The Parks Connect Cadet Ranger program provides teens aged 13–18 with hands-on conservation experiences, ecological skills training, and citizen science activities that will deepen their connection with Queensland’s protected areas.
Develop real-world skill in these cumulative 1.5–2-hr sessions to set yourself on a pathway for a rewarding career in biodiversity management! Working collaboratively from within national parks or QPWS Gateway Visitor Centres, you’ll discover how to use camera traps, mapping, acoustic monitoring and environmental surveys to detect and report threatened species. Through fun, hands-on activities and interactions with Park Rangers, Traditional Owners and committed conservationists, Parks Connect Cadet Rangers gain valuable insights into how to manage and preserve protected areas for future generations.
Choose from a range of Cadet Ranger events at QPWS Gateway Visitor Centres or within national parks and protected areas in South East Queensland.
WALKABOUT CREEK DISCOVERY CENTRE
You’ll be learning all about Park Rangering in a bushland oasis that includes a wildlife centre, short walking and mountain biking trails, a shady deck cafe, and picturesque Enoggera Reservoir for swimming and paddling. Image: NPAQ/Parks Connect
DAVID FLEAY WILDLIFE PARK
Stroll the shady boardwalks of this 7.5-acre enclosed fauna reserve on the Gold Coast where Cadet Rangers will be able to learn the tips of the trade working alongside Park Rangers. Image: Ian Wilkinson © Queensland Govt
ON-PARK CADET RANGERS
Enhance your skills with this ongoing program of discovery in some of SEQ’s most stunning places. Spend time in Qld’s national parks while you learn all about the crucial role Rangers play in conserving threatened species. See below to book. Image: NPAQ/Parks Connect
Our next “Roaming” Cadet Rangers on park will be at Nudgee Beach, within Moreton Bay Marine Park, on Saturday 29 November 2025. We encourage parents/guardians to book in for the Roaming Cadet Ranger “Mangrove Ecology” session when bookings open soon.
Cadet Rangers, learn all about the science of mangroves and why they matter so much to environmental health.
Be a “Roaming” Cadet Ranger for a morning (teens aged 13–18 years) and learn all about the ecology of mangroves. Dr Kat Lowe–a passionate wildlife ecologist, scientist and educator–will lead an immersive stroll on the boardwalk through the mangrove and marine ecosystems of Moreton Bay Marine Park, our November Park of the Month. With nearly two decades exploring the natural world, Dr Kat brings these unique coastal habitats to life.
This supervised session is part of the November Park of the Month at Nudgee Beach within Moreton Bay Marine Park and all are welcome. Book online via the Park of the Month page on Eventbrite.
Book Now!
Please note that this is part of the Park of the Month event. Book online now!
CADET RANGERS 13–18 YEARS AT WALKABOUT CREEK DISCOVERY CENTRE (ENOGGERA)
Cadet Rangers, learn all about Survival Superpowers …
Explore the wild world of Survival Superpowers as you learn all about iconic Australian animals at this FREE Cadet Ranger event for teens (13–18 years) at Walkabout Creek Discovery Centre.
Cadet Rangers will explore how adaptations—such as protective scales, stealthy camouflage and unique pouches—help animals survive in harsh environments and protect their young.
Participants will also learn how Queensland’s Rangers care for animals based on their unique features and differing needs.
A small hands-on sensory challenge will give teens a chance to test their own instincts and experience how some species navigate their environment. Hurry, places are limited, book early.
Book Now!CADET RANGERS 13–18 YEARS AT DAVID FLEAY WILDLIFE PARK (BURLEIGH HEADS)
Cadet Rangers, learn all about the Survival Superpowers of animals.
Explore the wild world of Survival Superpowers as you learn all about iconic Australian animals at this FREE Cadet Ranger event for teens (13–18 years) at David Fleay Wildlife Park on the Gold Coast.
Cadet Rangers will explore how adaptations—such as protective scales, stealthy camouflage and unique pouches—help animals survive in harsh environments and protect their young. Participants will also learn how Queensland’s Rangers care for animals based on their unique features and differing needs.
A small hands-on sensory challenge will give teens a chance to test their own instincts and experience how some species navigate their environment.
Hurry, spaces are limited. Book online today.
Book now!
Parks Connect is proudly supported through funding from the Queensland Department of the Environment, Tourism, Science and Innovation.
