Vic Jurskis, B.Sc. (Forestry) ANU, is a Silviculturist with the Native Forests Division of Forests New South Wales. He has written many papers, and spoken extensively, his main field of interest is in forest health and fire management in Australian forests. He has been involved in research of forest regeneration and growth, forest decline, prescribed burning for biodiversity and protection of society, koalas, smoky mice and mistletoes. Vic is also the author of Firestick Ecology, a book that looks at traditional Firestick practicies. You can buy this book by clicking on our "shop" page.

William Leonard "Bill" Gammage AM is an Australian academic historian, Adjunct Professor and Senior Research Fellow at the Humanities Research Centre of the Australian National University (ANU). He was on the faculty of the University of Papua New Guinea and the University of Adelaide. He is a fellow of the Australian Academy of Social Sciences and deputy chair of the National Museum of Australia. Bill researched and wrote the book The Biggest Estate on Earth: How Aborigines made Australia. It won the 2012 Prime Minister's Prize for Australian History in the Prime Minister's Literary Awards, the 2011 Manning Clark House National Cultural Awards and awarded the 2012 Victorian Premier's Literary Awards overall Victorian Prize for Literature on top of the non-fiction category prize. PHOTO: The Sydney Morning Herald.

Dr John Turner worked for State Forests of New South Wales for more than 30 years, initially as a Forester, then Senior Research Scientist and for the last 10 years as Director of Research. He completed his Doctorate at the University of Washington and worked with the International Biological Program. Johns' research has been wide ranging and productive. He has published more than 150 scientific publications, on forest nutrition, nutrient cycling, management of forest soils, development of site specific management systems, impacts of harvesting and management of sites, and maintenance and increase of productivity of forest stands.

Roger Underwood is a former General Manager of CALM in Western Australia, a regional and district manager, a research manager and bushfire specialist. Roger currently directs a consultancy practice with a focus on bushfire management. He lives in Perth, Western Australia.

Victor Steffensen is an Indigenous writer, filmmaker, musician and consultant applying traditional knowledge values in a contemporary context, through workshops and artistic projects. He is a descendant of the Tagalaka people through his mother's connections from the Gulf Country of north Queensland. Much of Victor's work over the past 27 years has been based on the arts and reviving traditional knowledge values - particularly traditional burning - through mentoring and leadership, as well as on-ground training with Aboriginal communities and many non-Indigenous Australians. He is also the co-founder of the National Indigenous Fire Workshops, which have so far been hosted in Queensland, New South Wales and Victoria. Victor has also connected with First Nations communities in California, Canada and the Sámi people of Scandinavia, sharing cultural knowledge practices related to caring for country. PHOTO: The Australian