Country Needs People

IMPACT AREA 

SAFEGUARDING OUR ENVIRONMENT 

YEAR FIRST SUPPORTED 2017 

Protecting Country and Culture through Indigenous land and sea management. 

Organisation – Country Needs People 

Country Needs People is a leading independent Indigenous-led, non-profit organisation solely dedicated to growing, securing and amplifying the work of Indigenous-led land and sea management in Australia. 

PROTECTING COUNTRY AND CULTURE THROUGH INDIGENOUS LAND AND SEA MANAGEMENT 

Alongside over 50 Indigenous partner groups and with a majority Indigenous board, Country Needs People’s work includes: 

• Assisting in growing the network of Indigenous Rangers and Indigenous Protected Areas (IPAs) around Australia, and providing practical and direct partner support to community-based Indigenous Ranger teams; 

• Consolidating our efforts in remote Australia, while extending our reach into new regions to provide support to burgeoning groups for their on-Country aspirations; 

• Helping to strengthen Indigenous Ranger programs to protect biodiversity, manage fire and invasive species, and build culturally informed management approaches – keeping people, nature and culture strong; and 

• Maintaining support across the political spectrum for Indigenous land and sea management by advocating to state and federal governments, and ensuring governments deliver their funding promises. 

ORGANISATION WEBSITE: WWW.COUNTRYNEEDSPEOPLE.org.au 

ISSUE 

The future health of large parts of Australia is now inseparable from the growth and security of Indigenous land and sea management. Traditional land management practices on Country reinforce communities’ connection to land and culture, contribute to individual and community wellbeing, provide self-determination, a source of employment, and promote landscape health and sustainability. There are now over 129 Indigenous Ranger groups across Australia managing over 25% of Australian land and sea Country, so it is more important than ever to ensure Indigenous land and sea management is well supported and secured into the future.  

RESPONSE 

Country Needs People is solely dedicated to Indigenous-led land and sea management in Australia. Alongside over 50 Indigenous partner groups, we have worked hard to build cross-partisan support to strengthen and increase funding for Indigenous land and sea management. We have mobilised Indigenous and non-Indigenous Australians to support the work of Indigenous Rangers, with over 120,000 people participating in our campaigns.   

Our advocacy has delivered government funding directly for Indigenous Rangers and Indigenous Protected Areas. Our unique model combines our advocacy with practical, direct support to Indigenous Ranger groups and Traditional Owners on Country and sea, to support them to grow and strengthen their work.  

PROGRESS UPDATE 

UPDATED NOVEMBER 2025 

Our advocacy achievements 

Our work, with our Indigenous partner organisations, is delivering major gains including: 

• Over $1.7 billion to extend current Indigenous Ranger contracts and double the number of federally funded Ranger positions by 2030 adding 1,000 new jobs 

• Doubling of Queensland Indigenous Ranger jobs 

• More opportunities for women rangers through a job equity target 

• More than 42 million additional hectares of Australia in Indigenous Protected Areas (IPAs) since 2016 

• IPAs now make up over 54% of Australia’s protected areas on land, and protection of Sea Country across Australia is also growing rapidly 

• Federal Government funding to grow the IPA network, allocating $245 million over 5 years 

• Model has been adapted internationally: The Land Needs Guardians movement in Canada is pursuing the same recognition of the benefits of traditional land management for both Country and people. 

WHAT THE IMPACT FUND’S SUPPORT MEANS 

“Country Needs People ensures Indigenous Rangers get the support they need to look after sea and land Country.” – Rarrtjiwuy Melanie Herdman, Yolngu Traditional Owner 

“Impact Funders have helped us grow from a campaign to an independent organisation, delivering significant dividends for our environment and Indigenous wellbeing.” – Patrick O’Leary, Executive Director, CNP 

Read Case Study in: Making Change Together: Five years of the Impact Fund