Green Yakka Labour Hire

(From left) Latifa, Aminah and Rhiannon

The All-Women Team Restoring Bushland and Lives

Rhiannon Beaton’s connection to the land runs deep. “I’ve lived in Australia my whole life, so I’ve come to love and feel connected to the flora and fauna here. In 2018, I completed my Certificate III in Conservation and Land Management, and I started working in regeneration soon after,” Rhiannon says.

Now, as Green Yakka’s Bush Regeneration Team Leader, she spends her days caring for Country, helping businesses and councils meet sustainability goals, and supporting people from across the world to find their footing in the Australian workforce.

She proudly leads all-women labour hire teams, restoring bushland – and lives.

Rhiannon says, “Primarily, our workers are refugees from Afghanistan, closely followed by displaced women from African countries. It’s been lovely meeting so many beautiful humans from different cultures around the world.”

Green Yakka’s labour hire teams work across Sydney and the Illawarra in bush regeneration, waste, landscaping labour and more. Each job helps us create employment pathways for people facing barriers to work – including former refugees, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people and young people. Our people are hard workers who deserve a fair go.

“An all-women bush regeneration team is something you don’t often see,” Rhiannon says. “But I’ve found the dynamic of this group to be extremely efficient and easy to work alongside. We work hard – hand-removing weeds, using tools and techniques to tackle invasive plant species and remove skirting vines from the canopy, and planting future canopy species.”

Green Yakka BUSH REGENERATION Team

Green Yakka BUSH REGENERATION Team Member

For many of the women on the team, this is their first paid job in Australia, so Rhiannon’s support often extends beyond just regular workplace training.

She says, “I find it important to not only educate the workers to the best of their ability about what and why they are doing the work, but also to offer assistance in where they can go for other advice or questions that are out of my role. There’s a real sense of safety and trust on site.”

Rhiannon takes pride in helping women build capability on the job.

She says, “I have definitely seen an increase in confidence in the women. It has been so amazing to see their knowledge improve over the months we’ve worked together. They’ve learnt to use brush cutters and manual tools to remove lantana. I’m most proud of the team’s ability to step up to new challenges with an ‘I can do this’ attitude.”

And then there’s the joy of the work itself. “I think bush regeneration is a great place to start for these women. The connection to the land you live on deepens your own sense of belonging,” Rhiannon says.