In this first episode, I speak with Dermot Smyth, a cultural ecologist who helped establish the first, independent, Indigenous ranger program on Palm Island, Queensland in 1983. We discuss the challenges First Nations people faced and the evolution of both the Indigenous ranger and Indigenous protected area programs. From its humble beginnings, to a national success story, the programs now employ over 2,000 Indigenous rangers who are responsible for managing approx. 87 million hectares of the Australian landscape. We also discuss how these governance structures provide a successful example for how 'the Voice to Parliament' could operate if the YES vote wins in the upcoming national referendum on 14 October 2023.