A chance encounter leads to a lifelong love of parks

Issued
16 May 2025
Region

Some kids want to be an astronaut when they grow up, but not Tay. A chance encounter with a Queensland Parks and Wildlife (QPWS) Ranger during a family holiday to Cairns was all it took for him to know he wanted trees, not rockets.

Fast forward 9 years, and this 19-year-old is wearing the Herbie badge with pride.

Tay standing on a rocky outcrop in short sleeved Ranger uniform and shorts smiling into the cameraOpen larger image

Spending his high school years volunteering to build up some of the diverse skillset Rangers need, gave Tay the building blocks to dive in the deep end of conservation.

Getting his first job with QPWS at 18, and now a permanent Ranger at Maleny less than a year later, his drive and dedication to the conservation and protection of Queensland’s natural and cultural values continues to grow.

‘Being a Ranger is such a great experience. Every day is completely different and every day you're outside enjoying what people normally only get the weekends to come visit,’ Ranger Tay said.

A hunger to know and see more has led Ranger Tay to try everything within a Ranger’s repertoire. From being on the fire lines to wildlife monitoring, with pest management in between.

While day-to-day duties like cleaning toilets might not be the driving force behind his desire to wear the uniform, Ranger Tay’s enthusiasm for the importance of Ranger work still shines. He treats every day as an opportunity to learn something new.

Tay smiling into the camera as he makes his way between two large boulders.Open larger image

‘You learn something from every single person you work with, whether they have more experience than you or less. They all have something that you can learn from,’ he said.

Working around protected areas across Queensland’s southeast has given him the chance to see the tangible change pest management can make to a patch and seeing the positive changes in the ecosystem as a result of removing feral pigs and cats keeps his enthusiasm for conservation high.

During his first year as a Ranger, Tay has also seen some of the more hidden impacts on Queensland’s native wildlife that other introduced species can have.

‘A dog doesn’t have to run off and chase wildlife to have an effect. Wildlife can sense predators. When a predator comes into an area, it leaves scent behind. The wildlife can sense it’s been there, and they’ll then avoid the area because they don’t think it’s safe.’

With his sights set on exploring some of the more remote, southwest parts of the state, and one day becoming a Ranger in Charge, it’s safe to say Tay’s time with Herbie on his shoulder has only just begun.

Tay in a high visibility uniform standing on a small outcropping with mountains stretching into the distanceOpen larger image

Celebrating 50 years of conservation and the people behind Queensland’s protected areas.

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