Nice Ranger stories

Submitted: Monday, Feb 16, 2004 at 07:52
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Just recounting some stories with friends yesterday about some experiences with National Park rangers.

Once at Mutawintji, the ranger did his rounds, saw a lot of people camped and took about 6 vehicles around next day on a tagalong of the park (this was before guided tours were routine in this park). Superb.

Once in Kakadu, ranger guided tour - ranger saw lots of kids and was able to to tell everyone about the features using stories and making objects with a piece of string. This young lady was a pied piper.

Organised campfire chat at Palm Valley.

At Witjira, ranger came around the camp, busy time, stopped and had a great chat to our group about things in the park and what they would like to see done.

Unnamed Conservation Park - ranger from local community came by, stopped for a chat - was brought up in this remote area and his knowledge was obvious.

Also its pleasing to see so many aboriginal rangers, and its nice to see them out in the field and not bogged down at a desk.

Any other good stories?
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Reply By: Willem - Monday, Feb 16, 2004 at 08:38

Monday, Feb 16, 2004 at 08:38
Some time ago in Palm Valley we organised to have the Resident Ranger come down for a campfire chat. In the evening two rangers came down with a highly specialised bat listening device. This machine is extreme sensitive and can locate the sounds that bats make while flying at an altitude of up to 200 metres. The rangers were very informative and explained how we could listen to the different species of bat using the night sky. A very fascinating and pleasant encounter.

Cheers,
Willem
Out on the Gibber
AnswerID: 46849

Reply By: Mike - Monday, Feb 16, 2004 at 11:28

Monday, Feb 16, 2004 at 11:28
Well I can tell lots of nice Ranger stories, as that's my surname, hehehe. But seriously I've had very little problems with rangers on my travels and when I have it's generally been because I was doing something, unintentionally or otherwise, that I shouldn't be.

I have a young friend, who works in Pt Lincoln as a ranger and is about to give the job away due to the continual abuse she and other rangers recieve. Most of the time they are abused just for turning up somewhere, could guilty conciense be working here? The abuse doesn't end at knock off time either, it occurs even at social gatherings and the pub. If you knew this girl, you would wonder how anyone could criticize her as she is just a lovely person doing a job she loved.

The ranger talk we sat through at Palm valley was one of the most interesting evenings we spent on our big trip. I must also agree was the thoughts on the aboriginal rangers, all that we have met are great. The guy who led our walk at Ayers Rock, 18 months ago was brilliant. He told stories of the Rock from the angle of Tribal, european and scientific meanings. Very enlightening.

Please give these guys and gals all the respect and support they so rightly deserve, for doing a difficult job that HAS to be done.

Happy trails, Mike (Ranger).
AnswerID: 46869

Reply By: Member -Bob & Lex (Sydney) - Monday, Feb 16, 2004 at 15:45

Monday, Feb 16, 2004 at 15:45
We were at Mungo over xmas & the ranger arrived the morning we were leaving with his whole family & they all went about cleaning the place. Said he was there for a week . We had a great chat for an hour, as it was his tribal land he told us some great stories about the place, hope he's there at easter when we go back for another look.

Regards Bob
Where to next
AnswerID: 46902

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