1. Ngulingah Local Aboriginal Land Council - restoring biodiversity and traditional knowledge around the Nimbin Rocks

Nimbin Rocks is an Aboriginal sacred site of the Bundjalung people located near the town of Nimbin in NSW. It was an initiation grounds for young boys.

This Working on Country project is to protect and restore the health of the natural assets and biodiversity on two properties that surround this important sacred site.

On the two properties lie a diversity of flora, with five threatened or vulnerable flora species and two vegetation communities listed as Endangered Ecological Communities under the NSW Threatened Species Conservation Act 1995.

Habitat for the glossy black cockatoo listed under the Commonwealth Environment Protection and Biodiversity Act 1999 has also been identified on these properties.

The rangers will remove heavy weed infestations including lantana, a dense impenetrable thicket, which is regarded as one of the worst weeds in Australia because of its invasiveness and negative impact on economies and the environment. They will also collect, propagate and revegetate native plants that are suitable for bush food or other traditional uses. These plant species will be part of a demonstration site to help restore and share cultural knowledge amongst the local Indigenous community.

2. Wattleridge' and 'Tarriwa Kurrukun' Working on Country

This Working on Country project is on the Wattleridge Indigenous Protected Area (IPA) and the Tarriwa Kurrukun property. These properties are situated near the New England township of Guyra in New South Wales.

The rangers will provide environmental services that cover 1848 hectares of botanically diverse bushland growing on outcropping granite country. Wattleridge IPA contains a range of rare and endangered flora species and the only recorded axe-grinding groove sites and fully recorded art sites in the local area. The rangers' work also includes developing a seed nursery for revegetation of degraded areas, feral animal mapping and control and water quality testing.

This project assists the property owners, the Banbai people, to continue protecting the land's wildlife habitat, educate visitors on the conservation values and promote the biodiversity of the area.

1. Githabul Rangers

In Kyogle, NSW, eight Githabul rangers will work across some 110,000 hectares across national and state parks which includes a part of the Border Rangers National Biodiversity Hotspot and the Gondwana Rainforests of Australia World Heritage Area. They will partner with the Githabul Nation Aboriginal Corporation and NSW Department of Environment, Climate Change and Water in the management and delivery of this Working on Country project.

The Githabul rangers will initially address Weeds of National Significance particularly lantana and introduced vine species around an area of high cultural significance to the Githabul community through removal, revegetation and rehabilitation activities. Interpretation and education activities will also be undertaken to increase visitor knowledge on the values of the area. They will also implement specific management actions identified within recovery plans to promote the recovery of threatened plant and animal populations - including feral animal management, habitat protection and fire management.

2. Indigenous Field Officers in the Willandra Lakes World Heritage Area

The Willandra Lakes region in far south western NSW is one of 15 World Heritage places included in the National Heritage List. It is home to the oldest ritual human burials in the world and contains a system of ancient lakes. Aboriginal people lived on the shores of the lakes for at least 50,000 years and the remains of a 40,000 year old female found in the dunes of Lake Mungo are believed to be the oldest ritual cremation site in the world. Lake Mungo is one of 17 lakes in the amazing Willandra Lakes region.

The Indigenous field officers will work in partnership with private landholders and NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service staff to address the fragile and erosive nature in the region through ongoing monitoring and implementation of on ground conservation works across 2.4 million hectares.