Making a Difference Together
Eco Warriors Australia began in 2021 as a small group of volunteers with a shared commitment to caring for the environment. Since then, we have grown into a community-led organisation that delivers habitat restoration, conservation and environmental education programs.
Our Vision
To create healthy landscapes where people, culture and nature thrive together, guided by Indigenous knowledge and community collaboration.
Our Mission
Protect and restore nature through hands-on environmental action.
Inspire and empower communities to care for local ecosystems through education, volunteering and engagement.
Support First Nations people to share knowledge and lead the care and management of Country.
Meet our Leadership Team
Our leadership team combines practical experience with a strong commitment to protect and restore our natural environment. We’ve worked hard to strengthen our Indigenous leadership, increasing First Nations representation to more than half our Board and expanding the number of Indigenous-led projects. This has been an important and exciting shift that shapes how we deliver programs, work with partners and care for Country.
Kai Lane – Vice-President
Kai is a proud Yorta Yorta and Barapa Barapa man, with family connections to Dja Dja Wurrung and Wurundjeri. He is deeply committed to his culture and shares his knowledge by working with students and communities in practical, meaningful ways. Kai has spent the past five years working in ecology and restoration. Kai is passionate about his culture and loves to share his knowledge. He has received several awards recognising his leadership in cultural education.
Taj Lane, Secretary
Taj is a Yorta Yorta and Barapa Barapa man, with family connections to Dja Dja Wurrung and Wurundjeri. He currently works as a First Nations Field Officer with not-for-profit Wetland Revival Trust, focusing on ecological restoration and on‑ground monitoring across wetland and river systems.
Laura Kirby, Board Member
Laura Kirby is a Barapa Barapa Traditional Owner and a key staff member at the North Central Catchment Management Authority (NCCMA) in Victoria. Her work focuses on bringing cultural knowledge together with environmental science to guide the management and restoration of local ecosystems.
Uncle Ron Galway, Board Member
Uncle Ron is a Barapa Barapa Elder with more than ten years of involvement with the North Central Catchment Management Authority. He brings deep cultural knowledge and a steady, community‑focused approach to his work across Country.
Uncle Ron recently assisted us with our Yedabila habitat pod workshops, sharing stories, cultural insight and practical knowledge with students and community members. As he said afterwards “I had more fun than any of the kids being able to pass on my knowledge to them – you can’t wipe the smile off my face”!
Uncle Ron Murray, Board Member
Uncle Ron is a well‑respected Barapa Barapa Elder who is dedicated to keeping Aboriginal stories, art and culture strong. He brings a wealth of knowledge and experience to his work with communities, schools and environmental organisations.
In 2009, Uncle Ron completed studies at RMIT exploring how Indigenous knowledges can challenge racist attitudes in the wider community through the power of positive storytelling. Over the years, he has shared culture in many settings, with personal highlights including performing on the digeridoo for the Queen, Muhammad Ali, Yusuf Islam and Sir Bob Geldof.
Simone Haigh, Board Member
Simone is an experienced restoration practitioner who has spent nearly two decades working to protect and repair Australia’s wetlands. Since graduating in 2007 with a Bachelor of Applied Science, she has dedicated her career to improving the health of rivers, floodplains and wetland systems across Victoria. Simone works with a range of private clients, applying her practical field experience and scientific knowledge to design and implement restoration projects that support biodiversity and strengthen ecosystem resilience.