Their task now is to slash down winter grasses and remove weeds and rubbish. The Rangers have been doing an outstanding job taking care of sites at the eastern entry to the town of Brookton, a section of the York – Chidlow Rd and sections along Great Eastern Highway at Coates Gully. So far the Rangers have cleared almost 10km of weeds and rubbish at these sites, with the rubbish at Coates Gully proving to be the worst. In just two hours a team of four Rangers collected one and a half wool bales full of Rubbish, with rubbish ranging from broken glass and bottle tops to several tyres and wheels just abandoned on the roadsides.
Maintenance of the sites has been a challenge for Main Roads, as the work is isolated, hot, dangerous, and hard, with just a few bull ants and snakes for company. But the Noongar Boodjar Rangers have done such an outstanding job, Colleen Fulford, Main Roads Revegetation Manager, has more sites lined up for the Rangers to control. These sites are all around the Wheatbelt from Wongan Hills to Quairading. The Rangers will be featured on the Main Roads website with a story on the partnership between WNRM and Main Roads.
Gaining this work has enabled the Ranger team to expand and employ several young Aboriginal men and women. This gives them skills in operating small equipment and plant identification. Equipment such as chainsaws and whipper snippers are key tools, and the Rangers must be able to identify unwanted plants such as the Flinders Range Wattle and Red River Gums from native wattles and eucalypts. It is challenging work, but the Rangers have enjoyed taking care of Country and acquiring new skills and knowledge. They are looking forward to caring for more of our wonderful Wheatbelt.