Murujuga Land and Sea Unit

The Murujuga Land and Sea Unit (MLSU) began as the 2012 Murujuga Ranger Pilot Project. The MLSU was established to ensure the successful and sustainable management of Murujuga National Park as well as the surrounding National Heritage Listed area. The Murujuga Rangers work with officers and staff from the Department of Biodiversity, Conservation and Attractions (DBCA) to co-manage the land and sea ‘country’ of the national park.

The Aboriginal rangers work, for the most part, ‘on country’, managing the National Park and the 42 islands of the Dampier Archipelago. The MLSU Aboriginal Ranger teams conduct regular national park patrols. They also utilise modern data collection techniques which include advanced GIS tools and ‘apps’ that compile relevant data. This information is then analysed to ensure the ongoing viability of the park’s natural and cultural ecosystems.

The creative and ancestral spirits are acknowledged by the MLSU Rangers in their daily work activities. On Murujuga ‘country’, the past co-exists with the present just as industry co-exists with the pristine natural landscapes of the region.

The work of the rangers includes welcoming people to the land and sea ‘country’ of Murujuga and briefing visitors as to the importance of respecting the ‘country’ and culture of the place. Visitors who are not properly ‘welcomed to country’ or who fail to respect ‘country’ and ‘culture’ may suffer grave consequences.

The work of the MLSU Rangers also involves monitoring visitor impacts. These impacts can involve the unauthorised creation of new bush ‘tracks’ by 4WD enthusiasts, littering, and defacing rock art sites with graffiti. Monitoring works also include ensuring that visitors are complying with the laws of the national park. The rangers also monitor and remove feral pests and weeds.

The MLSU is focused on the operational aspects of managing Murujuga’s land and sea country. The MLSU Strategic Plan outlines the aims of objectives of the Unit. The Murujuga National Park Management Plan as well as the Murujuga Cultural Management Plan guide the annual works program of the MLSU.