Larissa Hale

Larissa Hale is a proud Jalunji Warra woman from Yuku Baja Muliku, in Cape York, Queensland. Her career has been deeply dedicated to conservation, land management, and empowering Indigenous communities. At the heart of her mission is the stewardship of the land and the sea, ensuring that Indigenous knowledge is preserved and respected. Through her work, Larissa leads initiatives that embody the cultural values of her people, contributing to sustainable futures and collaborative progress in the field of environmental conservation. Larissa’s leadership is a beacon of innovation, seamlessly integrating traditional knowledge with modern practices to create lasting impact.

Larissa’s career began in the late 1990s, where she held various administrative roles, including her position as an Administration Officer at the Cape Flattery Silica Mine Site in 1999. She then moved into public service, becoming an Indigenous Customer Service Officer at Centrelink in 2002. In 2016, Larissa took on a key role with the Cook Shire Council. These early career experiences laid a strong foundation for her future work in empowering Indigenous communities and managing natural resources.

Today, Larissa serves in several pivotal roles. In 2006, she became the Managing Director of the Yuku-Baja-Muliku Landowners & Reserves Ltd, focusing on contract management and conservation of land and sea country. She is also the Managing Director of the Queensland Indigenous Women’s Ranger Network, a position she has held since 2018. Her leadership in these roles underscores her commitment to fostering sustainable environmental practices. Larissa is also a Board Member for the Great Barrier Reef Foundation, and serves as the Chair of the Traditional Owner Advisory Group and a Member of the Partnership Management Committee.

Larissa’s work has been recognised through prestigious accolades, such as the Earthshot Prize in 2022 for the “Revive Our Oceans” category, and the 2023 Women in Technology Awards. These achievements reflect her ongoing dedication to ensuring that women, particularly Indigenous women, are recognised as crucial stewards of the land. As a speaker, Larissa inspires audiences by highlighting the importance of merging traditional Indigenous knowledge with modern environmental science, a vision that is key to the future of conservation and sustainability.