179. Coming to a Head in the Kimberley
Chris Henggeler on regenerating consciousness, community & Country
Chris Henggeler and his family manage Kachana Station in the East Kimberley, only accessible by foot or air. They took responsibility for this desertified and abandoned country, and have achieved some incredible regeneration, culminating last year in a State Soil Health Champion award. Yet with still vast lands desertifying around them, and so much opportunity to build on models like Kachana, we recorded an episode out there two years ago titled Wanted Land Doctors. Now the second most popular episode on this podcast, it was a powerful invitation for the next generations to join the fray, and how the rest of us can help them do it. But there is trouble afoot.
Chris Henggeler and friends (pic: Anthony James).
“As long as the sun shines and water drops out of the sky each year, there’s absolutely no reason at all to chuck in the towel. I think we’ve only scratched the surface of what’s possible, and I am still very, very optimistic. ”
The regeneration at Kachana Station has incorporated and relied not just on cattle, but wild donkeys. The bond these animals share with this Station family is clear. But just before we recorded that episode two years ago, the state department ordered the family to gun them down as pests. The Henggelers appealed the order. And the State Tribunal process adjudicating on that appeal is coming to a head in a few weeks.
In parallel, you could say, the Kimberley itself is coming to a head. Forecast to suffer unliveable heat in the coming decades, with ‘climate refugees’ already heading south, and worsening floods like this year's at Fitzroy Crossing.
So this week, Chris and I draw some of the broader patterns together. And we hear the latest on how they're being turned around at Kachana, and beyond. That leads us to a deep dive on some of the best stories, thinking and intuitive wisdom we’re coming across, that are helping more heads and hearts come together across divides, to make more of the good stuff happen.
Next week, part 2 of this episode will feature a full and telling update on the potentially game-changing donkey situation.
Head here for automatic cues to chapter markers (also available on the embedded player above), and a transcript of this conversation (please note the transcript is AI generated and imperfect, but hopefully serves to provide greater access to these conversations for those who need or like to read).
This episode was recorded at Kachana Station on 23 August 2023.
Click on the photos below to zoom in, and hover over them to see captions where added (all photos by Anthony James except the ones supplied with captions written by Chris, and unless otherwise noted).
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Find more:
You can hear the previous conversation with Chris in ep.100, Wanted Land Doctors. (There are more photos on that web page too, and a link to our very first meeting back in 2018, resulting in ep.25)
The change in land tenure that happened at El Questro late last year.
Music:
Regeneration, composed by Amelia Barden, from the soundtrack to the film Regenerating Australia.