Work is underway in Fraser Island World Heritage area by the first 9-person Green Army team, which includes three young Butchulla men. Despite encountering hold-ups in gaining approval for overnight residence on the island, as well as delays in beginning training, the Green Army team is being kept busy with the important tasks of removing rubbish, lantana, groundsel and other weeds from the main entry road near the Wanggoolba ferry landing, and lantana control in Dundubara creek.

As they return each week as part of their six-month program, every member of the team is gaining a greater familiarity with Fraser Island (K’gari) and personally benefitting from the training and experience they are receiving. As part of their work, the Green Army team has received training in safe chemical use, as well as fencing construction and deconstruction. They have been using these new skills to contribute to K’gari’s natural integrity.

It is hoped that as the program progresses, the productivity of future teams will benefit from overcoming the challenges that any new partnership arrangement must face (especially for an area as significant as the Fraser Island World Heritage Area). In this way, we hope that the CVA Green Army teams will be an ongoing presence on Fraser Island and will be able to make an even greater contribution to weed and erosion control in some very critical areas of K’Gari.