Dedicated in 2013, Dambimangari Indigenous Protected Area (IPA) is located on the dramatic Kimberley coast between Broome and Darwin. Situated north of Derby, it stretches east to the Prince Regent area and covers 642,294 hectares of contrasting landscapes — open grasslands merge into eucalyptus woodlands which extend to intertidal flats, rocky reefs and shoals — all abundant with plants and animals.
Dambimangari, which means ‘belonging to homeland’, is the traditional home of the Worrarra people. Dambimangari peoples’ identity is interwoven with the sea and its reefs and islands. Reefs are important hunting grounds for Jaya (saltwater fish) and Warliny (dugong) and a good catch means their ancestors are happy and looking after them.
The Dambimangari Rangers, funded by the Western Australian Government, are guided by the Dambimangari Healthy Country Plan. The ranger team undertake both land and sea management operations, including fire and weed management, biodiversity monitoring, documenting cultural sites and marine park patrols.
