They met at the Goonoowigall Nhunta Karra Kara Track for an introduction to seed collecting course.

Academy operations officer Preston Connors accompanied the boys, and said it was a good day.

“For the boys, it’s interesting what David’s talking about because he’s a very knowledgeable man on seeds, trees and the planting as well,” Preston said.

“They’ll learn a lot today. He’s been doing it for a few years, and just relates to the kids and I suppose, adults as well.” 

The line of students followed David down the stony path thick with sage and silver lichen and flanked by flowering native plants.

David often stopped for minute details of trees, passed around leaves to crush and smell the scent or asked the students to spot a branch with gumnuts he then cut with his extended loppers for examination.

It was the practical part of the course which began with a classroom session about pollination and general principles.

Northern Tablelands Local Land Services (LLS) Trees on Farms officer Ivan Lackay joined the group, and agreed Dave was very knowledgeable.

“He’s teaching the kids why we need seed, how they’re formed, and go out and collect a couple and try to extract them as well,” Ivan said.

“These kids are at that age, 14, 15, 16, to appreciate it, to know what’s in the bush, and their forefathers, what they used it for.”

The course is part of a larger project to provide Aboriginal youth with natural-resource management skills in conjunction with the LLS, Inverell Shire Council and TAFE New England and Inverell Rotary.

Ivan said some of the students recently completed a chemicals course for weed control application.

The eventual project will include weed removal and tree planting at specific riverbank sites in the area.