The Albanese Government is investing up to $13 million to establish at least eight new Indigenous Protected Areas (IPAs).
This funding will advance efforts towards achieving Australia's 30 by 30 goal - a commitment to protect 30 per cent of land by 2030.
Indigenous Protected Areas are areas of land and sea that Traditional Owners manage for nature conservation and the protection of cultural values.
First Nations people have been successfully looking after land for 65,000 years and this funding will support more Traditional Owners to continue to lead land and sea management across Australia.
Since the launch of the IPA Program in 1997, 95 IPAs have been dedicated across Australia.
IPAs now cover 108.4 million hectares of Australia's land - over 54 per cent of our national protected area estate.
In 2025, the Albanese Government delivered six IPAs and expanded two more, adding almost 16 million hectares and 2.08 per cent to the 30 by 30 land target.
As of December, 24.92 per cent of Australia's landmass was protected.
Minister for the Environment and Water Murray Watt said the IPA Program is a proven success story that will continue to advance our global environmental commitments.
"This funding will allow Indigenous communities to continue their leadership in land management and conservation, which is essential as we work towards protecting 30 per cent of land by 2030.
"We want to empower more Traditional Owners to care for Country and safeguard their cultural heritage, that's why we're supporting the establishment of new Indigenous Protected Areas through the $250 million Australian Bushland Program."
