Midwest Aboriginal Ranger Program

In collaboration with key partners and the support of the Department of Prime Minister and Cabinet, NACC NRM’s Midwest Aboriginal Ranger Program was launched in September 2017. This program is providing opportunities for Aboriginal people across the Mid West region to engage in Natural Resource Management (NRM) activities while delivering on-ground conservation with a strong cultural emphasis on Caring for Country.

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Taj Mamid

Aboriginal Custodianship Project Officer

Home 🞂 Our Work 🞂 Projects 🞂 Midwest Aboriginal Ranger Program

In collaboration with key partners and the support of the Department of Prime Minister and Cabinet, NACC NRM’s Midwest Aboriginal Ranger Program was launched in September 2017. This program is providing opportunities for Aboriginal people across the Mid West region to engage in Natural Resource Management (NRM) activities while delivering on-ground conservation with a strong cultural emphasis on Caring for Country.

The Midwest Aboriginal Ranger Program offers employment and training placement for rangers and ranger-teams through three program-delivery organisations: Western Mulga, the Department of Biodiversity, Conservation and Attractions (DBCA) and Kwelena Mambakort Aboriginal Corporation (KMAC).

The Western Mulga team is comprises of Aboriginal Rangers working in the Midwest region on a range of land conservation activities, including maintenance of natural water sources, native vegetation rehabilitation, invasive weed and pest management and heritage site management.

DBCA employs two Aboriginal Rangers in Geraldton and two in Jurien Bay. Some of their work will take place in marine parks and terrestrial conservation estate, they conducting works on threatened flora and fauna as well as community engagement.

KMAC employs a team of trainee Yued Rangers in the south of the region. Working with Elders and other conservation partners, this team supports important conservation work of Heritage Sites and monitoring of both marine and terrestrial biodiversity. All Rangers undertake Conservation and Ecosystem Management studies through service providers such as Central Regional TAFE.

Each Ranger team supports and engages in important conservation work across a range of activities including environmental monitoring, surveys such as pit-fall trapping and malleefowl (Leipoa ocellata) mound monitoring.

Who is involved?

Main Partners: Northern Agricultural Catchments Council, Western Mulga Pty Ltd, Department of Biodiversity, Conservation and Attractions (DBCA), and Kwelena Mambakort Wedge Island Aboriginal Corporation (KMAC).

Supporting Partners: Bush Heritage Aust., Rangelands NRM, Australian Wildlife Conservancy, Ninghan IPA, Central Regional TAFE and local Indigenous organisations and communities.

The Department of Prime Minister and Cabinet has been instrumental in establishing this Program through an Indigenous Advancement Strategy community-led grant worth $1.5 million. Based off the initial success the program was continued, with funding now secured through to 2028. The Midwest Aboriginal Ranger Program is also supported by a dedicated Reference Group, which brings together Traditional Custodians from across the region to provide advice and guidance.

Cultural significance

Traditional Custodians from across the region were consulted during the development of the Program, and will continue to guide on-ground works and oversee the inclusion of cultural practices such as Welcome to Country ceremonies and the management of sites of significance.

Why is it important to have Aboriginal Rangers?

For thousands of years the Yamaji and Noongar Aboriginal peoples have been gathering knowledge of the environment across the Mid West of Western Australia.

Their traditional ecological knowledge is extremely valuable in enhancing the ways we understand and care for our environment. The Ranger Program recognises the unique understandings and management skills Aboriginal peoples have in supporting our natural resources, and is thrilled to be supporting Traditional Custodians to deliver economic, environmental, social and cultural outcomes.

MARP is an important step towards providing meaningful employment on-Country for future generations of Aboriginal people.

The Mid West Aboriginal Ranger Program is supported through funding from the Australian Governments National Indigenous Australians Agency.

For more information, please contact NACC Personnel

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In 2020-21 I talked about ‘raising the bar’. In 2021-22 we worked on setting the bar on fire. Over the last 12 months, the team at NACC NRM has not stopped.

The Sustainable Agriculture team has extended the program’s reach through collaborations with grower groups in the regions. Specifically, the Beyond Reasonable Drought project and Grower Group Alliance – South West WA Drought Innovation Hub – Geraldton Node project. The Beyond Reasonable Drought partnership with grower groups supported farmers across the region to improve the environmental sustainability of their agricultural production and drought resilience. The outcomes of this project have been consolidated through our successful Expression of Interest to the South West WA Drought Innovation Hub, with support from grower groups across the region, to host the Geraldton Node of the Hub. The program continues to focus on working with agricultural networks to share technical expertise and provide opportunities that will improve land management practices in agriculture across the region.

