-Robbie Wongawol, ranger and Traditional Owner.
Birriliburru country has been cared for by Traditional Owners over 25,000 years, and it still is to this day.
Birriliburru is a massive Indigenous Protected Area (IPA) of over 6.6 million hectares, located in Central Western Australia. It includes the spectacular sandstone Carnarvon Ranges - Katjarra - with another site Mungarlu, the Constance Headland, being notable as the largest and most dependable water source in the area. These long valleys are host to a remarkable quantity of ancient rock art, and home to threatened species such as the greater bilby.
Birriliburru Traditional Owners have a cultural responsibility to look after their country. This means keeping culture strong, passing on knowledge from elders to the younger generation, managing feral pests, and making sure that the impacts of tourism are positive.
The Birrilburru IPA binds all these priorities together. By establishing funding for land management, the IPA creates local economic opportunities for the next generation, ensuring the survival of cultural knowledge and the protection of country.