We’re celebrating World Ranger Day (31 July) by highlighting some of our amazing people on nature’s frontline. 

Zoey Godfrey is a ranger at Mt Buffalo in northeast Victoria’s Alpine National Park. Being a ranger combines Zoey’s love of nature and her experience working across ski resorts. In winter Zoey is a ‘snow ranger’ looking after toboggan slopes and cross-country ski trails and making sure visitors are safe. In summer, she is part of the firefighting team protecting the Ovens valley and working on clearing walking trails in the Mount Buffalo National Park.

Skiing across the gorgeous slopes of Mount Buffalo. Credit: Parks Victoria.

How long have you worked at Parks Victoria and where did you start?

I started 7 years ago as a project firefighter at Woori Yallock in the Yarra Ranges National Park near Melbourne. It was seasonal, so I started off doing the project firefighting in the summer and then I worked at Falls Creek in the winter for several years as a lift attendant then as part of the start up crew, de-icing the chair lifts and climbing towers. I believed that helped me get the job at Mt Buffalo. When I was living in Bright, I visited Mt Buffalo one day and just loved the park so I applied for a role when it came up in April 2022.

What does a typical day look like for a ranger at Mt Buffalo?

There’s not really a typical day. Each day and season is different. At the moment, after a big snowfall, we're checking toboggan slopes, signage, that the walkways and steps are cleared of snow. We put out orange conduit to mark snow shoe and ski trails to guide people’s way in the snow and erect toboggan netting around the toboggan slopes. We make sure the shelters, such as Keown Lodge at Dingo Dell, are open for visitors and then we do patrols and just check on visitors out there. My team also groom the toboggan slopes. I started learning how to use the groomer last week, which is pretty exciting.

It's a bit different in the summer. We have the Lake Catani campground open where we manage the facilities. On Mount Buffalo we have over 90kms of walking tracks that we clear of trees, brush cut vegetation and complete drainage. I also have a fire roll in the Ovens fire district. No day is the same at Mount Buffalo. There's always something interesting going on.

Keeping our parks safe by removing fallen trees and obstructions. Credit: Parks Victoria

What’s been your favourite experience in a park so far?

Seeing the beautiful sunrise at The Horn, the highest point of Buffalo, on ANZAC day. Another time we put some remote cameras out in the park for the Alpine Ark predator control project and it was pretty exciting to see some Long-Footed Potoroos on some of the cameras we retrieved. After work, after our last snowfall, a few of us went for a ski on The Horn.  

If you weren't a ranger, what do you think you would have done?

I'd definitely be doing something outdoorsy. I've wanted to be like a ranger for a long time. My cousin Jodie Davis is a Ranger at Warrandyte. When we were growing up, she'd take us out to all these nice parts of the park in Warrandyte, so she inspired me to become a ranger.

What do you wish people understood more about our parks and nature?

I like educating people about the park and the plants and the animals here but I also like to teach about respect for nature, like picking up your rubbish and understanding the complexities of how all these processes interact together.

What are your favourite animals and plants?

In springtime, the Alpine Marsh Marigold flowers under the snow then later when it melts, you can see it popping through the snow. That's pretty special. I love seeing a lot of purple and yellow flowers all over the hill. They start to come out in August, September. I really like Kunzea flowers. They come out in October and a lot of Buffalo looks like it's covered in purple.

World Ranger Day 

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 commemorate those who are injured or killed in the line of duty. 

Our rangers come from all walks of life, and their work is as diverse as the environments they manage.

We’re proud of the work they do every day – partnering with Traditional Owners and local communities to care for iconic landscapes and make sure all Victorians can enjoy the outdoors.

For more information on World Ranger Day, visit the International Ranger Federation’s website.