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ABC NEWS: New Central Western Desert Indigenous Protected Area spans 4 million hectares

Article by Victoria Ellis. Read here.

Anangu traditional owners have welcomed the dedication of the Central Western Desert Indigenous Protected Area (IPA).

An IPA is an area of land or sea that traditional owners manage for biodiversity conservation, as part of an agreement with the federal government.

Linda Nakamara Allen is a traditional owner within the Central Western Desert IPA, and is part of a group that has been working towards its dedication since 2017.

“I feel so proud,” she said.

“It has grown from little things to big things, and it’s still growing.”

An Aboriginal woman sits on a camp chair and smiles. The red sand and blue sky are vibrant.
Linda Nakamara Allen at Ilpili in the Central Western Desert. (ABC Alice Springs: Victoria Ellis)

Lynda Lechleitner, an Anangu Luritjiku facilitator for the Central Land Council, said “tireless” work had gone into the dedication.

“It’s a long time coming,” she said.

“Where we are right now is significant to the Anangu people of this area.

“We’re just all overwhelmed and all proud and happy to celebrate this IPA.”

Where is the Central Western Desert IPA?

The Central Western Desert IPA spans 4 million hectares over the Haasts Bluff Aboriginal Land Trust, which was handed back to traditional owners in 1978.

It encompasses the remote communities of Utju (Areyonga), Ikuntji (Haasts Bluff), Warumpi (Papunya), Watiyawanu (Mount Liebig) and Walungurru (Kintore), and 40 outstations.

A map showing the central western desert area spanning from Areyonga to the Western Australian border.
The Central Western Desert IPA spans 40,000 square kilometres. (Supplied: Central Land Council)

Central Land Council chief executive Les Turner said the new IPA was “like a little jigsaw” piece, filling a gap.

“It joins four other IPAs we’ve got — we’ve got the southern, northern Tanami, Angus Downs, Katiti Peterman and now we’ll have the Haasts Bluff one,” he said.

“It’s a jewel for everyone.”

A red desert scene with a huge range on the horizon and a bright blue sky.
The new IPA encompasses a number of remote communities and outstations. (ABC Alice Springs: Victoria Ellis)

What will happen on the IPA?

IPAs are established under agreements between First Nations peoples and the federal government to manage and protect areas of land and sea for biodiversity conservation.

Ms Lechleitner said there were a number of native species that rangers would protect in the Central Western Desert IPA.

“We’ve got the princess parrot, the (central) rock rats, and we’ve got the great desert skink in these areas, but there’s so many other more projects that we have planned,” she said.

An Aboriginal woman smiles and stands in the shade with a green drink bottle under her arm.
Lynda Lechleitner says protecting native species will be a key focus. (ABC Alice Springs: Victoria Ellis)

Ms Nakamara Allen said rangers would also protect the environment.

“The water holes are getting damaged every day, every time we come to visit,” she said.

“In the past it wasn’t being damaged — I know, because I grew up drinking those water holes.

“We are now getting it across to the children today, educating them to have the knowledge and understanding that they can get from the elders.”

Feral camels are huge threat to waterhole conservation in outback Australia.

Men and boys make a horizontal line, they wear ceremonial paint on their chests.
A group of men perform a ceremony at the IPA dedication. (ABC Alice Springs: Victoria Ellis)

Where does the IPA funding come from?

Across Australia there are 91 dedicated IPAs managed by First Nations people, covering more than 100 million hectares of land and 6 million hectares of sea country.

The federal government is providing $231.5 million over five years from July 2023 to continue the IPA program.

An Aboriginal woman holds her sunglasses in hand and squints into the sun. Ranges and desert are behind her.
Lynda Lechleitner, pictured at Ilpili, says traditional owners are looking to the future. (ABC Alice Springs: Victoria Ellis)

Minister for Indigenous Australians Malarndirri McCarthy said the program provided more opportunities for the economic empowerment of First Nations communities.

“The dedication of the Central Western Desert IPA formally recognises the important work of traditional owners, Indigenous rangers and First Nations communities in protecting this vast area of land for future generations,” she said.

Ms Lechleitner said communities were now looking to the future.

“This IPA gives us our own voice and brings all the communities together in managing our land,” she said.

“It’s also going to make it faster to deliver our work on the ground because we are all working towards the same plan.”