- Fifteen Traditional Owner organisations will share 46 new Indigenous Land and Sea Ranger positions being funded by the Palaszczuk Government.
- The new positions take the total number of rangers funded to more than 200, representing an investment of around $27 million annually.
- Indigenous Land and Sea Rangers undertake a variety of work activities on Country including fire management, biodiversity surveys, marine debris removal from beaches and estuaries, feral animal control, weed treatment and management of cultural sites.
Fifteen Traditional Owner organisations from across Queensland will share in 46 new Indigenous Land and Sea Ranger positions being funded by the Palaszczuk Government.
Environment Minister Leanne Linard announced the allocation of the new positions today.
The newest rangers will be employed by organisations based in a range of communities including Yeppoon, Murgon, Croydon, the Sunshine Coast, and Ayton in Cape York.
The new positions deliver on a Palaszczuk Government’s commitment to double the number of funded Indigenous Land and Sea Ranger positions, from 100 to 200, by 2023-24 and reaffirms the government’s commitment to recognising Indigenous knowledge and connection to Country.
Indigenous Land and Sea Rangers are combining Traditional knowledge with new technologies to protect and conserve Country, based on Traditional Owner and community priorities.
The rangers undertake fire management, biodiversity surveys, marine debris removal from beaches and estuaries, feral animal control, weed treatment and cultural site management.
Indigenous Rangers are also integral in the protection of Queensland’s threatened species, including marine turtle, dugong, migratory shorebirds and the golden-shouldered parrot.
Quotes attributable to the Minister for the Environment and the Great Barrier Reef, Leanne Linard:
“The Palaszczuk Government is committed to partnering with Queensland’s Traditional Owners to cooperatively care for Country across Queensland.
“After all, who better to care for Country – managing native wetlands, bushlands, coastal areas and estuaries across Queensland – than the people who have been caring for it for the past 60,000 years.
“The Indigenous Land and Sea Ranger program is not just an investment in jobs and our environment, it’s also an investment in rebuilding Indigenous knowledge and empowering Queensland’s Traditional Owners to care for country.
“These rangers are also playing a key role in their communities.
“They are delivering junior ranger and youth engagement services, including in-class talks at Queensland schools and on-country camps.
“The program has a strong emphasis on training, with many rangers achieving qualifications in Conservation and Land Management and completing leadership development.
“Thirty-one rangers are currently completing a tailored Indigenous Ranger Leadership Program which is helping to foster a new generation of leaders in the care of Country.
“The Leadership Program provides rangers with the skills, tools and confidence to pursue leadership roles.
Quotes attributable to the Chairperson of the Wakka Wakka Native Title Aboriginal Corporation RNTBC, Gary Cobbo:
‘Working with the Bunya People’s Aboriginal Corporation, as an auspice, will lead to an increased capacity for our community in caring for country across the Wakka Wakka estate.
“The new ranger team will be based out of Murgon and play a key role in strengthening connections across the many tribal groups in the South Burnett region.
“A real focus will be ‘rightfire’ or cultural burning, to reduce invasive weeds and restore native vegetation.
“Funding for this new ranger team will be of significant benefit to the Wakka Wakka community.”
