A new road built at Black Duck Foods improves farming operations

Late last year, we proudly sponsored the construction of a new road at Black Duck Foods Farm, which shares land with Yambulla on Yuin Country. The new road enables both farm workers and visitors to get around the farm in any car.

Farm manager Chris Harris said the road has made “a phenomenal difference to the workers and visitors. Before it, the road was almost impossible to use unless you were in a 4 wheel drive, and now even city cars can use it.”

 Black Duck Foods farm was founded by Yuin men Bruce Pascoe and his son Jack Pascoe. Bruce Pascoe is best known for his seminal 2014 book Dark Emu, which flipped the script on long-held misconceptions about the cultural and farming practices of Indigenous people before colonisation. In fact, Pascoe explained through historical evidence how they had sophisticated methods of agriculture and land management.

To revive these ancient practices, Bruce and Jack established Black Duck Foods, sharing Country with Yambulla. As a social enterprise, they aim to “influence the direction of Australian agriculture towards a more sustainable future, a more inclusive future for Aboriginal peoples and the introduction of their domesticated food products onto the market.”

Black Duck Foods are currently harvesting and milling native grains including Mitchell and Button grass blend, and Kangaroo and Spear grass blend. By learning and sharing this practice from the farm across the wider Indigenous and non-Indigenous community, we can learn from ancient agricultural practices and reform agricultural practices for the sake of Country.