Indigenous Land and Sea Rangers
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples relationship of care and identity with Country is recognised through the Queensland Indigenous Land and Sea Ranger Program. The Program provides grant funding and other support for community organisations for the stewardship of Country, across tenures.
Over the reporting period, the Department finalised its Engagement and Partnering Guide, co-developed with over 100 Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people from around the State. The Engagement and Partnering Guide provides an instructive blueprint for staff to embed these practices in their work. This document fulfills commitment actions under the Department’s Gurra Gurra Framework 2020-2026.
Through the Queensland Indigenous Land and Sea Ranger Program over 200 positions are funded across the State, delivering conservation outcomes across diverse landscapes, and driving emerging land management industries in some of the most remote parts of Australia.
- In 2024, the Queensland Government funded over 200 Indigenous Land and Sea Rangers, employed through Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander host organisations across 47 communities.
- Land and Sea Ranger activities include various caring for Country actions, with priorities determined in consultation with Traditional Owners and partner agencies. Activities include:
- weed and feral animal management
- fire management
- biodiversity surveys
- cultural heritage site management
- community engagement in conservation through Junior Ranger and other local programs.
- In 2023-24, Indigenous Land and Sea Rangers:
- carried out fire management over more than 1,030,000ha of land
- completed more than 1,300 biodiversity surveys (including for protected species)
- removed more than 19,200kg of marine debris from Queensland foreshores
- identified more than 325 new cultural sites
- engaged over 4,500 schoolchildren in junior ranger activities.
