Indigenous & Veteran Owned · Kaurna Country

Workforce solutions for Australia's most demanding industries.

One partner for recruitment, consulting and Indigenous workforce strategy across defence, government and resources.

Supply Nation Registered Australian Veteran Owned Business SA Veteran Employer Network Member Kaurna Country, Adelaide SA

A one-stop shop for your workforce needs

Warrung has evolved beyond recruitment. We deliver end-to-end workforce solutions — from finding the right people to building the strategies that keep them.

Recruitment & Search

Permanent, contract and executive recruitment for complex, high-risk and security-conscious environments.

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Workforce Consulting

Workforce planning, capability mapping and advisory shaped by decades of Defence acquisition and sustainment delivery.

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Indigenous Workforce Strategy

Indigenous participation plans, identified recruitment strategies and genuine engagement — designed by Indigenous leadership.

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Contracting & Labour Hire

Compliant, flexible contractor workforces for project surges, shutdowns and long-term programs of work.

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Veteran Transition

Helping current and former ADF members translate service experience into meaningful civilian careers.

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Career Guidance

Practical coaching, resume and interview support for candidates at every stage — with cultural safety at the centre.

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Why Warrung

Lived experience you can't recruit for

Deep roots in two communities

Warrung was founded by people with genuine standing in both the Indigenous and Australian veteran communities. That trust opens talent networks that conventional agencies simply can't reach — and it means the candidates we put forward stay.

We've done the work ourselves

Our consultants have supported acquisition and sustainment projects across Army, Navy and Air Force, and worked in oil and gas and all levels of government. We understand clearances, compliance and capability because we've lived them.

Partnerships, not placements

We take pride in long-term, meaningful partnerships — focusing on lasting outcomes, not short-term results. From a single critical hire to a whole-of-workforce strategy, we stay accountable for what happens after the start date.

Luke Southwell, Managing Director of Warrung

Leadership

Founded on discipline, resilience and cultural competence

Founded by individuals with deep roots in both the Indigenous and Australian Veteran communities, Warrung brings a unique perspective to the recruitment industry. We understand the value of discipline, resilience and cultural competence — qualities that guide everything we do.

Luke SouthwellManaging Director

More about us

What our partners say

Trusted on both sides of the table

5.0

★★★★★

Google rating

★★★★★

"Warrung understood our clearance and capability requirements from the first conversation. The candidates they put forward were genuinely deployable — not just polished CVs. They've become our first call for defence program roles."

David M.Program Manager, defence industry · Adelaide

★★★★★

"We engaged Warrung to support our Indigenous participation commitments on a major contract. They delivered real outcomes, not paperwork — and the candidates they placed are still with us a year later."

Kylie T.HR Manager, mining operations · SA

★★★★★

"After 12 years in the Army I had no idea how to sell my experience to civilian employers. Luke translated it, coached me through the interviews, and checked in after I started. I couldn't recommend Warrung more highly."

Brett R.Veteran candidate — placed in defence industry

Proud partners and affiliations

The Circle — First Nations Entrepreneur Hub

Ready to build a workforce that lasts?

Tell us about your next project, program or critical role — we'll respond within one business day.

Start the conversation

About Warrung

Honouring integrity, diversity, community and Country

An Australian Indigenous and Veteran owned workforce solutions provider, proudly based on Kaurna Country in Adelaide, South Australia.

Our story

Warrung began as a specialist recruitment company with a simple conviction: the people best placed to connect employers with Indigenous and veteran talent are people who belong to those communities themselves.

Founded by individuals with deep roots in both the Indigenous and Australian veteran communities, we specialise in complex and high-risk industries — defence, mining, oil and gas, and all levels of government. Our consultants have supported acquisition and sustainment projects across Army, Navy and Air Force, and we bring that operational discipline to every engagement.

Today Warrung has grown into a comprehensive workforce solutions provider — a genuine one-stop shop for workforce needs. Recruitment remains at our core, but our clients now engage us for workforce consulting, Indigenous workforce strategy, contracting and veteran transition support. Whatever the engagement, our mission is unchanged: to create meaningful connections between employers and talent from all backgrounds by honouring integrity, diversity, community and Country.

We are committed to Indigenous representation at all levels of our own organisation — we hold ourselves to the standard we help our clients build.

