Frequently asked questions
Indigenous Land and Sea Rangers may be available to assist school education programs, depending on the specific activity requested, the location and staff availability. Additionally, rangers can be available for fee-for-service opportunities.
To find a ranger group near you, check the map of ranger locations. Then, contact christopher.chesher@detsi.qld.gov.au with your query.
If there are no Land and Sea Ranger groups in your area, or if they are unable to assist you, consider exploring the school programs or talks and tours offered by the Queensland Parks and Wildlife Service (QPWS) to find other options that may suit your needs.
Indigenous Land and Sea Rangers are employed by their community organisations. Contact the ranger organisation for information about upcoming work opportunities, any mandatory requirements, and whether you need to register with an employment provider such as Job Find.
While there are limited mandatory qualifications required to become a Land and Sea Ranger, there are many attributes that employing organisations are likely to be looking for when they are recruiting to ranger positions.
Many organisations are keen to recruit Traditional Owners for the relevant Country to their ranger teams, given the connection to, and knowledge, of Country and community that this can provide.
A driver’s licence, good practical skills, relevant experience and formal certifications such as chainsaw and 4WD can help when applying for ranger positions. However, Land and Sea Rangers are usually provided with all necessary training and certifications as part of the job.
Some Land and Sea Rangers begin their careers as volunteers, trainee rangers or casual rangers, building their skills and experience to increase their chances of attaining permanent ranger positions.
Other organisations also employ rangers and accept volunteers. QPWS employs Park Rangers to manage national parks, forests and marine parks. Find out more about becoming a QPWS Ranger and searching Smart Jobs for ranger vacancies.
You can also consider becoming a volunteer with QPWS in a range of community partnership programs that support the work of QPWS.
There are several paths available to students who wish to pursue careers as rangers, whether with Land and Sea ranger groups or other organisations.
- Your school could investigate work experience placements with a Land and Sea Ranger group.
- Partner with a Land and Sea Ranger group and a registered training organisation (RTO) to deliver a Certificate II in Conservation and Ecosystem Management (or similar), or a school-based traineeship, as part of the Vocational Education and Training in Schools program.
- Students may be able to volunteer for a Land and Sea Ranger group, or local conservation organisation, or QPWS.
- First Nations students who have completed Year 12 can apply for the Department of the Environment, Tourism, Science and Innovation's First Nations Gap Year Program to explore and experience a variety of occupations.
Most Land and Sea Ranger groups prefer to offer work experience and volunteer opportunities to students who have a Traditional Owner connection to the Country they manage. This supports their organisation’s aspirations to foster connection to Country and transfer cultural knowledge across generations.
To find a Land and Sea Ranger group near you, check the map of ranger locations. Then, contact christopher.chesher@detsi.qld.gov.au with your query.
If you would like assistance developing a partnership between your school, an RTO and a Land and Sea Ranger group, please email: christopher.chesher@detsi.qld.gov.au
Indigenous Land and Sea Rangers are employed by community organisations with funding provided by Department of the Environment, Science and Innovation through the Queensland Indigenous Land and Sea Ranger Program. Information about the process for applying for ranger funding, when it is available, will be on the program’s web page.
Small grants are available each year through the Looking after Country Grants Program, which provides funding to First Nations communities to undertake projects to look after environmental and cultural heritage on Country.
The Looking after Country Grants program aims to build community capacity to deliver projects and develop partnerships. Completing a Looking after Country project is a useful way for an organisation to build its ‘track record’ in successful management of grant projects, and to develop strong relationships with partners.
NIAA (the National Indigenous Australians Agency) is the federal government agency that provides funding for Indigenous rangers across Australia. Find out more about the NIAA Ranger Program or phone 1800 079 098.
The Queensland Indigenous Land and Sea Ranger Program is a separately-funded program managed by the Queensland state government. Eligible First Nations organisations can apply for funding from both state and federal governments, when available.
If you’d like to be notified about upcoming funding opportunities, please email landandsea@detsi.qld.gov.au and ask to be added to the mailing list.
