ACKNOWLEDGEMENT OF COUNTRY

The Australian Government acknowledges the Traditional Owners of Country throughout Australia and acknowledges their continuing connection to land, waters and community. We pay our respects to the people, the cultures and the Elders past and present.

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people should be aware that this website may contain images, voices and names of deceased persons.

Indigenous.gov.au Connecting With First Nations Australians
Back to Stories

Willandra Lakes Area Rangers preserving heritage

21 May 2025
Two men walk across a dry lake bed

Paakantji, Mutthi Mutthi and Ngyiampaa peoples work as Rangers on their country and in the unique Willandra Lakes World Heritage Area to preserve Aboriginal cultural heritage.

The Willandra Lakes region in NSW is one of 15 World Heritage places included in the National Heritage List. It’s home to the oldest ritual human burials in the world and a system of ancient lakes which hold artefacts from a currently estimated 50,000 years of Aboriginal occupation.

The Willandra Lakes Rangers work in partnership with private landholders and the NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service staff. They manage and protect this fragile region through conservation works across 2.4 million hectares. 

Lawrence ‘Uey’ Slade, a Ngyiampaa man, serves as the Aboriginal Heritage Projects Officer in the Willandra Lakes World Heritage Region. 

This short film features Mr Slade working alongside Elders from the three traditional tribal groups: Barkindji/Paakantyi, Mutthi Mutthi, and Ngyiampaa. In the film, Mr Slade talks about the diverse values held by various stakeholders in the area, the challenges these differences can pose in managing this unique place. He cares deeply about conserving and protecting Aboriginal cultural heritage for future generations.