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An all-female cohort of Darumbal trainee rangers have celebrated their successful program graduation, just 12 months after the inaugural cohort graduated from their year-long traineeship at Shoalwater Bay Training Area.
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The traineeship is a collaboration between the Department of Defence, Downer Defence and the Darumbal People Aboriginal Corporation RNTBC.
Throughout the program, participants were offered academic training by CQ University, while on-ground training in land management was provided by Downer’s service delivery partner, specialist environmental consultancy Ecosure.
A release from Downer Defence explained that the program offers learning from Darumbal elders, who have over 2,000 generations of knowledge and connection to Country, as well as an academic qualification in conservation and ecosystem management from CQ University and both hands-on and theoretical training in land manager across plant identification, biosecurity, work health and safety processes, and fire management from Downer Defence.
The recent cohort, the second group to graduate from the program, also expanded their expertise in weed management, which will enable them to support the local regeneration of native flora and fauna.
The all-female cohort also learnt firsthand about Indigenous women’s knowledge and On Country care for sites that are significant to the local First Nations peoples.
Darumbal leader Kristina Hatfield explained that Indigenous insight into land management is fundamental for modern land care practices.
“Darumbal women have been caring for land and sea Country for thousands of years, they are hunters and gathers. People forget this. To have Aboriginal cultural knowledge and an education in the Western ways is powerful!” Hatfield said.
Trainees were also extended the opportunity to collaborate with Darumbal on a range of other initiatives, including Eyes and Ears – Great Barrier Marine Park Authority Compliance Training, seagrass monitoring, and JCU Thermal Risk Assessment with the Darumbal TUMRA (Traditional Use Marine Resources Agreement) project.
The program was important both for commitment to Country but also in creating new future possibilities for the program participants, David Morris, general manager base and estate management at Downer Defence, said.
“Eight Darumbal women commenced the program, and eight Darumbal women completed the program with tertiary qualifications, practical experience, and a much deeper connection to each other and to Country, thanks to Defence’s strong support of this program and commitment to its success,” Morris detailed.
“Following in the footsteps of the first cohort, 100 per cent of the trainee rangers graduated with their certification, but also with a renewed sense of their role as traditional custodians of this land, and an expanded realm of possibilities for their future.”
Reasons for applying included a love for land, improvement of career and a deep desire to connect with their Indigenous heritage.
“We need to look after Country (Nunthi). Biodiversity is everyone’s business,” Darumbal graduate ranger Roeina Edmund commented.
Downer Defence and Darumbal work closely together to ensure the delivery of the program and to ensure that it remains culturally connected to the Darumbal training focus, a release from the company outlined.
“With 100 per cent completion for both cohorts of 16 rangers over the past two years, attaining qualifications, skills and experience that leads to employment, proves that Darumbal is enabling itself to enhance capability in land and sea Country management on Darumbal country and abroad,” Darumabal traditional custodian and program coordinator Malcolm Mann said.
“Darumbal’s custodial responsibilities to our Country remain for thousands of years, and we commit to looking after our land and sea Country.”
