2012 to 2016 she served as Director of Soils for Life - an Outcomes Australian Project under the Chairmanship of past Governor General, Michael Jefferies.
Moira is a clear leader, not just in pastoralism, but in the life of this country. Her insights are as relevant to city-dwellers, as they are to those living outside of them. On how healthy living as a family can be the backbone of regenerating country, why connection with country is so important, how the current nation-wide water contamination crisis should amplify concern about fracking proposals, and what else is most needed for us to create a regenerative society - particularly in the context of the pace, pressure and mindset of modern life.
Join Moira, and some of the other Coodardie locals, as she takes time out with Anthony on the powerful country she calls home.
Get more:
The disastrous water issue Moira mentions, a little north of Coodardie in Katherine, is now the subject of a town-wide class action with possible repercussions around the country.
Music:
By Jeremiah Johnson.
Due to licencing restrictions, our guest’s nominated music can only be played on radio or similarly licenced broadcasts of this episode.