Meet our rangers

Rangers play an important role in protecting our planet’s natural treasures, cultural heritage and biodiversity. At Parks Victoria, a ranger’s role is as broad and as varied as the environments they manage. They help visitors to safely enjoy and understand parks. They also contribute to the ongoing management, wellbeing and legacy of the parks we manage, protect and conserve now and for future generations.

Get to know our rangers by watching our 'meet our rangers' series:

Ranger Jack

Jack is an Area Chief Ranger based in Gembrook, overseeing a number of parks and reserves east of Melbourne.

Ranger Lisa

Lisa is the Ranger Team Leader at Hattah Kulkyne National Park in North West Victoria.

Ranger Sam

Sam is a Ranger at Albert Park, just next to Melbourne's CBD.

Ranger Tex

Tex is the Ranger Team Leader at the Dandenong Ranges Botanic Garden.

Ranger Tim

Tim is the Ranger Team Leader at Lower Yarra, looking after Yarra Bend Park, Westerfolds Park and Banksia Park.

World Ranger Day 2025

In these precious places, rangers are on the front line of conservation. They monitor ecological conditions, drive biodiversity management and protect globally significant sites.

Founded by the International Ranger Federation in 2007, World Ranger Day is internationally celebrated on 31 July. It's a day to celebrate the great work Rangers do and commemorates Rangers who are injured or killed in the line of duty.

We belong to an international network, collaborating with other organisations to safeguard more than 100,000 reserves, parks and protected areas around the world! You can support the critical work of rangers and donate to the Thin Green Line.

Rangers have different titles from around the world, from forest guard to wildlife warden. They come from big cities, small villages and Indigenous communities. However, one thing they have in common is how indispensable they are to protecting the wild.

Find out more about our rangers

Mel standing in her Parks Victoria uniform, smiling proudly with a view of the Yarra Ranges in the background

Introducing Melissa Tuliranta from Yarra Ranges

This year we’re celebrating World Ranger Day (31 July) by highlighting some of our amazing people on nature’s frontline. Today we’re excited to introduce you to Melissa Tuliranta.

Parks Victoria staff member standing to the side, overlooking the road

Introducing Cassidy Mackenzie from Heyfield

This year, to celebrate World Ranger Day, Parks Victoria is celebrating and highlighting some of our amazing frontline staff. Read on to learn about Cassidy Mackenzie, who grew up wanting to be a firefighter and found a way to work that into her career as a Ranger.

Close up image of Carlos driving a Parks Victoria vehicle, the river in the background

Introducing Carlos Guerrero Acosta from the Melbourne Waterways

This year we’re celebrating World Ranger Day (31 July) by highlighting some of our amazing people on nature’s frontline. Today we’d like to introduce Melbourne Waterways ranger Carlos Guerrero Acosta.

A man in Parks Victoria uniform, holding an echidna

Introducing Darren Barnes from Yarra Ranges

This year we’re celebrating World Ranger Day (31 July) by highlighting some of our amazing people on nature’s frontline. Read on to learn about Darren Barnes, a passionate ranger who earned a National Emergency Medal for his work during the 2009 Black Saturday fires.

Image of a Parks Victoria employee pouring water into tan bark to aide in revegetation

Introducing Tomas Sanchez from Mount Buffalo

This year we’re celebrating World Ranger Day (31 July) by highlighting some of our amazing people on nature’s frontline. Read on to learn about Tom Sanchez, a Ranger Team Leader at Mount Buffalo.

Joy looking at a buzzard, getting ready for feeding time

From Junior Ranger to Park Ranger with a lifelong thread of volunteering

Growing up, some kids want to be an astronaut, or the first female Prime Minister, or a race car driver. But Joy Thorup Andersen knew she wanted to grow up to be a Park Ranger.

Nay Kaw with colourful flowers of Werribee Park Mansion.

