Weaving a strong future for her grandchildren —we yarn with Anne Burns.
November 26, 2025
Anne Burns is a proud Nira balluk woman of the Taungurung Nation. Having worked for the Taungurung Land and Waters Council in the Partnerships and Agreements team for four years, she’s now also a wawa biik guide sharing her passion for Culture and Country with the broader community. Anne believes there are wonderful things that can be achieved through having conversations together on Country. As the jovial, friendly and warm person that always greets you with a smile and a story, yarning with Anne is always a joy.
A humble, yet enormously skilled and knowledgeable cultural guide, she loves any opportunity to be out on biik (Country) leading walking tours, facilitating weaving workshops and tuning in to what biik is telling her. When you cut to the heart of what motivates her, you’ll find a proud mother and grandmother who wants to contribute her life’s work to creating a better place for her grandchildren.
Please tell us a little about yourself
After 38 years of living in Rye on Bunurong Country, I moved to Alexandra on Taungurung Country in 2020. My dad was first generation Australian born - my grandparents immigrating from Scotland in the early 1930's. My mum was an artist - her painting hangs in the boardroom in Broadford. My Taungurung heritage comes from my mother's side of the family. Growing up, every month dad used to hook the caravan up and we'd be off to another Victorian town with the caravan club, every summer holiday was spent on the Rye foreshore. I have three adult children and 4 grandchildren. My two sons are committed to Taungurung – my eldest son (pictured here with his children) is CEO of TLaWC and my younger son is on the TLaWC board of Directors. My daughter lives in Los Angeles and is also a proud Taungurung woman. My dog, Molly, is my home companion and we love taking walks together.
Tell us what you love about Taungurung biik?
Country is my ancestors, it is life giving, it is my spirit guide. Walking by the rivers, driving through the mountains, listening to biik speak – that is my happy place.
What are your interests?
I love being in my garden with my hands in the soil. I love growing my own vegetables and preserving foods. Whilst the children grew I worked in restaurants - front and back of house and this is where my love of all things food began. I learned about where food came from. My love of the slow food idea and the responsible and sustainable farming techniques being developed. I also weave and knit and listen to my audio books when I have free time. Fantasy is my genre. Spending time with my grandchildren is always wonderful.
What's one subject you could talk about for hours?
Biik. I am constantly amazed and heartened by the resilience of nature. Listening to country, hearing, seeing and feeling all that she shares with us.
Why do you feel it's important for people to come on a wawa biik tour?
Education. Learning about the culture that was here before colonisation. Our culture survived for over sixty thousand years in harmony with nature. Our inheritance is that we care for biik so that the generations to come benefit from our time as custodians of the land, sky and waters. It is also shaping positive outcomes for our people. Imagine if my grandkids could have their identity being accepted by the wider community as a gift. Recognise differences but instead of using the differences against one another we use the cultural diversity to enrich all our lives.
What have been some highlights for you in your first few months guiding for wawa biik?
Yarning with our guests and feeling a great sense of pride in telling the Taungurung story, our beliefs and plans for the future. I am constantly encouraged by the wonderful feedback we receive post tours. Working with the wonderful wawa biik team. I love sharing the wonderful story of our culture.
What are you most proud of?
My family. My children and my grandchildren. Family that has come before me and the sacrifices made to give me a wonderful education and the love and guidence they gave me. I am also very proud of the team we have built at TLaWC. It is an honour and pleasure to work for mob.