Who is Caring for Country and Community?
Uncle Alan Parsons is an artist, storyteller and passionate connector. Always ready with a yarn, he is a fearless voice for Country and community, travelling Australia to build meaningful relationships and advocate for positive change wherever he goes.
Behind his happy-go-lucky demeanour is a man deeply connected to Country and guided by a clear sense of purpose. He is dedicated to truth-telling, rewriting history with honesty, and bringing people together in solidarity to care for the land we share.
When Uncle Alan speaks, there is a sparkle in his eye that draws people in. His stories leave you feeling uplifted, inspired by his unwavering faith in humanity and the quiet power that lives within community.
Though his growth was restricted by brittle bone disease in childhood, Uncle Alan is living proof that stature has little to do with standing tall in matters of the heart. One cause especially close to him is connecting men and women, First Nations and non-Indigenous alike, who share a commitment to caring for Country.
A respected First Nations Elder of the Bidjara and Yiman peoples from Carnarvon Gorge in Central Queensland, Uncle Alan’s presence is both grounding and galvanising, reminding all who cross his path that caring for Country is everyone’s responsibility.
Now a resident of Caboolture, the Sunshine Coast has become an extension of home for Uncle Alan, and advocacy for its trees and landscapes is something he knows well. In 2022, he played an active role in a powerful community campaign to halt the planned selective logging of Ferny Forest by the Queensland Department of Agriculture and Fisheries. As part of that campaign the community found a strong ally in MP Jason Hunt who represented the community’s concerns in parliament, resulting in a hard-won victory for native plants, wildlife and future generations.
When an upgrade to the intersection of Steve Irwin Way, the Bruce Highway, and Caloundra Road threatened a major tract of forest—including culturally significant ancient trees—Uncle Alan and other community campaigners successfully intervened. By appealing to the Ministers for Main Roads and the Environment, they halted the destructive plan and secured a less damaging alternative route. As a result, the remaining 745 hectares of Mooloolah Forest was ultimately gazetted as National Park.
Once again, the call to action has emerged. Uncle Alan has added his voice to growing concerns about the proposed expansion of the Glasshouse Quarry at the Glass House Mountains—a nationally heritage-listed landscape with deep cultural and environmental significance.
The quarry at the base of Mt Coonowrin has operated within the Glass House Mountains region for over forty years. Situated on Mount Beerwah Road and operated by Heidelberg Materials Australia since 2003, the current proposal marks a significant shift in scale with plans to double annual output, excavate deeper and increase blasting and truck movements through the Glass House Mountains town.
For residents and environmentalists, these proposed changes raised important questions. Community members reached out to the state government and Sunshine Coast Council, hoping for stronger protections. As those conversations continued, it became clear that responsibility would fall to the community to act.
Uncle Alan shares: “We were at a loss about what to do, so we turned to a cultural practice called Dadirri, which means deep listening. One Sunday morning, around 9am, we gathered and sat out the front of the quarry. Dadirri isn’t meditation. It’s about stillness and listening — to Country, to spirit, to what needs to be heard. If there’s an issue, Country will speak to it. You don’t impose; you listen. We sat in Dadirri for about an hour, and it was powerful.
“About three weeks later, we received a call from Arnhem Land elders asking what was happening. They said they had heard the songlines. We explained that senior lore people had gathered on Country and had been practising Dadirri.
“From there, we organised a Zoom meeting to explain further, realising it would be more beneficial if people were to visit Country physically, to care for and defend Country properly. That led to a community event under the towering presence of Coonowrin.
“Although invitations were extended, there was no corporate presence and no government presence, which really highlighted the level of disconnect. But the Elders were there, alongside local people, and it was powerful. The energy was strong and undeniable.
“What became clear is that local people often have the least say, and that’s deeply disappointing. But it exposed the disconnect and raised the real question: who is truly caring for Country?”
Under the banner of Save Our Glass House Mountains, concerned residents, local community members and Traditional Custodians like Uncle Alan are united by a common mission: to protect this sacred land and advocate for its formal recognition as a World Heritage site.
