Conservation Officer

A Conservation Officer manages, monitors and protects natural environments and native species across public lands, marine reserves, or private conservation areas in Australia. They conduct field surveys, enforce environmental legislation, respond to threats such as illegal logging or poaching, and work with communities and landholders to improve conservation outcomes. The role requires practical field skills, scientific knowledge, and authority to investigate breaches of environmental laws.

Conduct field surveys to monitor population sizes, distribution, and health of native species using transect walks, camera traps, or acoustic monitoring equipment. Collect biological specimens and data including GPS coordinates, habitat descriptions, and photographic evidence for species identification and database records. Patrol protected areas on foot, vehicle, or watercraft to detect illegal activities such as poaching, unauthorised clearing, or dumping. Investigate complaints and suspected breaches of environmental legislation such as the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 (EPBC Act) and state wildlife laws. Issue infringement notices and prepare evidence reports for prosecution of environmental offences in court proceedings. Engage with local communities, Indigenous groups, and landholders to explain conservation requirements and obtain cooperation on land management. Coordinate weed and pest animal control programmes using herbicides, trapping, or prescribed burning techniques. Maintain detailed field notebooks, GPS data, specimen records, and incident reports in accordance with agency protocols and audit requirements.

The standard entry pathway requires a bachelor degree or higher (ABS Skill Level 1). Specific qualification requirements vary by employer and state. Some employers may accept equivalent experience. Check yourcareer.gov.au for available courses and dewr.gov.au/skills-reform/free-tafe for subsidised training options.

The pay ceiling is real. Most positions are government roles with limited progression beyond mid-grade. You'll spend years doing physically demanding fieldwork in remote areas, bad weather, and isolation, often with aging equipment. Court cases move slowly, so enforcement feels frustratingly ineffective. Budget cuts mean conservation priorities shift with politics, not science.

Jobs concentrate in state government environment departments and federal agencies like Parks Australia. Regional and remote areas have more positions than cities, especially near national parks and marine reserves. Practically: inland conservation work is based in regional towns; marine roles cluster in coastal states. Remote work is minimal. Opportunities also exist with non-profits like The Nature Conservancy, but pay is lower and roles fewer.

Published for ANZSCO unit group 2343, the wider group this job sits in, not for this job on its own.

This is the median for full-time employees who are not managers and are paid at the adult rate, before tax and salary sacrifice. It is a guide to what the work pays, not a wage rate.

Source: ABS Survey of Employee Earnings and Hours, May 2025, customised report.

• Active Listeningcore
• Attention to Detailcore
• Community Developmentcore
• Incident Reportingcore
• Negotiationcore
• Policy and Procedure Adherencecore
• Problem Solvingcore
• Record Managementcore
• Regulatory and Legislative Awarenesscore
• Report Writingcore
• Research and Analysiscore
• Risk Identificationcore
• Stakeholder Communicationcore
• Verbal Communicationcore
• Written Communicationcore
• Conflict Resolution
• Continuous Learning and Upskilling
• Correspondence Drafting
• Cultural Awareness and Sensitivity
• Data Entry and Accuracy
• Digital Literacy
• Goal Setting and Planning
• Microsoft Office Suite Proficiency
• Team Collaboration
• Time Management and Prioritisation

• ABS OSCA 2024, occupation definition and task statements
• ABS Survey of Employee Earnings and Hours, May 2025, customised report.
• ABS, 2021 Census of Population and Housing based on usual place of residence (Custom Report). OSCA Experimental Estimates.

Role data is drawn from official Australian Government sources, and each figure names where it comes from. Where a role is not in the ABS classification, the page shows no government figures for it. Data may not reflect every local variation.

Where our numbers come from.

Last updated: 30 October 2026