Karri Karrak Ranger Program

In June 2024, the Karri Karrak Aboriginal Corporation (KKAC) was announced as a recipient of funding in Round 8 of the Western Australian Aboriginal Ranger Program.

The funding amount of $1,075,336 will assist the corporation to develop the Karri Karrak Program in the Conservation Estate of the Department of Biodiversity, Conservation and Attractions (DBCA) Donnelly and Blackwood Districts, in the Karri Karrak region.

The Karri Karrak Junior Ranger Program will aid the management and provision of sustainable recreational activities, native species monitoring programs, adaptive management regimes, scientific surveys, and bushfire management to help safeguard populations of protected flora and fauna, their associated habitats, and human populations in the Donnelly and Blackwood Districts.

The Western Australian Aboriginal Ranger Program helps Aboriginal organisations manage country and protect the environment, in partnership with public and private sectors. It’s administered by the Parks and Wildlife Service of the DBCA.

The program will operate as part of Co-Operative Management Arrangements between KKAC and DBCA, providing Junior Rangers with safe and informed training, and qualified, experienced oversight.

This will pave the way for future Ranger programs and increase capacity for Custodianship activity, on-Country knowledge transfers, Noongar education and leadership, and support pathways for land management careers for Noongar people.

What are the next steps?

The Karri Karrak Junior Ranger Program is scheduled to commence in July 2024 with the recruitment of a Ranger Coordinator, followed by four Junior Rangers.

In addition to the KKAC’s depot in Vasse, further operations and infrastructure will be established within the Pemberton and Blackwood districts. 

The KKAC will work in collaboration with DBCA and local NGOs to develop operational rosters that ensure the participants of the Karri Karrak Junior Ranger Program engage with the many facets of land management across Boodja, within the Donnelly and Blackwood districts.

In the second half of 2024, enrolments will commence for our rangers to complete a Certificate II in Conservation and Ecosystem Management through South Regional TAFE.

If you have any questions about our ranger program, email us at kaya@karrikarrak.org.au.