Joint media release: Celebrating World Ranger Day 2023

The Hon Linda Burney MP, Minister for Indigenous Australians
The Hon Tanya Plibersek MP, Minister for the Environment and Water

As World Ranger Day is celebrated around the world today, the Albanese Labor Government is proud to announce we are on track to double the number of Indigenous Rangers by 2030.

Our $1.3 billion Indigenous Ranger Program funding commitment will expand the number of Indigenous rangers from 1,900 to 3,800 by 2030, while supporting more women to become rangers.

For 65,000 years, First Nations people have been custodians and caretakers of Australia’s flora and fauna, land, rivers and sea. 

Today, Indigenous rangers combine traditional knowledge with Western science to protect nature, maintain connection to Country and culture, while achieving economic participation.

Around Australia, 128 Indigenous Rangers Programs work with First Nations people to manage Country in line with Traditional Owners’ aspirations, for example:

1. Truwana Rangers (Cape Barren Island, Tasmania) has four rangers managing 478sqm of country. Activities include fire management, track upgrades and construction to facilitate access to community and cultural sites on the island.
2. Tjaltjraak Healthy Country Program Rangers (south west WA) identifies native species from traces of DNA found in water, allowing rangers to understand vulnerable species and undertake conservation practices.
3. Gidarjil Rangers (Bundaberg/ Port Curtis Coral Coast, QLD) monitors inshore coral ecosystems including fish, turtle, sea grass and mangrove populations and systems. 

A vast amount of work is undertaken by Indigenous rangers each year, including cultural burning and bushfire mitigation, biodiversity conservation and invasive species management, cultural heritage protection as well as maintenance and biosecurity monitoring. 

Indigenous rangers work on different types of land and sea Country including Indigenous Protected Areas. 

For more information on the Indigenous Ranger Program see Indigenous Ranger Programs | National Indigenous Australians Agency (niaa.gov.au) 

For more information about the new forecast opportunity for the Indigenous Rangers Program Expansion Round One, see Future Forecast Opportunities (grants.gov.au)

Quotes attributable to Minister Burney:

“As the Minister for Indigenous Australians I’m so proud of the work that Indigenous Rangers are doing across the country.

“Rangers draw on 65,000 years of First Nations cultural and scientific knowledge to look after land and sea Country.

“This is what a Voice is about – making sure the voices and knowledge of First Nations people are heard in all areas of government.

“Because we know when we listen Indigenous Rangers, we get better results for Country and Culture.”

Quotes attributable to Minister Plibersek:

“We’re lucky to have more than 65,000 years of First Nations conservation knowledge to draw on and learn from. 

“I recently spent time with Indigenous rangers in the Katiti-Petermann IPA and in Uluru-Kata Tjuta National Park. I saw firsthand how they cared for country, managing threats like invasive species like cats and camels and from fire loads like buffel grass. 

"Rangers were using new technologies to track populations of threatened species like the Tjakura (Great Desert Skink) and drawing on thousands of years of knowledge to better protect them. It is important work, and work they are immensely proud of. 

“Indigenous Rangers help protect both nature and cultural values. The program also supports jobs in regional and remote communities, maintains connection to country, and grows local economies.”

“That’s why Labor has committed to establish 10 new Indigenous Protected Areas and double the number of Indigenous Rangers by 2030.”