Kate van Wezel

The inclusion of women in fire management across remote Indigenous communities in northern Australia is the focus of Kate van Wezel’s PhD. Kate’s work follows women in the Waanyi and Garawa country in the remote south west Gulf of Carpentaria in the Northern Territory, analysing their subordination in fire management practices. Working with these women in their communities, Kate has helped to design the Waanyi-Garawa woman ranger program and helped the rangers to produce a booklet documenting the process. The program allows women to build new skills and confidence through their ranger work and allows them to be able to participate fully in managing their Indigenous Protected Areas. Her research is providing a case study of successful collaborative land management in remote Indigenous Australia, and a gendered analysis of the caring for country movement as a strategy towards community resilience. Kate is currently Women and Youth Coordinator for the Northern Land Council’s Caring for Country branch.