At nearly 20,000 square kilometres, the South East Arnhem Land Indigenous Protected Area (IPA) spans most of south-east Arnhem Land. It covers the far western Gulf of Carpentaria from Blue Mud Bay to the mouth of the Roper River. At the river, tidal flats meet vast coastal plains backed by rugged sandstone uplands.
The vegetation is predominately open eucalypt woodlands. Paperbark and monsoon rainforests are found along waterways or in moister pockets. In the north, tall eucalypt woodlands occur on the deepest soils. The coastal lowlands are characterised by a mosaic of native grasslands, vine thickets, samphire and mangroves.
The IPA is managed by an Advisory Committee of senior elders from the Ngukurr and Numbulwar communities. The committee oversees the Yugul Mangi and Numbulwar Numburindi Amalahgayag Inyung Indigenous Ranger groups that are managed by the Northern Land Council.
The South East Arnhem Land IPA consists of the traditional estates of over 20 clans who speak of themselves as Yugul. Yugul Mangi is a term for all our people, coming together and speaking as one. Their Country comprises a patchwork of homelands with twenty established outstations. Each outstation belongs to a particular family group, or clan.
All homelands are associated with significant cultural sites. All are enormously important, as they reflect the pattern of our traditional land use and ownership. homelands are places at which:
- ceremonies occur
- bush tucker is collected or hunted
- history, stories and traditional ways are passed on to our children.
Sea Country is particularly important, as we have always relied on the sea for our livelihoods. It is part of our culture; our Dreamtime ancestors created marine sites and features just as they did on the land.
State: NT - Arnhem Land region
Administration Organisation
Northern Land Council