Luke Southwell

Managing Director

A veteran of the Australian Defence Force with deep connections across the Indigenous business community, Luke leads Warrung's client partnerships and its mission of Indigenous and veteran employment.

The Name

Warrung — to change, to transform, to alter

Warrung is a Ngarrindjeri word meaning to change, to transform or to alter — a name that reflects what we set out to do for every person and organisation we work with.

Our logo features the Wuldi — the Ngarrindjeri word for the Wedge-Tailed Eagle — a powerful symbol native to the Riverland region of South Australia, land of the Ngarrindjeri People.

Luke is a proud Ngarrindjeri man, born and raised on Kaurna Country, with family connections to the Ngarrindjeri People in Kingston SE. He draws deep inspiration from his late grandmother, Ruby Hammond, a dedicated advocate for the rights of Indigenous Australians. Her remarkable life and legacy are honoured in the book Flight of an Eagle: The Dreaming of Ruby Hammond.

Our Vision

To be the trusted workforce partner for government and industry across high-risk, complex and specialised sectors.

Our principles

We deliver workforce solutions and support for Australians from all backgrounds.

We build strong, collaborative partnerships with both clients and candidates to ensure the right fit for every role.

We have Indigenous representation at all levels within our organisation.

Recognition

Certifications, partners and affiliations

Warrung is proud to be recognised by, and to work alongside, organisations that share our commitment to Indigenous and veteran employment.

Supply Nation Registered business

Australian Veteran Owned Business

SA Veteran Employer Network member

The Circle — First Nations Entrepreneur Hub

Proudly South Australian

Aimpoint — industry partner

BIORG — Forging Futures

Our Services

One partner for the whole workforce lifecycle

Warrung is a comprehensive workforce solutions provider. Engage us for a single critical hire, a compliant contractor workforce, or the strategy that ties it all together.

Recruitment & Executive Search

Permanent, contract and executive recruitment for complex and high-risk industries. We understand security clearances, shift structures, FIFO rosters and the compliance realities of defence and resources work — so the shortlists we deliver are genuinely deployable, not just impressive on paper.

Defence & national security roles
Government (local, state & federal)
Mining, oil & gas operations
Executive & specialist search

Workforce Consulting & Advisory

Our consultants have supported acquisition and sustainment projects across Army, Navy and Air Force. We bring that delivery experience to workforce planning: mapping the capability you need, diagnosing the gaps, and designing sourcing and retention strategies that survive contact with reality.

Workforce planning & capability mapping
Sovereign capability & AIC support
Retention & engagement strategy
Recruitment process design

Indigenous Workforce Strategy

Designed and led by Indigenous people — not written from the sidelines. We help organisations build Indigenous employment outcomes that are genuine, measurable and culturally safe, from identified recruitment strategies through to participation planning for major contracts.

Indigenous Participation Plans
Identified recruitment strategies
Cultural safety & retention support
Reconciliation commitments in practice

Contracting & Labour Hire

Flexible, compliant contractor workforces for project surges, shutdowns and long-term programs. Warrung manages engagement, payroll and compliance so your project leads can focus on delivery — with the added procurement value of a Supply Nation registered supplier.

Project surge & shutdown crews
Long-term embedded contractors
Full engagement & payroll compliance
Transition-to-permanent pathways

Veteran & ADF Transition

Service experience is an asset — if someone knows how to translate it. Founded and led by a veteran, Warrung helps current and former ADF members articulate their skills, target the right industries and land roles where their discipline and leadership are valued from day one.

Transition coaching for serving members
Skills translation & resume support
Defence industry pathways
Veteran-ready employer preparation

Career Guidance & Candidate Care

Every candidate who registers with Warrung gets more than a job board. We provide practical career guidance — interview preparation, upskilling advice and honest feedback — delivered with cultural safety at the centre, so people from every background can put their best case forward.

Career planning & coaching
Interview & resume preparation
Culturally safe candidate support
Post-placement check-ins

Not sure which service fits?

Describe the problem — we'll shape the engagement around it.

Start the conversation

For Employers

Built for defence, government and resources

We specialise in the industries where hiring mistakes are expensive, clearances matter and capability is national business.

Naval ship under construction in an Australian dry dock at dusk

Defence & National Security

Our consultants have decades of Defence experience across acquisition and sustainment for Army, Navy and Air Force. We know the difference between a CV that mentions Defence and a candidate who can operate inside it — clearances, frameworks, tempo and all.

