Djurrubu Rangers welcome new staff

Djurrubu Rangers are very happy to welcome two new staff members: Shay Wrigglesworth and Jane Blackwood. Shay has recently come on board as Djurrubu Coordinator and Jane as Djurrubu Manager.

Jabiru locals may already know Shay. She’s been a familiar face in the area for a few years and until May had been commuting from Jabiru to Gunbalanya as the Coordinator of Njanjma Rangers. Shay’s experience and knowledge of the region will be invaluable as she takes on this new role with Djurrubu. She brings over a decade of experience working with Aboriginal communities in the NT having first spent time with Families As First Teachers (FAFT) in Yuendumu. From Central Australia Shay moved to Groote Eylandt where she was involved in the training of women rangers on the island. After Umbakumba Shay headed to Gunbalanya to work with Njanjma Rangers where she has been for the past few years.
Shay is looking forward to getting a “rock solid full-time cultural heritage team” within Djurrubu. She sees her role as a great opportunity to engage traditional owners and young people in cultural heritage work.

In her spare time Shay is a keen wildlife rescuer and says she almost always has a half dead orphan in her handbag! She is also developing her taxidermy skills and is pictured here with a kookaburra she recently finished work on.

Jane Blackwood joins us after recent roles with Central Land Council working at Mutitujulu and Kintore as well as some time in the Simpson Desert. Jane’s academic background is in Tropical Ecology but she has mostly worked with traditional owner groups in caring for country across the Kimberley, Cape York and Central Australia. 

The last time Jane worked in the NT was 22 years ago training rangers for what was then the Northern Territory University. During that period she spent some weekend time at the Jabiluka blockade supporting protesters as a first aid officer. 
An outdoors woman to the core, when she’s not working Jane is out there fishing, growing plants, bushwalking and birdwatching. Jane says that as she drove across from Queensland to start this role she was greeted by smoke along the road to Jabiru, one of her favourite things. It’s great to have Jane back on Mirarr country.

We look forward to seeing the Djurrubu Rangers continue to build on their solid foundations with the support of these two women. Welcome on board Jane and Shay!