Learning right way: 2025 desert internship program

This year, four desert ranger teams from across the desert partnered up with the IDA to run the Desert Internship Program for its third year. Developed in response to IDA members and desert ranger teams identifying the need for strategies to support better recruitment and retention of staff, the internship is designed to bring people into the sector right way.

Nyangumarta Rangers, Wiluna Martu Rangers, and the Central Land Council Utopia and Warlpiri Rangers took on two interns each for a two-week immersive on-country experience, where interns were encouraged to focus on listening up, learning and connecting with rangers, to learn what it takes to be a good ranger coordinator.

Interns Clementine and Dylan spent their time on country with the Nyangumarta Rangers based in Bidyadanga community. They learnt about how the ranger team look after black-footed rock-wallaby by monitoring the population and trapping cats, and got to have good yarns with the rangers about what makes a good coordinator.

Further east in the Northern Territory, interns Bree and Amit joined the Utopia Alyawarra Rangers in the Urapantja homelands in the Utopia region. The rangers taught interns about bush medicine, using thermal imaging cameras, and managing buffel grass. The interns also learnt a bit about right way fire, watching the rangers do some ground burning on country.

Interns Will and Morgan got to spend time in both Yuendumu and Bidyadanga. Starting off in Yuendumu with the Central Land Council Warlpiri Rangers, they also tagged along to Bidyadanga where Nyangumarta and Karajarri Rangers hosted a ranger exchange.

Warlpiri mob shared their knowledge of bilby tracking, and Nyangumarta and Karajarri shared their bush medicine knowledge, and hunting and cooking techniques. This was a great opportunity for the interns to experience some different country and be part of the connection and knowledge sharing of the ranger exchange.

Out in the Goldfields, Wiluna Martu Rangers hosted interns Ella and Ryan. The rangers took them out to see Ululla for a waru (fire) trip, teaching them about all the planning and knowledge and data collection that goes into right way waru.

The internship is only possible because of the genuine care and interest that the Nyangumarta, Utopia, Warlpiri and Wiluna Martu Rangers showed for the learning journey of the interns. The IDA would like to thank the Central Land Council, Nyangumarta Warrarn Aboriginal Corporation, and Tarlka Matuwa Piarku Aboriginal Corporation, and the rangers and Elders for welcoming the interns so generously and wholeheartedly onto their country.