Yamatji Sea Rangers  

Hazel, from the Naaguja family, became a Yamatji Sea Ranger driven by her love for the ocean and marine environments. Passionate about learning to operate boats and maritime regulations, she values the strong relationships formed with fellow rangers during training. Motivated by the opportunity for continuous learning, Hazel advises aspiring rangers to pursue their dreams if they love the outdoors.

On weekends, she enjoys family time, dining out, and personal moments for drawing or reading, with music being essential to her life. Hazel dreams of scuba diving at top global locations, a key item on her bucket list.

Kyra sought this role to try something new and deepen her cultural connection to the land and sea. She enjoys meeting new people, boating, fishing, and conducting research, especially on the PANGEA (Minderoo Research super yacht). During her training, she visited various islands, learned new scientific methods, earned a scuba diving ticket, and enjoyed being part of a crew.

Motivated by her family and connection to the land, Kyra advises aspiring rangers to pursue this path if they love the water, sea, or fishing. On weekends, she loves family time, morning walks, beach evenings, cooking, and life talks. Kyra can't imagine life without her family, dog Marlee, and coffee. Passionate about marine biology, she respects land and sea traditions and dreams of traveling around Australia.

Destiny, a proud Yamatji woman from Geraldton, is dedicated to protecting and preserving the land and sea country. Inspired by the opportunity to learn about the natural world and safeguard it, she enjoys the unique experiences her role brings, including propagating plants and trees for revegetation. Her children are her primary motivation, driving her to excel in her career and achieve her goals.

Destiny advises aspiring rangers that this career will profoundly change their perspective on the world, emphasizing ecosystem conservation's critical role for future generations. On weekends, she loves spending quality time with her children, and exploring the outdoors. Combining traditional and contemporary knowledge, Destiny works to restore native vegetation and ensure ecosystem health, inspiration by the quote by Vandana Shiva, "You are not Atlas carrying the world on your shoulder. It is good to remember that the planet is carrying you." A significant goal on her bucket list is to afford a house for her family.

Kyianie has strong family connections to the Mongoo, McDonald, Little, and Simpson families. She saw the ranger role as a great opportunity to connect with marine life and explore ecosystems while opening new employment pathways. She enjoys beach clean-ups, bird watching, and visiting the Abrolhos Islands as part of her job. During her training, Kyianie learned to use Baited Remote Underwater Video (BRUV) to capture underwater recordings of marine life and gained skills in scuba diving and revegetating native plants. Her career motivation stems from the desire for future employment and acquiring comprehensive knowledge and skills. She advises aspiring rangers to enroll in courses of interest, highlighting the many benefits for further studies and employment.

On weekends she enjoys relaxing after a week of studying, shopping, and catching up with family and friends. Family is essential to her, providing support and guidance. She celebrates NAIDOC and enjoys cultural activities, including learning to cook from her elders. Her bucket list includes traveling interstate and internationally. Kyianie encourages trying new things as it offers opportunities to meet new people, just as she has through becoming a Yamatji Sea Ranger.

Thomas was aspired to apply for the ranger program to become a role model for young Indigenous people. He enjoys spending time on the Abrolhos Islands and learning new things about the country. Some of his best experiences during training include learning to scuba dive, working with animals such as sea lions, and participating in BRUV surveys. Thomas is motivated by the desire to become a better version of himself and to help the country.

He advises those interested in becoming rangers that the job is a lot of fun and offers the chance to meet great people. On weekends, Thomas loves being surrounded by family and friends, fishing, and diving. Family is an essential part of his life. His bucket list includes diving with manta rays and whale sharks. Thomas values the connections he has made with wonderful people through his work as a Sea Ranger.

Andrew has family connections to the Ronan and Dann families of the Amangu people. He has always aspired to a career dedicated to caring for country. He finds great joy in working with the ranger team, where camaraderie and laughter are daily highlights. Among his favorite training experiences are sea lion pup monitoring, driving boats, and scuba diving.

Andrew's motivation stems from a deep sense of duty and connection to the land, with the ocean serving as his place of healing. His advice to aspiring rangers is to pursue it, as he has found the experience immensely rewarding. On weekends, Andrew enjoys sleeping in and catching up with friends and family. He cannot live without tea and dreams of one day owning a boat.

Aquinas is connected to the Sibosado, Kickett, and Joseph families and joined the ranger program with encouragement from his family. Initially unsure of his career path, he found his calling through their support. Aquinas enjoys meeting new people and trying new things as part of his job. One of his significant training highlights has been learning about Baited Remote Underwater Video (BRUV) and its purpose. His motivation comes from the qualifications he aims to achieve, which drive him to complete his assessments with dedication.

Aquinas advises aspiring rangers to give it a try and learn something new. On weekends, he enjoys fishing with his friends. Money is essential to him, motivating him to complete the course for future employment opportunities. He values family catch-ups and looks forward to going back home On Country, a key item on his bucket list.

Andrew has connections to the Yarran, Jones, Pickett, and Bennell families. He was drawn to this role by his commitment to sustainability and his dream of one day operating his own boat. He enjoys being out on the ocean, embracing nature, and acquiring new knowledge and skills. Notable achievements during his training include using Baited Remote Underwater Video (BRUV) systems to monitor species populations. Andrew is motivated by the goal of making the ocean more sustainable, recognising the need for more people to care for the sea. His advice for aspiring rangers is to pursue it if they have an interest in sea life, as it offers a unique and educational experience.

On weekends, Andrew loves fishing, spearfishing, catching up with friends, and taking his dog for walks. He cannot live without the ocean and values family gatherings during holidays. His bucket list includes catching highly ranked fish and traveling.