Yilka/Wongutha/Nyoongar woman Samantha Murray grew up on the red sandy soils of the tiny inland community of Cosmo Newberry, more than 1,000 kilometers northeast of Perth.

But she now leads more than 60 teams of Indigenous rangers – who collectively manage 2.7 million square kilometers of arid land in Australia – in her role as chief executive of the Indigenous Desert Alliance.

“I’m very proud,” she said, speaking at the alliance’s conference in Yulara in the Northern Territory this week.

“It is very important that we come together as our own mob, just to recognize the people of the desert.

“We’re in the middle of Australia, sometimes we can be forgotten on the national stage.

“Having an event that lifts up our stories from the middle of Australia is pretty awesome. Help us continue to put desert work on the map.”

Ms Murray is the first female chief executive of the organisation, but the role of women in caring for the country is increasingly recognised.

A single parent of two young daughters, Ms Murray said she lived by the motto “I can’t be what I can’t see”.

“I have female ranks on the board that I look up to, peers, colleagues, and young rankers who always inspire me,” she said.

“As indigenous women and also desert women…it’s important to always have each other, so it’s a really encouraging and supportive environment when desert women come together and make sure our voices are heard.”

Raising women is a key step

The alliance is celebrating its 10th anniversary this year.

More than 400 rangers gathered in the heart of the country to attend the conference and share important cultural and land management knowledge, focusing on topics of fire management, protecting native animals and plants, and cross-cultural collaboration.

Among them was Anangu woman Eunice Woods, who is a Tjakura ranger at nearby Mutitjulu.

Ms Woods was awarded Female Ranger of the Year at the conference, recognizing her work looking after the country and teaching school children about bush medicine and food.

She said women’s voices were often overlooked and undervalued in the workplace, but women’s work in the countryside was just as important as men’s.

Alliance President Anmatyere Man Boyd Elston said women are key to the successful running of ranger programs.

“In ranger programs around the world, there’s a lot of emphasis on how much women can influence and do great things,” he said.

“Just a basic thing like having a women’s toilet at work is a simple thing, but it creates a very welcoming space.

“And I think that’s where we’re headed now.”

More funding for women rangers

The federal government recently committed more than $300 million to 1,000 new Indigenous ranger jobs, most of which will be for women.

Kiwirrkurra ranger Mary Nungubar said the money would empower female rangers to do their jobs.

“It’s very important for young and old… because we work… I tell the other ladies to speak up and speak up, because this is our country,” she said.

Ms Nungubar said men have different cultural roles and knowledge than women, so it is important that both genders have the resources and skills to teach the next generation.

“We (women) break up, mostly for confirmation,” she said.

“We take them, all the ladies, all the rangers, pick them up and camp at the secret ladies-only spot.

“We learn to dance, we tell the story of the rock and sleep, every night we wake up and dance…only kunga (women), no men.”