Whiteman Park is a 3700Ha conservation and recreation reserve located on the doorstep of the beautiful Swan Valley, providing a haven for native flora and fauna to thrive in a suburban setting, as well as providing the public with a beautiful location in which to recreate and reconnect with nature.
Open every day of the year, the Park is the most visited tourist attraction the in Swan Valley attracting over 1.5 million people annually who enjoy the many wildlife and transport heritage offerings available.
Whiteman Park offers the opportunity to work at a unique and beautiful location within a small but dedicated team at one of Perth’s premier tourist destinations.
The Senior Conservation Officer is responsible for undertaking conservation tasks and provision of general support to the Environment and Conservation Team Leader and others on environmental programs within Whiteman Park. This includes activities related to weed and feral animal control, animal breeding, fire mitigation, conservation and revegetation and cattle husbandry.
This recruitment process is for a permanent full-time position. This process may be used to fill future similar permanent or fixed-term positions that may arise within the Department and across the WA public sector in the next 12 months from the initial date of appointment.
This position is based at Whiteman Park which is located at 233a Drumpellier Drive Whiteman 6068.
To be successful for this position, you need to demonstrate:
- Demonstrated experience in natural resource management, fire control techniques and experience in managing native flora and fauna.
- Demonstrated knowledge of conservation and land management issues as they relate to natural parks and reserve, with knowledge of legislation, policies and guidelines relating to conservation and how to apply these to situations.
- Experience operating plant and machinery relevant to Park operations (tractor, loader).
- Proficient in data entry.
- Demonstrate the behaviours within the leadership context as outlined below.
Core leadership behaviours outlined in Leadership Expectations are applicable to this role and should be demonstrated in the context of Personal Leadership. The Personal Leadership context is about the work of individuals not yet in traditional leadership positions who make a direct and immediate difference to the agency.
The expected behaviours may be assessed during the recruitment and selection process.
Special Requirements:
- Possession of a current ‘C’ class driver’s licence. An ‘MR’ class is desirable.
- Possession of a valid Working with Children Check.
- Possession of a current Senior First Aid Certificate.
- Possession of a current and recognised Bush Firefighting certificate.
- Completion of Bushfire Awareness training relevant to the role.
- Willingness to participate and provide support in emergency response for the park, as and when required.
- Availability and preparedness to work outside normal business hours and in a range of weather conditions.
- Must pass a baseline audiometric test within three (3) months of commencing employment and then every two (2) years thereafter.
About us
For more information on what we do, our recruitment process, and why working at the Department of Planning, Lands and Heritage is an attractive proposition, please visit the Department page on the DPLH website.
We have a comprehensive Applicant Information Pack to provide information about us, the values of the department and practical guidance on the process for you.
Benefits of Working at DPLH
DPLH offers a broad range of benefits including but not limited to:
- 12% superannuation, full employer contribution and salary packaging options.
- Comprehensive learning and professional development opportunities.
- 4 weeks annual leave with 17.5% loading paid as additional pay every December.
- 3 days additional public sector holidays each year.
- Cultural leave for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander staff
- Leave for study, bereavement, foster caring and parenting.
- Free access to a confidential employee assistance program (EAP) for you and your family, which includes psychology and counselling services.
How to apply: All applications are submitted online. Select ‘Apply for Job’, located at either top or bottom of the screen, and follow the instructions; you will need to provide a:
- Comprehensive CV that clearly shows your skills, experience, and key achievements, including the details of two referees.
- A cover letter, maximum 2 pages, addressing the Essential Requirements contained within the Job Description Form (JDF).
Further Information:
If you would like to know more, please call Chris Rafferty on (08) 9209 6000 or email chris.rafferty@whitemanpark.com.au to discuss the role in further detail. Please do not send your application to Chris Rafferty or to seek their assistance with lodging your application.
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander applicants – For a confidential discussion about the recruitment process, please reach out to Barb Culbong from our Aboriginal Employment and Engagement team. You can contact Barb at 0408 895 002, or email us at aboriginalemployment@dplh.wa.gov.au.
The Department is an equal opportunity employer and as a measure to achieve equality under sections 51, 66R and 66ZP of the Equal Opportunity Act 1984, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, young people (24 years of age and under) and people with disability who meet the requirements of the position, may be prioritised for appointment.
Accessibility: If you have any communication or access needs that require adjustment to allow you to participate in this recruitment process, please contact our HR Services team on (08) 6551 9419 or email recruitment@dplh.wa.gov.au.
We can also be contacted via the National Relay Service on the below numbers:
- TTY/voice calls – 133 677
- Speak and Listen – 1300 555 727
- SMS relay – 0423 677 767.
Special Requirements for this position:
The Department will conduct a Nationally Coordinated Criminal History Check for applicants successful to this recruitment process.
To be eligible for a permanent appointment to the Western Australian public sector it is essential that you are an Australian citizen or have permanent residency status in Australia. To be eligible for a fixed term appointment you must have documentary evidence of your entitlement to live and work in Australia for the period of the contract.
Please ensure you have saved your documents in MS Word (.docx files only) or PDF format and have allowed plenty of time to submit your application, as late, emailed and proforma applications will not be accepted.
If you experience technical issues when submitting your application, contact ramshelpdesk@bigredsky.com, or please call (08) 6551 9419 for any other queries.
Closing Date – Wednesday, 27 May 2026 @ 4:00pm AWST
