In 2022, the Australian government signed up to an international pledge<\/a> to protect 30% of lands and waters by 2030. This is one reason why IPAs have grown so rapidly in recent years. <\/p>\n In July, 4.7 million hectares of the Simpson Desert was dedicated<\/a> as the newest protected area \u2013 the Pmere Atherre Antenterreme IPA.<\/p>\n Maintaining the success of Indigenous Protected Areas will require long-term funding, strong Indigenous governance and complementary conservation elsewhere.<\/p>\n How does this work?<\/p>\n While national parks are established and managed by governments, IPAs are Indigenous-led. <\/p>\n After deciding to establish an IPA, Traditional Owners develop a management plan and determine how Country is to be cared for, drawing on Indigenous knowledge and contemporary conservation science.<\/p>\n Caring for Country means looking after plants, animals, water, fire, sacred places and cultural practices as part of an interconnected whole<\/a>.<\/p>\n Declaring an IPA doesn\u2019t change existing tenure arrangements. For example, an IPA can cover freehold Indigenous land, land granted under land-rights legislation, Indigenous-held leasehold or pastoral land, Crown land and marine areas. <\/p>\n From pilot program to over half of Australia\u2019s reserve system<\/p>\n In 1998, Nantawarrina<\/a> became Australia\u2019s first Indigenous Protected Area. The former pastoral station in South Australia\u2019s Flinders Ranges was heavily degraded. Over the following decades, the Nipapanha people worked to restore the land and its biodiversity. <\/p>\n There are now 96 IPAs across Australia, spanning 113 million hectares<\/a>. That\u2019s almost 15% of the continent. Marine IPAs cover a smaller portion of Australian waters \u2013 9.3 million hectares, or about 1.1% of our marine estate.<\/p>\n The growth of IPAs has far outstripped the growth of other types of conservation land. IPAs now make up more than 55%<\/a> of lands protected in Australia\u2019s National Reserve System. <\/p>\n Across all types of protection \u2013 both government and non-government \u2013 25% of Australia\u2019s land<\/a> is now protected and 24% of seas<\/a> are highly-protected \u201cno-take\u201d areas where fishing is banned. <\/p>\n The largest IPAs lie in Australia\u2019s deserts, some of the world\u2019s largest uncleared arid ecosystems. They form part of a vast, culturally-connected landscape shaped by Indigenous stewardship over tens of thousands of years. <\/p>\n People who care for Country<\/p>\n At the heart of Indigenous Protected Areas are Indigenous rangers, who combine cultural practice and traditional knowledge with contemporary conservation practices.<\/p>\n Ranger teams began growing in number from 2007, when dedicated federal funding became available. The program is now called the Indigenous Rangers Program<\/a>. <\/p>\n No two Indigenous ranger programs are alike \u2013 each is locally led and grounded in Traditional Owner priorities. The program of work can include burning<\/a> to prevent large wildfires<\/a> or maintain cultural practice and care for Country<\/a>. <\/p>\n Rangers look after cultural sites and culturally important species, and protect threatened species by managing threats<\/a>, monitoring<\/a> how populations are faring and undertaking surveys<\/a> and research<\/a> to find out more about them. <\/p>\n Karajarri Rangers monitoring sea turtle nests. Rangers and researchers have worked together<\/a> to combine Indigenous knowledge with new technologies such as drones, satellite imagery and environmental DNA<\/a> to better understand how Country is changing and inform its care.<\/p>\n Ranger programs also create local jobs, stronger community governance and opportunities for Elders to pass on language, cultural knowledge and practical skills to younger generations. These programs show that caring for Country can deliver<\/a> environmental, cultural and social benefits.<\/p>\n Many Indigenous Protected Areas welcome visitors, offering cultural<\/a> and nature-based tourism<\/a>, walking, camping, fishing and guided experiences. Access rules do vary. Some have restricted access at certain times, or require permission to enter. These arrangements reflect Indigenous ownership and management.<\/p>\n Indigenous ranger Elliott Hunter using fire to care for Nyangumarta Country in the Great Sandy Desert. How are these areas funded?<\/p>\n Like many other protected areas, IPAs are publicly funded. The Australian government gives funds to declare and manage new IPAs through protected area<\/a> and Indigenous ranger<\/a> programs. Some state governments provide extra support<\/a> to ranger teams.<\/p>\n However, these funds usually only cover a fraction of the costs of managing Country in this way. IPAs with ranger programs receive just over A$1 per hectare from government funding<\/a>. By comparison, national park funding varies from around $16 per hectare in Queensland to $58 per hectare in NSW. State governments largely fund<\/a> national parks.<\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/australia\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/file-20260807-60-31sdc2.jpg\")
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\n Karajarri Traditional Lands Association, Author provided (no reuse)<\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/australia\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/file-20260807-111-5x2z48.JPEG\")
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\n Nyangumarta Rangers, Author provided (no reuse)<\/p>\n
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