BACKING INDIGENOUS LAND & SEA MANAGERS
There are now over 129 Indigenous Ranger Groups across Australia, and over 54% of Australia's reserves on land are Indigenous Protected Areas.
Australia's Indigenous Protected Area (IPA) estate is diverse and enormous. As of June 2025, there are 91 IPAs around Australia covering more than 104M ha on land and 6Mha on sea, with 30 in development.
Country Needs People is focused on supporting and expanding Indigenous Ranger groups and Indigenous Protected Areas (IPAs), and the varied work of caring for Country across Australia.
The key initiatives of Indigenous Rangers and IPA programs receive the bulk of their funding from the Federal Government, with notable contributions from some state governments, and there are strong links between the two programs.
INDIGENOUS RANGERS
Indigenous Rangers are Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander peoples who are employed by their local communities to look after the environmental and cultural values of their Country – the land and sea that has traditionally belonged to their people.
Their work can include controlling feral animals and invasive weeds, protecting threatened plants and animals, maintaining cultural sites, propagating and planting native plants, managing visitors, patrolling for biosecurity threats, and applying culturally-informed fire management to country.
The work of Indigenous Rangers applies across land and sea, on Indigenous land and on non-Indigenous owned land, parks and reserves where agreements to collaborate or co-manage are arranged.
Indigenous Rangers commonly work with a ‘two toolbox’ approach, drawing on local and culturally derived knowledge, and using contemporary science and technology to deliver management informed by both knowledge systems.
The work of hosting and supporting ranger teams, their project work and general land and sea management operations is typically carried by local or regional Indigenous run organisations, sometimes with the support of other Indigenous network organisations, government agencies or non-profit groups.
Find out where federally funded Indigenous Ranger teams are located by using the interactive map below.
We also acknowledge the many state-funded Indigenous Ranger groups, which are not featured in this map.
INDIGENOUS PROTECTED AREAS
Indigenous Protected Areas (IPAs) are areas of land or sea Country where the Traditional Owners have voluntarily declared their intention to care for that Country in line with international conservation principles established by the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN) and as part of an agreement with the Australian Federal Government.
Once a proposed IPA has been accepted for funding by the Australian Government, the area to be protected is included as a part of Australia’s National Reserve System 1. In total IPAs now make up more than half of Australia's National Reserve System, and are located in every state and territory except the ACT.
This however can only be done after an extensive consultation process led by Traditional Owners, where a draft IPA plan covering key priorities for managing biodiversity, cultural priorities and other aspects of the designated land or sea is prepared, then agreed to by both Traditional Owners and government, as a basis for ongoing management.
IPAs differ from other areas included in the National Reserve System because as well as protecting environmental values, they also safeguard the cultural and other values of importance to the Traditional Owners. The use of traditional knowledge is a key part of the management of all IPAs.
A majority of IPAs are managed with the support of separately funded Indigenous Ranger teams.
Our publication 'IPAs - a Short Guide' provides a brief overview of IPAs in Australia, as of March 2025.
1.The National Reserve System is Australia’s network of protected areas, conserving examples of landscape, fauna and flora.
Banner image: Budj Bim World Heritage Ranger Aaron Morgan. Inset: Yirrganydji Rangers Taylah Mitchell & Gavin Singleton. Photos: Annette Ruzicka