New park ranger living the dream

Leah Williams secures role with Lower Limestone Coast team

For Leah Williams, when the South Australian Government committed to employing Aboriginal park rangers as part of its $5million commitment to National Parks and Wildlife Service, the opportunity to apply for one of those roles presented her with the chance to live out a childhood dream.

Gaining the Limestone Coast position and being in the job for a fortnight is simply a dream come true and she has hit the ground running.

“I have always wanted to be a park ranger since I was a little kid,” Leah said. “When I found out about these positions I reached out to them and I am so grateful I was able to get the job.”

Prior to landing her dream job, Leah has worked for seven years with SA Water in Mount Gambier, but now she is exactly where she wants to be – the great outdoors.

“I just enjoy being out in country, caring for country,” she said. “I think being very eager and keen helped me get the job.” Much of the training will be on the job and Leah has already been blown away by what is involved.

“It has been way more than I even I expected,” she said. The new rangers will be responsible for the maintenance and presentation of park facilities, including participating in fire and emergency responses, and working with key partners, including park neighbours, conservation partners, volunteers and Aboriginal communities.

A total of 15 new Aboriginal rangers will be employed as part of a $5 million initiative aimed at increasing Aboriginal management of our natural environment. Of the 143 rangers currently employed by the NPWS, 30 are Aboriginal with this figure to rise to 40 in the next two years.

The Malinauskas government wants Aboriginal people and culture at the forefront of our parks network, ensuring their stories are an integral part of visitor experiences.

Deputy Premier and Minister for Climate, Environment and Water Susan Close said this would include increasing the number of comanaged parks, better protecting Aboriginal heritage and cultural sites, and ensuring Aboriginal people have a voice on the future of the River Murray.

“The Malinauskas government is committed to honouring the pivotal role Aboriginal people have played in managing our landscapes for thousands of years,” Ms Close said. “Employing more Aboriginal rangers will help support culture, storytelling and language, and provide a much richer experience for people visiting national parks.”

In 2004, Labor introduced the co-managed parks system and transferred the Mamungari Conservation Park back to Aboriginal people and the Malinauskas government is committed to building on this work – a decision strongly supported by Minister for Aboriginal Affairs Kyan Maher MLC.

“Aboriginal people bring a deep knowledge and understanding of our natural environment which has been developed over tens of thousands of years,” Mr Maher said. “These new rangers will bring an Aboriginal perspective to the management of country and that is good thing for country and for tourist experiences.