New protected area for the Kimberley

The dedication of a new Indigenous Protected Area (IPA) has been celebrated with a ceremony in Punturrpunturr (Port Smith).

Karajarri Jurarr Ngurra (Sea Country) IPA, located in the south-west Kimberley region of Western Australia, covers 237,489 hectares of sea Country.

IPAs are established under voluntary agreements between First Nations people and the Australian Government to manage and protect areas of land and sea for biodiversity conservation.

The Karajarri people have a deep connection to the sea and the new IPA will strengthen their ability to protect highly diverse ecosystems including wetlands, springs and mangroves which are home to species like dugong, sawfish, dolphins and migratory shorebirds.

Minister for Indigenous Australians, Malarndirri McCarthy said the new  IPA strengthens long‑standing efforts by Karajarri Traditional Owners and Karajarri Rangers to protect the region’s biodiversity and keep Country healthy.

“The dedication is an important step in supporting cultural, social, environmental and economic outcomes for future generations.”

This is the first Sea Country IPA to be dedicated, thanks to funding from the Australian Government’s Oceans Leadership Package.

The Karajarri Traditional Lands Association will manage the IPA in association with Traditional Owners.

Drawing on traditional and western knowledge, management activities will include biodiversity surveys and mapping, turtle monitoring, managing the impacts of climate change as well as language and cultural maintenance.

Minister for the Environment and Water, Murray Watt congratulated tothe Karajarri people and community for the dedication of this unique area adding to the Indigenous Protected Areas estate.

“This new sea Country IPA adds more than 237,000 hectares to Australia’s protected areas, and the dedication will support the maintenance of culture and language, and create employment and other social and economic benefits for community,” he said.

“The Albanese Government has set a target to protect and conserve 30 percent of our land and 30 percent of our oceans by 2030. We’re well underway to reaching that target and IPAs are providing more than half of that contribution.”