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​​Indigenous Protected Area Program management change

16 April 2026
Country and environment
​Caption: The black-footed rock wallaby is listed as Vulnerable under national environment law and is found in several Indigenous Protected Areas (IPAs) across Australia.​

​​The Department of Climate Change, Energy and the Environment (DCCEEW) are now managing the Indigenous Protected Area (IPA) Program (The Program).​

​​As of 1 April 2026, DCCEEW is now the single lead department and main point of contact for the IPA Program. 

​The program was previously jointly managed with the National Indigenous Australians Agency (NIAA). 

​This change is making things: 

  • Simpler for IPA providers. 
  • ​Easier to manage. 

​IPA providers now have a dedicated DCCEEW project officer and their agreements are managed by DCCEEW in partnership with the Community Grants Hub (CGH).  

​The change is administrative and does not affect: 

  • ​on-Country work and activities 
  • funding 
  • dedications 
  • management plans 
  • agreements 
  • the Indigenous Ranger Program, which remains managed by NIAA. 

​The Australian Government is committed to the long-term success and growth of the IPA Program. There are 96 dedicated IPAs across Australia covering more than 115.3 million hectares of land and sea. 

​You can find more information or support from: https://www.dcceew.gov.au/environment/land/indigenous-protected-areas​. IPA providers can speak to their dedicated DCCEEW IPA program project officer or contact ipa@dcceew.gov.au.