The conservation outcomes of ranger teams have expanded through work on several land tenures. Maintaining Heritage sites such as Willi Gulli, Racecourse Paddock and Buller River has long been a priority. During 2021-22, the teams have increasingly focused on threatened species and ecosystems.

To this end, Western Mulga rangers have improved management across 19,000 ha for the conservation of Malleefowl through firebreak and access management. They completed the maintenance of water holes and supported the monitoring of over 90 Malleefowl mounds.

Similarly, the Kwelena Mambakort Aboriginal Corporate ranger team have contributed positively to Carnaby’s Black Cockatoo populations by installing artificial hollows and habitat restoration.

All ranger teams have collected native seed, propagated native plants for restoration, and planted native vegetation in key locations across the NAR. Seed collection provides valuable industry experience and has facilitated the planting of over 100,000 seedlings during the year.   

In September 2021, the NACC NRM team delivered the WA Threatened Species Forum, held in tandem with the National Malleefowl Forum. Given the impact of COVID and the timing of this event, having more than 100 delegates from all over Australia was a significant achievement. The two Forums brought together 12 events over five days and featured 14 local artists, 25 businesses and 36 youth participants.

Following the successful relaunch of our updated NARvis, NACC NRM was invited to help lead a significant piece of strategic planning work for the region with Mid West Development Commission and the Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development. With funding from the Australian Government’s Future Drought Fund, the consortia delivered a Regional Drought Resilience Plan covering the shires of Northampton and Chapman Valley and the City of Greater Geraldton, along with significant technical analysis of drought vulnerability for the South West land division. The development of this plan also included extensive community consultation to ensure that local knowledge and technical advice guided the development of priorities for action.

This planning work links to existing NACC NRM on-ground projects, including Beyond Reasonable Drought and the Chapman Catchment Collaborative regeneration project.

It was a busy year for events with face-to-face events becoming commonplace again. During 2021-22 we hosted events in Gingin, Moora, Dalwallinu, Cervantes, Jurien Bay, Walkaway, Nabawa, Perenjori, Kalannie and Morawa. We supported events in Karakin, Thundellara, Perenjori, Paynes Find, Wubin, Cataby, Warradarge, Northampton, Yuna, Dalwallinu and Dandaragan.

We also supported on-ground works throughout the region, including at the following locations Yuna, Dalwallinu, Dandaragan, Merkanooka, Goodlands, Kalannie, Bunjil, Yardarino, Canna, Kondut, Latham, Kadathinni, Nabawa, Red Gully, Sandy Gully, Waddy Forrest, Devils Creek, Perenjori, Bowgada, Ellendale, Wandana, Namban, Hill River, Warradarge, Gillingarra, Regans Ford and Moonyanooka.

Our region is vast – slightly larger than Tasmania, which for comparison, is serviced by three separate NRM organisations. Covering the NAR region and its many environmental threats is challenging. We continue to focus on partnerships and collaboration to address this challenge. We know that by working with our community through passionate delivery of collaborative on-ground projects and education, the community will value and actively protect our region’s natural capital.

This year we have launched a new Reconciliation Action Plan (RAP). The RAP Working Group consulted widely and developed an Innovate RAP which Reconciliation Australia approved in March 2022. The activities to fulfil these commitments are now in full swing.

Sadly, at the end of 2021, we farewelled former NACC NRM CEO Shelley Spriggs, who lost a long battle with cancer. Shelley was an inaugural inductee to the NRM Leadership Honour Roll. I will always be grateful for her guidance and no-nonsense approach, not to mention her passion for life.

While we have said farewell to some, we have welcomed many new faces across all programs, including our Administration team. We have also hosted a school-based trainee from Nagle Catholic College who has been working towards a Certificate II in Conservation and Ecosystem Management. This trial position has been very successful, and we look forward to making this opportunity available again in 2023.

During 2022 we have taken on new projects that align with our organisational and program objectives, and we have successfully completed some great initiatives that support continued conservation and sustainability outcomes. I want to thank the whole team who continue to go above and beyond for the organisation and each other proving their ongoing commitment to our purpose and our values.