Located in the rugged, beautiful Kimberley region near the Western Australian border is the Balanggarra Indigenous Protected Area (IPA). Dedicated in 2013, it covers over 1 million hectares of land and sea country.
The northern part of the Balanggarra country is ‘blue water’ country and includes Cape Londonderry, several rivers such as the lower Drysdale and King George, saltwater, reefs, and offshore islands, like Sir Graham Moore and the Governor Islands. The southern part is ‘brown water’ country and includes land drained by the Forrest River system, the muddy waters of the Cambridge Gulf and Adolphus Island.
The Balanggarra Rangers look after country both ways, using traditional knowledge and western scientific methods: Walking in both worlds with their knowledge allows Balanggarra Rangers to do ‘right-way-fire management’, look after cultural sites, undertake wildlife surveys and conduct weed-management activities.