At least eight new Indigenous regions will be given official protection after the federal government announced a $13 million funding boost to expand First Nations-led conservation.
Indigenous Protected Areas (IPAs) are created through voluntary agreements between First Nations peoples and the Australian Government to manage and protect land and sea for biodiversity conservation. As of December, just under a quarter of Australia's land mass was formally protected.
The new funding was announced on Monday as part of the government's commitment to protect 30 per cent of Australia's land by 2030.
"This funding will allow Indigenous communities to continue their leadership in land management and conservation, which is essential as we work towards protecting 30 per cent of land by 2030," Environment Minister Murray Watt said.
Since the program began in 1997, 95 IPAs have been established nationwide, covering 108.4 million hectares of land.
"We want to empower more Traditional Owners to care for Country and safeguard their cultural heritage," Senator Watt said. "That's why we're supporting the establishment of new Indigenous Protected Areas through the $250 million Australian Bushland Program."
The Bushland Program supports the IPA scheme as well as other First Nations-led conservation initiatives, including Nature Repair Market projects developed in partnership with state and territory governments.
Last year, six new IPAs were declared and two were expanded. These included 718,463 hectares across the Tiwi Islands, 31,941 hectares on Ewamian Country in the Gulf Savannah region, 144,493 hectares on Nyul Nyul Country in the Kimberley, and nearly four million hectares in the Central Western Desert.
Following five years of consultation between Traditional Owners and the Tiwi Land Council, the Tiwi Islands — home to about 2,300 people — were formally designated as an IPA at a ceremony in December.
Former Tiwi Land Council chair Gibson Farmer Illortaminni said the designation would help communities "continue to look after our country and our culture for all the generations to come".
"To keep our country healthy, our people healthy and our culture strong, we need to bring together our knowledge of the past with new ways of doing things today," he said at the time.
In March, the Central Desert IPA was announced, covering the Haasts Bluff Aboriginal Land Trust — almost 40,000 square kilometres — and forming part of a 435,000 square kilometre cross-border protected desert region alongside Uluru-Kata Tjuta and Watarrka national parks.
Central Land Council CEO Les Turner said the IPA was "not just about conservation," but about empowering Traditional Owners to lead development on their land by "creating good jobs on Country".
Further funding announcements under the Australian Bushland Program will be made throughout 2026.
For more information, including eligibility and how to apply, visit GrantConnect.
Applications will open on Tuesday 13 January 2026 and close on Wednesday 11 March 2026 at 9:00pm AEDT.
