A vast stretch of Aboriginal-owned land in the south-eastern Northern Territory has been formally dedicated as a new Indigenous Protected Area (IPA), marking a major milestone for conservation and Aboriginal land management across Australia.
IPAs — established through agreements between First Nations groups and the Commonwealth — enable Traditional Owners to manage land and sea for biodiversity conservation while maintaining cultural responsibilities to Country.
The new Pmere Atherre Antenterreme Indigenous Protected Area covers 47,311 square kilometres in the Simpson Desert—an area that, together with neighbouring Aboriginal land trusts, spans roughly two-thirds the size of Tasmania.
The declaration means around a quarter of Australia's landmass is now protected through Aboriginal and other conservation management, with IPAs making up more than half of the National Reserve System.
Traditional Owners gathered at Uluperte homeland, about four hours south-east of Alice Springs, on Tuesday to celebrate the declaration.
Traditional owner Marlene Doolan said protecting Country was inseparable from preserving culture, noting there are "many stories and many songs" to pass on to future generations.
"Our country is sacred to us, and we want to keep it strong," she said.
Children from nearby schools joined celebrations at the dedication, taking part in activities including tracking, hunting, gathering bush foods and making bush medicine alongside Elders.
Traditional owner Paul Williams said taking children onto Country at an early age was vital.
"Best thing is to take them out when they are school age to learn them young," he said.
The agreement between the Central Land Council (CLC) and the Federal Government will provide funding to help Traditional Owners protect the area's significant cultural heritage, sacred sites and rich biodiversity.
CLCL chief executive Les Turner said Pmere Atherre Antenterreme — meaning "working together to look after two areas of country" — reflected the partnership between Traditional Owners, and refers to "two language and cultural groups".
He said the new protected area would support the conservation of around 900 animal and plant species.
"Three of our ranger groups will work with the traditional owners to look after the 21 threatened animal species found on the IPA," Mr Turner said.
Threatened species found within the protected area include the crest-tailed mulgara, night parrot, bilby, dusky hopping mouse, plains mouse, princess parrot, grey falcon and Eyrean grasswren.
Three threatened plant species — birds nest wattle, sea heath and Acacia peuce — are also found across the landscape, the CLC said.
Traditional Owners have developed a management plan that will guide conservation efforts, including controlling weeds and feral animals, managing fire and responding to the impacts of tourism while protecting culturally significant sites.
Traditional owner Damien Ryder said the plan would provide a clearer path for future land management, likening it to a road map.
"There's already a rough road," he said. "The plan is like a grader coming along and smoothing it out so we can get to where we want to go."
The additional support is also expected to help families spend more time on Country, creating more opportunities to pass cultural knowledge, songlines, laws and ceremonies to younger generations.
