INDIGENOUS park ranger Hayden Vandenberg feels a special connection to the Organ Pipes National Park in Diggers Rest.
He has been working at the park for the past four years as a ranger where he looks after cultural sites.
Mr Vandenberg, who previously worked in the Koori Garden Team at the Melbourne’s Living Museum of the West, said because of his Aboriginal background he felt the need to take care of the land.
“The park itself has a lot of cultural values to it and that plays a big role in my heart. It’s just good to know that my race of people have been here many years ago,” Mr Vandenberg said.
Only recently, the State Government announced an initiative that would see Victoria’s Aboriginal communities play a role in managing parks and reserves.
Since 2002, 11 Aboriginal rangers out of an additional 50 have been recruited to work at Victoria’s parks.
Mr Vandenberg said he related more to the country because of his background.
His work includes building strong relationships with indigenous communities and managing cultural heritage and environment sites at the park.
The government’s initiative would also enable traditional owners and their communities to take part in decision making process surrounding land and water resources management.
