ICIN was grateful to be invited to the Tiwi Islands Indigenous Protected Area (IPA) Dedication Ceremony on 10th December, at the Nguiu Club, Wurrumiyanga, Bathurst Islands.  

"Having this IPA will leave something for the future. We will have this IPA our whole lives, we can pass it on to the next generation. They will have it for their whole lives too. This is very good - good for country, good for culture, good for Tiwi!" John Wilson, Tiwi IPA Committee. 

The plan of management for the IPA has been in the works since 2020, with all eight Tiwi clans Jikilaruwu, Mantiyupwi, Wurankuwu, Malawu, Munupi, Wulirankuwu, Yimpinari, and Marrikawuyanga being consulted throughout the process. The plan of management demonstrates the interconnected nature of the Tiwi people, country, traditional law and culture and also how the IPA meets national and international standardard of protected area management.  

"It was such an honour to be attend the Tiwi Islands IPA ceremony. This is my second IPA dedication event I have attended with ICIN, all IPA dedication events are a significant step in recognising  areas of cultural and environmental significance, but as a Tiwi being back on Tiwi soil  it makes it so much more meaningful, I am so proud of my people" Suzanne Munkara, ICIN Policy Officer.

In August 2025, the Tiwi Islands IPA was dedicated by the Australian Government and the Tiwi Traditional Owners - adding 718,463 hectares to the Australian National Reserve System. The IPA will protect the Islands’ environment and cultural heritage and will provide jobs on country for Tiwi. 
 
"We want to get all the schools involved. We don't want to be fighting fire, we want to use early burning, but if there are wildfires in the late season we have to go out in the heat with our blowers to try to put it out," Derek Puruntatameri, Tiwi Rangers. 

Did you know that the Tiwi Islands contain: 

• More than 1200 rainforest patches (highest density of rainforests in the Northern Territory) 

• At least 1200 plant species and 368 vertebrate species 

• 24 animal species that are listed as threatened under the national Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 

• 11 endemic (restricted to the Tiwi Islands) plant species, with a further 17 plant species known in the NT only from the Tiwi Islands 

“We need to reconnect back to country, its healing being on country, healing for everyone” - Marilyn Kerinaiua, Tiwi IPA Committee     

ICIN extends a huge congratulation to the Tiwi people for this amazing achievement.