The Hunter area manager's job with National Parks and Wildlife Service is up for grabs

Astronaut? Brain surgeon? Sports star? Rock star? Gardener? Fry cook on Mars?

How about Hunter Region area manager with the National Parks and Wildlife Service?

The wildlife service is talking up the job as a "once in a lifetime opportunity".

NPWS Hunter Central Coast director Kylie Yeend said the role would be based in Port Stephens, which she described as "without a doubt one of the most spectacular stretches of coastline in NSW".

"With its never-ending coastline, the largest mobile dune system in the southern hemisphere and the rich cultural history of the Worimi nation, the Hunter coast is a truly unique and extraordinary part of the world," Ms Yeend said.

"The area manager role is at the front line of protecting this extraordinary natural environment and the threatened wildlife that call the region home.

"There's also the very important role of working with local Aboriginal communities to preserve and honour their history and culture in the area, particularly through the joint management of the Worimi Conservation Lands."

The job description says every day in the role will be different.

"We're on the lookout for someone who not only loves the outdoors and has a passion for protecting and caring for the environment, but is also willing to listen, learn and work collaboratively to protect the cultural heritage of the area," she said.

"I will really welcome and encourage applications from people of all ages and genders, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples and other cultural backgrounds.

"I'm hoping we'll have some locals willing to throw their hat in the ring and grab this incredible opportunity with both hands."

The successful applicant will be responsible for leading and managing park management programs for the NSW government.

These programs include major capital works such as the $6.7 million Tomaree Coastal Walk project and long-standing conservation programs for shearwater, Gould's petrel and other endangered species.

We're not sure if this is in the job description, but Topics should add that whoever gets the role will undoubtedly need to be skilled in the subtle art of negotiating the labyrinth that is NSW bureaucracy.

Topics agrees that the area manager role is an important one. We reckon it requires someone with courage to stand up for the region's flora and fauna.

Aussie Ark president Tim Faulkner has highlighted the fact that Australia is battling an extinction crisis.

"Australia had the worst mammal extinction rate on Earth long before this fire and drought," Tim said during the 2019-20 bushfire crisis.

Wonder how our national parks our faring after the bushfires? Perhaps the new area manager could let us know some time.

Aussie Ark owns the 400-hectare Barrington Wildlife Sanctuary. Topics reckons protecting the nearby Barrington Tops World Heritage Area should be a priority for the new area manager.

Dedicated readers of this column would know that a bloke once claimed to have spotted a Tasmanian tiger in the Barrington. Let's hope the new area manager won't be a mythical or toothless tiger.

This from reader Joanne: "I've lost count of the number of times my petrol light switches on and dings, just as I pull into the petrol station".

Oooh spooky.

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