Meet Nay Kaw, Werribee's latest trainee Ranger

Nay Kaw was born in the Mae La refugee camp, the largest of several refugee camps on the Thailand-Burma border - a far cry from the manicured grounds of Werribee Park Mansion and the Victorian State Rose Garden where he now finds himself working as a trainee ranger with Parks Victoria.

The pathway from volunteer to Park Ranger

Volunteering with Parks Victoria can open the door to becoming a full-time Park Ranger. East Port Phillip Ranger Amanda Daw and Greater Gariwerd - Grampians Ranger Hannah Auld are just two of many rangers who have made the transition from volunteering.

A park ranger wearing skis and a high vis vest on a snowy mountain slope

Meet alpine Area Chief Ranger Julien Atherstone

From fire preparedness to conservation of Long-footed Potoroos and protection of cultural heritage, take a step into Julien Atherstone's world as an Area Chief Ranger based in Victoria's alps.

Ranger Jo with her back to the camera, stands on a rock and looks out across the Victorian alps

Meet alpine Ranger Jo Durrant

Jo Durrant’s work as a Parks Victoria Ranger in the Victorian alps involves a lot of feral pig control and keeping parks safe and accessible for visitors.

Ranger Alex Schipperen looking up at some tree branches.

An interview with Ranger Team Leader Alex Schipperen

Ranger Team Leader Alex works around Ballarat on Wadawurrung Country. He loves working with locals who share his enthusiasm for making our parks more inclusive and taking care of nature.

A ranger and a group of primary school children lookout at the wetlands enclosure at Serendip Sanctuary.

An interview with Education Ranger Vanessa Wiggenraad

From educating students to creating inclusive programs for all abilities, Parks Victoria ranger Vanessa Wiggenraad spends her time sharing her passion for nature with others.

Yorta Yorta Ranger Bonnie Joachim in Barmah National Park on Yorta Yorta Country

Bonnie Joachim Yorta Yorta Ranger

Bonnie Joachim’s love of caring for her Country was nurtured as a little girl when she would often accompany her father to work in the Barmah National Park. She credits time spent in the park with her dad as inspiration for her work as a Yorta Yorta ranger.

Two rangers in uniform and a volunteer pose with a silverbeet harvest in front of Werribee Mansion.

Werribee Park rangers partner with AMES Australia and Sikh volunteers to provide food relief

The team behind the Werribee Park kitchen garden, established during the height of COVID-19 restrictions, have received a 2021 Volunteering Victoria State Award.

Recognition for Emerging Leader Ebonee Armistead

Congratulations to proud Wadawurrung woman Ebonee Armistead who was awarded the prestigious David Aldous Emerging Leader Award (Victoria/Tasmania) by Parks and Leisure Australia.

A woman in a ranger uniform presenting illustrations to a group of children as they sit on a large boulder.

Connecting Junior Rangers to Wadawurrung Country

Junior Rangers and their families will be able to connect to Wadawurrung Country with Parks Victoria’s first Connection to Country Wadawurrung Junior Ranger booklet, developed in partnership with the Wadawurrung Traditional Owners.

A man in a bright green uniform poses while supervising a planned burn in the background.

Veteran ranger Brian Martin celebrates 40 years at Parks Victoria

After leaving a carpentry apprenticeship and surfing his days away at Williamsons Beach in Wonthaggi, Brian took a chance on a position with Crown Land Management on September 21, 1981 – one of the organisations which evolved to become Parks Victoria.

Two photographs of a woman wearing glasses.

Meet Victoria’s first female park ranger

Born in New Zealand in 1904, Kara moved to Australia with her family when she was still a small child. Her career as a park ranger started in her midlife, when she met and married her second husband, Jim Healey.

Ways you can connect with our rangers

Four friends stop for a later afternoon break on the Falls to Hotham Alpine Crossing. — Volunteer track ranger program

Ranger crouching next to rock pool showing four Junior Ranger children a shell — Ranger-led learning experiences

Ways to work with us

Three park rangers smiling. — Becoming a park ranger

Couple talking to ranger, Buchan Caves Reserve — Seasonal Employment Program

Two male teenagers studying a display — Work experience