Government

From local councils to federal departments, we support all levels of government with recruitment and workforce advisory — including Indigenous identified roles and the participation outcomes your procurement policies require.

Haul truck on a red-earth road at an Australian iron ore mine

Mining

Operational, technical and corporate talent for Australian mining. We understand site realities — FIFO rosters, safety culture, community obligations — and we're a natural partner for Indigenous employment commitments on Country.

Offshore gas platform on calm ocean at dusk

Oil & Gas

High-risk, high-compliance environments demand disciplined people. Our veteran networks and specialised industry experience deliver candidates who thrive in oil and gas operations, projects and shutdowns.

The procurement advantage of partnering with Warrung

Warrung is a Supply Nation registered, Indigenous-owned business. Engaging us can contribute directly to your obligations and commitments under the Commonwealth Indigenous Procurement Policy, Indigenous Participation Plans on major contracts, and your organisation's reconciliation commitments — while delivering workforce outcomes that stand on their own merits.

How an engagement works

Understand

We start with the mission, not the vacancy — your project, compliance context, team dynamics and what success looks like twelve months after the start date.

Deliver

Search, shortlist and selection support drawing on networks in the Indigenous, veteran and specialist industry communities that conventional agencies can't access.

Stand behind it

Post-placement support, retention check-ins and honest reporting. We build long-term partnerships focused on lasting outcomes, not short-term results.

Discuss your workforce needs

Phone, email, or a conversation over coffee on Kaurna Country — whatever works.

Start the conversation

For Job Seekers

Your next career move starts here

Warrung connects Indigenous Australians, veterans and specialist talent with meaningful careers in defence, government, mining and oil & gas. Register once — we'll do the rest.

Register with Warrung

Tell us about yourself and the work you're looking for. Fields marked * are required.

First name *

Last name *

Email *

Phone *

Location

Industry of interest

Role you're looking for

Upload your CV / resume

PDF or Word document, max 10 MB.

Warrung is committed to supporting Indigenous employment opportunities. Please indicate whether you identify as an Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander person: *

Yes No

Warrung welcomes applications from veterans and current or former members of the Australian Defence Force (ADF). Please indicate whether you have served in the ADF: *

Currently serving Formerly served No

Anything else we should know?

Your registration goes straight into Warrung's recruitment system (Monday.com), and a copy is emailed to info@warrung.com.au. We'll be in touch — usually within two business days.

Thanks — your registration has been received.
The Warrung team will review your details and be in touch soon.

Why register with Warrung?

A recruiter that shares your background — Indigenous and veteran owned and operated, with cultural safety built in.

Real relationships with employers in defence, government, mining and oil & gas.

Career guidance, interview preparation and honest feedback — not just a database entry.

Specialist support translating ADF experience into civilian careers.

Prefer to talk first?

Phone0420 882 920

Emailinfo@warrung.com.au

Office hoursMonday to Friday, 8:00 am – 6:00 pm

Let's talk about your workforce

Whether you're planning your next program of work or your next career move, get in touch — we respond to every enquiry within one business day.

Send us a message

Fields marked * are required.

Full name *

Organisation

Email *

Phone

What can we help with? *

Message *

Enquiries go to info@warrung.com.au and are logged in our CRM. We respond within one business day.

Thanks — your message has been sent.
The Warrung team will get back to you within one business day.

Contact details

Phone0420 882 920

Emailinfo@warrung.com.au

LocationKaurna Country (Adelaide, South Australia)

Office hoursMonday to Friday, 8:00 am – 6:00 pm

Frequently asked

Do you only place Indigenous or veteran candidates?

No — Warrung delivers workforce solutions and support for Australians from all backgrounds. Indigenous and veteran employment is our specialty and our mission, not a limitation.

Do you work outside South Australia?

Yes. We're based on Kaurna Country in Adelaide, and we support clients and candidates across Australia — including defence precincts, remote sites and FIFO operations.

Can engaging Warrung count toward our Indigenous procurement targets?

Warrung is Supply Nation registered, so engaging us may contribute to commitments under the Indigenous Procurement Policy and Indigenous Participation Plans. We're happy to provide the documentation your procurement team needs.