Indigenous Land and Sea Ranger program
The Queensland Indigenous Land and Sea Ranger Program exists due to the advocacy of First Nations communities over many decades. The Department of Environment and Science remains committed to partnerships that honour their efforts.
The Queensland Indigenous Land and Sea Ranger Program is a partnership between the Queensland Government and First Nations communities to care for land and sea country.
The program assists First Nations organisations to employ Land and Sea Rangers and offers grant funding, training, networking and partnership support.
In 2007, the program began with just 20 rangers and today more than 150 Indigenous Land and Sea rangers work in 37 regional and remote locations across Queensland.
New Ranger funding
The Queensland Indigenous Land and Sea Ranger Program is growing! 100 new Indigenous Land and Sea ranger positions were committed to in 2021 and the first 54 of these rangers are now working in 13 Queensland communities.
Funding for the remaining 46 new ranger positions is now open. Interested and eligible organisations are invited to submit an application by Monday 24 April 2023.
Applications are open both to organisations who do not have dedicated ranger funding, and to organisations who are seeking to extend their existing ranger program.
Potential applicants should review the Guidelines to determine their eligibility, the number of positions available and grant requirements, before deciding whether to complete and submit an application online via SmartyGrants.
Potential applicants may also like to review information about key Ranger Ready considerations in establishing a new ranger program.
Applications will be assessed by a panel and short-listed applicants invited to submit a second, more detailed, application.
Online information sessions will be available in late March 2023. These are optional. To register your interest in attending these sessions, please email landandsea@des.qld.gov.au with ‘Ranger funding information session’ as the subject of your email.
If you have questions about the application process, please contact the grants officer on (07) 3330 5553 or email landandsea@des.qld.gov.au.
Where do rangers work?
Indigenous Land and Sea Rangers work across the state, in diverse locations stretching from remote Cape York Peninsula to Lake Eyre Basin and the Gold Coast.
Land and Sea Rangers work on Country across tenure, including Native Title lands, protected areas, pastoral and mining leases, and private lands.
What do rangers do?
Indigenous Land and Sea Rangers care for Country, successfully combining traditional knowledge of Country with specialised training and experience in the practice and science of managing natural and cultural resources.
Ranger teams deliver negotiated work plans that reflect Traditional Owners’ priorities and aspirations.
Ranger work includes conservation services such as fire management, feral animal and pest plant control, native and threatened species monitoring, and cultural heritage site protection.
Rangers also play an important role in inter-generational knowledge sharing in their communities, with community and youth engagement programs.
What have rangers achieved?
Indigenous Land and Sea Rangers successfully deliver not only environmental outcomes but also a variety of social, cultural and economic benefits for First Nations communities. These achievements have been well documented.
Indigenous Land and Sea Ranger programs are important to First Nations communities; and being a Land and Sea Ranger is a valued and rewarding role in many communities.