Indigenous Communities

and the Environment

Indigenous Protected Area - video

Paruku, Western Australia

The spectacular wetlands of Paruku are an internationally renowned haven for hundreds of thousands of birds. Covering around 4,300 square kilometres on the borders of the Great Sandy Desert and Tanami bioregions, Paruku is located south of the township of Halls Creek.


Indigenous Protected Areas - Paruku, WA from Parks Australia on Vimeo.


Paruku Indigenous Protected Area borders the Great Sandy and Tanami deserts in Western Australia - but is probably best known for its spectacular wetlands.

Wade Freeman, Paruku IPA, WA
The IPA itself is 5,140 square kilometres. The wetland here on average is 387 square kilometres, so it's a huge area. The Canning Stock Route is a major source of four-wheel drive enthusiasts.

As part of our tourism project is educating tourists about the Indigenous perspective on this area and we have set up some interpretive shelters at our tourist centres.

Paruku's traditional owners want to help tourists understand their culture and country.

Elizabeth 'Noonie' Lulu, Paruku IPA, WA
Well first when they come into our country we take them to the lake, side of the lake and get mud and rub it on their arms or legs and around their face to say that they're welcome to our country, so the ancestors won't disturb them.

The elders know more about the land and about the history, to teach our young people to protect the land, to protect our sacred site and all our animals that are around the lake, so the tourists can recognise that there's Aboriginal people here.