Travis Blackburn was persistent when he applied for a job as an ACT ranger. He was working for Parks Victoria at the time, but decided Canberra was where he wanted to be.
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It took two years and a few applications until Mr Blackburn was successful, getting the job he's now in. And it was well worth the effort, he said.
A new round of ranger recruitment is set to open in the coming week, with a wide range of job opportunities on offer.
Being a ranger is considered one of the most sought after jobs in the territory, described as "seriously popular" because of the diversity of the work, senior ranger Kate Boyd said.
Ms Boyd has been a ranger since 2003. She arrived in Canberra after the bushfires tore through the capital, and she said it's been rewarding to see nature bounce back after the devastation.
What attracted her to the position was the diversity of the work. The role includes the management of threatened species, weed and pest control, bushfire suppression and looking after cultural and historical heritage sites.
Rangers are responsible for maintaining and building visitor and recreational infrastructure including walking and mountain bike trails and barbecue areas.
"We manage everything from barbecues to bettongs," Ms Boyd said.
"The job covers all the things in between. I've been in a boat on Googong dam talking to fisherman, to being out in Mulligans Flat working at the sanctuary, to doing ecological burning of grasslands for threatened species.
"The diversity of the role is what I really love," she said.
Though it isn't all natural beauty and saving species. Ms Boyd said the job, like any other, has its challenges.
"Being in the bush capital, unfortunately some animals don't have the best sense of the road rules, so having to move carcasses off the road in summer isn't the most pleasant job," she said.
Another irk is cleaning dirty barbecues after a long weekend.
But one of the best parts of the job are the special places rangers get to discover and enjoy.
"There is a spot at Goorooyarroo Nature Reserve, next to Mulligans Flat, that has a beautiful big woodland tree. From that spot it looks right across the city and out to the mountains, you get the full sense of Canberra sitting in the valley. That view is one of my favourite spots," Ms Boyd said.
Mr Blackburn said Gibraltar Peak was his favourite spot. He said the perk of working in the nation's capital was while it felt remote, the city was only a short drive away.
Six months into the job in Canberra, Mr Blackburn is loving the experience. He is one of two Indigenous rangers based at Tidbinbilla, and every day is different.
"You're never doing the same thing, you're constantly learning," he said.
"It's been one of my childhood goals, this is the job I've always wanted.
"There's no better feeling than being outdoors, being able to give back, working on your own country and working on Ngunnawal country as well."
ACT Parks and Conservation are responsible for 70 per cent of land in Canberra, including national parks, water catchments and nature reserves.
Rangers are based in offices across eight locations in the capital, and staff come from a diverse range of backgrounds, but have a shared love of the environment.
The recruitment round will open in the coming days. Jobs will appear at the www.jobs.act.gov.au website in the Environment, Planning and Sustainable Development Directorate tab.
