The Butchulla first lore is ‘What is good for the land must come first.’ K’gari’s and the Butchulla People’s health are deeply connected. When K’gari is unwell, then her people are unwell too.

Our Country is sick. K’gari is at risk from climate change with impacts on her lands and waters. These include increased incidence of drought, bushfire, and flooding rains, which are also increasing biosecurity risk.

Through the Australian Government’s NIAA Indigenous Rangers Program Expansion (Round 1), the Butchulla Aboriginal Corporation RNTBC (BAC) has employed a new ranger team.

The Butchulla K’gari Djaa (K’gari Country) team will employ 3 FTE staff (full-time, part-time and casual), which must be more than 50% female. The ranger program will work to meet K’gari’s cultural and management needs, providing economic and career opportunities for Butchulla people.

The K’gari Djaa Rangers will focus on restoring Butchulla management to the BAC’s Aboriginal Freehold Lands, also taking responsibility for cultural burns – restoring and demonstrating cultural burns as a management system, biosecurity – reducing risk through prevention, monitoring and management, and cultural heritage – monitoring lakes, streams, and wetlands across K’gari. Healing country and our people.

Submitted by Tessa Waia, Butchulla Aboriginal Corporation