More than 200 Aboriginal Rangers from across Australia will converge on Trelawney Station near Tamworth next week for five days of cultural exchange, training and on-Country learning.
The Tamworth Local Aboriginal Land Council (TLALC) will host the 2026 Ngarringilanha Ranger Gathering on Kamilaroi/Gamilaroi/Gomeroi Country at Somerton from September 21 to 25.
Around 220 Rangers representing 28 teams from NSW, the ACT, Queensland and the Northern Territory are expected to attend, up from about 150 Rangers at the inaugural gathering last year.
The event will give Ranger teams an opportunity to exchange knowledge and skills around caring for Country, combining traditional land management practices with contemporary conservation methods and technology.
The five-day program includes workshops, demonstrations, cultural activities, training and yarning sessions.
Rangers will explore areas including underwater drone technology, conservation detection dogs, freshwater fisheries, native grains and four-wheel-drive vehicle recovery.
TLALC Ranger Operations Manager Terri Whitton said the event was built around the benefits Rangers gained from working alongside teams from other areas.
“Our Rangers have learnt so much through getting out on Country with other Ranger teams. Every group brings different knowledge, experiences and ways of doing things, and there is enormous value in being able to share that,” Whitton said.
“The response to last year’s gathering showed us just how important these opportunities are. This year we are welcoming even more Rangers and creating an opportunity for people from right across the country to connect, learn and build relationships.”
Field Coordinator Levi Bourne said bringing Rangers together also provided an opportunity to strengthen cultural connections.
“Rangers are doing some really important work across Australia, and we all have different knowledge that comes from the Countries we work on and the people who have looked after those places before us,” Bourne said.
“Coming together on Country gives us a chance to share cultural knowledge, learn from each other and take new ideas home to our own communities.”
The gathering will also showcase the work Aboriginal Rangers undertake in conservation, environmental monitoring, land management and biodiversity protection.
TLALC Chairperson Daisy Cutmore said welcoming Rangers from across Australia to Trelawney was significant for the local community.
“To welcome more than 200 Rangers onto Trelawney is incredibly significant – Aboriginal people coming together on Country to share knowledge, strengthen culture and talk about the work we are doing to care for Country now and into the future.”
“The growth of the gathering from its first year is a testament to the strength of the Ranger movement and the importance of creating spaces where Rangers can learn from one another. We are incredibly proud to be hosting this event and look forward to welcoming every Ranger team to Trelawney.”
The gathering is supported by the National Indigenous Australians Agency, NSW Aboriginal Land Council, NSW Aboriginal Affairs, the Indigenous Land and Sea Corporation and Quik Spray.
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