ON COUNTRY

THERE is an exciting research project underway at the Australian National University, called Mayi Kuwayu – The National Study of Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander Wellbeing. An impressive group of scientists and researchers have come together to create the first national study of the long-held anecdotal belief of the benefits to First Nations physical, mental and emotional wellbeing of time spent on country.

Whilst I’m not of First Nations heritage and can never fully understand the life-giving, powerful force that is an indigenous person’s deep connection to country, as a bushwalker I can appreciate the science-backed benefits to spending time in nature and feed my desire to learn about the other.

A country of countries

So whilst travel to overseas countries is off limits, now is the perfect time to discover and learn about the hundreds of different nations (estimates are between 350-500) that we have within our own borders. These places are big – big enough to want to spend more than just an hour on an interpretive walk, popular with tourists or travellers with tight schedules. These stories, these countries deserve time to listen, time to learn, time to go deep to try and understand them.

“To have a cultural experience