Caring for Country: get to know Queensland’s Indigenous Land and Sea Rangers
Issued: 4 Nov 8 min read

What is the Indigenous Land and Sea Ranger program?

It’s important to acknowledge that the Queensland Indigenous Land and Sea Ranger program exists thanks to the persistence and advocacy of First Nations communities over many decades. Today, it stands as a meaningful partnership between the Queensland Government and Traditional Owner groups, working together to care for land and sea Country.

Through the program, First Nations organisations can employ rangers while also receiving grant funding, training, and support to strengthen networks and partnerships. What began in 2007 with just 20 rangers has grown into a state-wide force – by 2017, 100 rangers were on Country, and by 2020, the government committed to doubling that number.

Today, more than 200 Indigenous Land and Sea Rangers are employed across 45 regional and remote locations in Queensland, with the Queensland Government announcing funding for a further 44 rangers in 2025. It’s a program built not just on conservation, but on recognition and acknowledging the leadership of First Nations peoples in protecting ecosystems and continuing cultural responsibilities.

What do the Rangers do?

Caring for Country

Every ranger group’s work is guided by Traditional Owner aspirations, cultural values, and the specific needs of their Country. While the day-to-day tasks vary from rainforest to reef to desert, the goal is always the same: keeping Country healthy for generations to come.

Indigenous Land and Sea Rangers combine traditional knowledge alongside western science to:

• Manage Country with fire – using fire to restore biodiversity, reduce bushfire risk, and protect cultural heritage.
• Care for cultural heritage – surveying, recording and safeguarding significant sites such as rock art, scar trees and stone arrangements.
• Monitor plants and animals – carrying out regular surveys to track the health of species and habitats, from saltmarsh to rainforest.
• Restore ecosystems – leading projects to rehabilitate damaged land and sea Country, including pioneering reef restoration efforts.
• Control pests – tackling weeds and feral animals that threaten native species.
• Protect wildlife – such as safeguarding sea turtle nests on Cape York beaches from predators.
• Manage visitor impacts – maintaining tracks, campsites and signage to reduce the pressures of tourism and recreation.

This valuable hands-on work supports the delivery of positive environmental, economic, social, and cultural outcomes for local and regional communities.

Engaging with the community and local youth

Indigenous Land and Sea Rangers are more than skilled and competent land and sea managers – they are community leaders, cultural teachers and role models. Their work strengthens connections between people, culture and Country, while inspiring the next generation to continue these traditions.

Indigenous Land and Sea Rangers:

• Work with Elders – ensuring that cultural knowledge and aspirations guide their management of Country.
• Share culture – through ceremonies, events and storytelling that help communities and visitors understand First Nations heritage.
• Educate communities – raising awareness on issues like crocodile safety, biosecurity and responsible visitor behaviour.
• Inspire young people – leading Junior Ranger programs in schools and running youth engagement activities that pass on cultural knowledge and practical conservation skills.
• Support training pathways – offering work experience, school-based traineeships and vocational training in conservation and land management.

Through this blend of environmental work and cultural leadership, rangers not only protect Queensland’s land and seascapes, but they also develop and nurture the cultural resilience and pride of their communities.

Where the Indigenous Land and Sea Rangers work

Currently, Indigenous Land and Sea Ranger teams operate in 45 communities across Queensland, with each group’s practices and knowledge as unique as the cultural landscapes and environment that they care for.

Impact and significance of Indigenous land management

The positive impact of Indigenous Land and Sea Rangers extends far beyond their day-to-day custodianship and care of Country – these dedicated stewards  undertake specialised projects that further deliver tangible outcomes across land and sea Country.

From traditional fire management to threatened species protection and water quality improvement, Indigenous Land and Sea Rangers have undertaken countless successful projects within their specific ranger groups. Their work strengthens biodiversity, safeguards cultural heritage, and helps communities adapt to challenges like climate change and natural disasters.

The program’s significance also lies in what it delivers for people. Ranger jobs create meaningful employment in regional and remote communities, provide accredited training pathways, and offer opportunities for younger generations. Many rangers describe the role as not just a job, but a calling – an opportunity to reconnect with culture, care for Country, and pass on knowledge. This strengthens community pride, supports reconciliation, and ensures cultural traditions remain strong.

Want to see the impact that Indigenous land management techniques are having all over the state? You can take a more in-depth look at some of the crucial work that Rangers are doing through the Rangers Make a Difference page. Here, you can explore in-depth breakdowns of key work programs, including the training that goes into them, as well as learnings and next steps for the future.

Partnerships and collaboration to conserve and protect Country

The success of the Queensland Indigenous Land and Sea Ranger Program owes much to its deeply collaborative approach, bringing together government, community, industry, and science in a powerful alliance for Country. The program has attracted support from multiple sources, including federal investment (notably a recent $12.6 million boost to safeguard the Great Barrier Reef).

Partnerships with NGOs have also been vital: the Great Barrier Reef Foundation supports youth engagement initiatives; both the Reef Trust and WWF work with the program on reef and women’s ranger networks; and science institutions like Australian Institute of Marine Science (AIMS) are working alongside rangers and Traditional Owners to expand coral restoration techniques on the Reef.

These partnerships deliver more than environmental results – they generate meaningful social, cultural, and economic benefits. By nurturing stronger connections between Traditional Owners, governments, businesses, and research, the program exemplifies how collaborative stewardship can protect Country while uplifting communities.

Getting to know more about our Indigenous Land and Sea Rangers

Want to hear more about what life is like on Country for our Rangers? Check out first-hand accounts of some of their stories. There’s also plenty more information on the program on the Queensland Environment website, including FAQs about programs and funding.