108 Bargara Rd
Bundaberg East, Qld, 4670
IMPACT Community Services is helping bring back the serenity to a little corner of Bundaberg.
Rob Alder is the course trainer who oversees those involved in IMPACT’s 22-week traineeship in Conservation Land Management.
Rob has run these traineeships since 2018, leading many young people into an interest in this field of work.
And he thinks the current job the trainees are working on is the best project he has seen during his time.
The group is currently working on the refurbishment of a 750m pathway that hasn't been in use since the floods of 2011 that devastated the area.
When it's completed it will help breathe new life into this little green corner of Bundaberg.
The path comes off Que Hee Street and connects to the causeway via bridges, boardwalks and flagstone paths.
The team are in their 13th week of work and the project is shaping up nicely.
Rob hopes the works will bring more people to the area and spark further renovations down the track.
IMPACT works closely with Bundaberg Regional Council on this and other conservation projects.
"We were given the project by the Council's Natural Area Rangers," Rob said.
"They've pretty much given us free rein, and we're helping make the area usable again.
“It's a bit of serenity, somewhere for people to escape to.”
Among the current trainees is Zac Sene, 25, from Childers.
He loves the work he's doing.
“The course was recommended by my job service provider,” Zac said.
“I applied and got shortlisted from 55 people. I was so happy about that.
“It's great being outdoors, working with Rob. We did a lot of work on the boardwalk, which was hard work, but good fun.
“Rob's very good to work with, and I've learnt so much.”
Zac said he been a “trolley-pusher” for about five years but looked forward to a future working in conservation and land management.
“I've never done any of this type of work before, so it's all new to me,” he said.
This program is delivered through the Queensland Government’s Skilling Queenslanders for Work initiative.
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