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The first funding phase for the new Indigenous Protected Areas Program is a discretionary round. The Australian Government announced grants for nearly $2.5 million to establish new Indigenous Protected Areas.

• $2.5m investment for new Indigenous Protected Areas - media release 30 May 2018

Under the first funding round of the New Indigenous Protected Areas Program, five Indigenous groups will receive funding to support community consultation and planning leading to the dedication of their land and/or sea country as an Indigenous Protected Area. 

These new Indigenous Protected Areas will have significant biodiversity benefits, including protecting habitat, managing feral pests and providing connectivity and linkages at the local and landscape scale. They will also provide opportunities to integrate traditional knowledge and western science.

All the projects have community support, and will deliver cultural, social and economic outcomes, including meaningful employment, training and capacity building for individuals and organisations, protection of Indigenous cultural heritage and sustainable economic opportunities.

When dedicated, these new Indigenous Protected Areas will add approximately 13.9 million hectares to the National Reserve System.

The five proposed new Indigenous Protected Areas and the groups approved for funding are:  

• Ngururrpa East Kimberley, Western Australia (Desert Support Services, on behalf of Parna Ngururrpa Aboriginal Corporation)
• Ngadju, north of Esperance, southern Western Australia (Ngadju Conservation Aboriginal Corporation)
• Spinifex and Pilki, Great Victorian Desert, Western Australia (Pila Nguru Aboriginal Corporation)
• Olkola, Central Cape York, Queenland (Olkola Aboriginal Corporation)
• Crocodile Islands, Arnhem Land, Northern Territory (Milingimbi and Outstations Progress Resource Association).

Location map

Download the map of the proposed new Indigenous Protected Areas (PDF - 1.18 MB)

Successful Projects

The successful projects from the discretionary round were announced in May 2018. 

[1] 2016 NRS in hectares 150,918,390

[2] Addition to NRS % calculated by 13,940,893/150,918,390 x 100

Indigenous Protected Areas deliver more than environmental benefits. Managing Indigenous Protected Areas helps Indigenous communities to protect their cultural values for future generations and receive spin-off health, education, economic and social benefits.

For Indigenous Australians, the phrase 'caring for country' means a deep spiritual attachment to the land and its creation beings; the source of plants, animals and people, the rules for living and stories, songs and art.

Indigenous Protected Areas create jobs for Indigenous men and women doing what they want to do - working and looking after their land in a healthy environment.

Indigenous Protected Areas help Indigenous communities continue their cultural traditions while caring for country and promoting community well-being. Indigenous Protected Area rangers act as a positive role model to young children, helping to improve school attendance. The rangers' own employment helps provide further financial stability in the community.

Indigenous rangers work with non-Indigenous and Indigenous school classes on environmental and cultural issues. Day to day activities include interpretive activities for visitors, protection of rock art, cultural history and language projects. Traditional bush tucker and medicine plant knowledge is taught on country to younger generations.

These activities have many real benefits to health, education, employment and social cohesion.

For more information about Indigenous Protected areas, visit the Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet’s Indigenous Protected Areas website.

Each declared Indigenous Protected Area is actively managed by its Indigenous owners, who protect their land's plants, animals and cultural sites. The rangers work to control weeds, feral animals and wildfire, and carefully manage visitor impacts.

Every Indigenous Protected Area makes an important contribution to Australia's nation-wide network of parks and reserves, the National Reserve System.