Every Landcare Week, we take a moment to celebrate the volunteers who show up, year after year, to look after the parks and conservation areas we all love. This year, we want to shine a light on something a little different: the young Queenslanders who are stepping up to lead that work.

For a long time, the picture of a Friends of Parks volunteer has skewed older, and there is good reason for that. Decades of quiet, consistent effort from long-time members have shaped the bushland, wetlands and conservation parks across our state. But over the past two years, something has shifted within Friends of Parks Queensland’s network of more than 24 volunteer-led and QPWS-led groups. A new generation of leaders, most of them under 35, is stepping into the roles that keep these groups alive: organising working bees, liaising with rangers, writing grant applications, and welcoming new volunteers into the fold.

The young leaders driving landcare across South East Queensland

At Friends of Plunkett Conservation Park in Logan, three leaders in their late twenties, Emma Green, Erin Ryan-Rose and Jack Thatcher, have taken on leadership roles together, bringing fresh energy to this brand-new group.

On the southern Gold Coast, Friends of Burleigh Head National Park (Jellurgal) is led by Mitch Grieve, an inspiring NextGen voice for the group, while Patrick Brabant is doing the same at Friends of David Fleay Conservation Park, helping connect wildlife conservation work with the wider community.

Celebrating their relaunch in July is Friends of Pine Ridge Conservation Park, led by Mitch Parker, a leader under 30, is guiding the group’s work protecting a much-loved part of the northern Gold Coast.

Out at D’Aguilar National Park north of Brisbane, Kalebh Harwin has stepped up to coordinate volunteers across one of South East Queensland’s most ecologically rich landscapes.

All of these leaders live and volunteer across South East Queensland, and all of them have stepped into their roles within just the last two years.

Why youth leadership in landcare matters

What is striking here is not just that these individuals have stepped up. It is that they represent a genuine trend. Landcare and conservation volunteering has traditionally relied on retirees with time to give, and we are deeply grateful for that generosity. But these young leaders are proving that meaningful conservation work can sit alongside careers, study and busy lives.

They are also bringing new strengths to the table: confidence with social media and digital tools, project management experience from their day jobs, and a willingness to try different approaches to recruiting and keeping volunteers engaged. Engaging youth in leadership roles also inspires more youth to get involved in volunteering, a trend we’re seeing across the board.

This matters because the long-term health of Queensland’s parks depends on a steady pipeline of leadership. Every Friends group needs people willing to take on the unglamorous but essential work of running an organisation: handling communications, applying for grants, managing insurance requirements, and keeping momentum going between events. When young leaders take on these roles, they rarely do it alone. They tend to bring their friends, colleagues and peers along with them, creating a ripple effect that strengthens the whole movement.

An opportunity to get involved this Landcare Week

If this story resonates with you, or with someone you know, there is a timely opportunity to act on it.

Landcare Australia is currently calling for expressions of interest from passionate young people aged 18 to 35 to join the NextGen Landcare Working Group, a national initiative supporting young leaders and trailblazers across conservation, sustainable agriculture, and First Nations cultural land management. It is a chance to share ideas, connect with other young people doing similar work, and help grow a youth-led conservation movement right across Australia.

Expressions of interest close Monday 10 August 2026. If you would like to put your hand up, or nominate someone else who would be a great fit, get in touch via enquiries@landcareaustralia.com.au.

Friends of Parks Queensland is proud to already have young leaders like Emma, Erin, Jack, Mitch G, Patrick, Kalebh and Mitch P showing what is possible. This Landcare Week, we would love to see even more South East Queenslanders step forward, because the future of our parks is already in very good hands.