Registrations for the 2026 IDA Conference are now open.
Many desert ranger groups travelled to the 2014 World Parks Congress in Sydney and seized the opportunity to connect. At that first meeting, a natural alliance of friends was born.
So began the development of the IDA, and many collaborations, events, projects and good times have been had since. We have come a long way from that meeting in 2014 but what made it work then still makes it work today, the strength of connection between desert rangers and the desire to work together for healthy Country.
The first meeting of groups that are now part of the IDA membership happened in 2014 at the World Parks Congress in Sydney. Many desert ranger groups travelled to be a part of this event and we all seized on the opportunity to come together and to get to know each other better. At that meeting, a natural ‘alliance of friends’ was born.
IDA Forums were held in 2015 and 2016. Ranger delegates mapped out land management issues and opportunities in their regions on a huge map to connect the regional desert management picture.
The 2016 Ninu Festival brought desert ranger teams together in Kiwirrkurra – the most remote community in Australia. Ranger teams learned from each other and scientists about looking after the culturally significant bilby, including future plans for its protection.
The first big IDA Conference was held at Perth's WA Maritime Museum in Fremantle, Western Australia. 130 delegates discussed regional priorities for desert rangers.
The inaugural 2017 Southern Desert Ranger Forum (SDRF) brought together more than 85 people from across Western Australia, South Australia and the Northern Territory at Illurlka, Great Victoria Desert. Collectively, the ranger groups who attended manage an area of 1.2 million square kilometres.
Goldfields Land and Sea Management Rangers hosted the second SDRF in 2018 on Credo Station, Western Australia.
Wiluna Martu and Birriliburu Rangers hosted the 2019 SDRF at Matuwa Kurarra Kurarra Indigenous Protected Area (IPA) and Birriliburu IPA.
The SDRF was hosted online in 2020 and 2021 bringing over 100 delegates together to yarn up and share information.
The 10 Desert Project was a transformative period for a coordinated and collaborative approach to Indigenous desert land management at scale.
The project was led by the Indigenous Desert Alliance and involved some of Australia’s most successful Indigenous organisations supported by international and regional conservation partners.
The 2018 IDA Conference brought the desert again to the city. It was held at the University of Western Australia Club, Perth, WA. Over 160 attendees participated in 3 days of workshops, planning and networking.
The Species of the Desert Festival was hosted by the Paruku and Kumirrki Rangers on Paraku IPA in the Great Sandy Desert, with support of IDA member Kimberley Land Council. Rangers came together to talk about how they were planning to look after threatened species, like the newly re-discovered Night Parrot, as well as planning and discussions on ensuring that culturally significant animals were being looked after.
The 2019 IDA conference was held at Uluṟu for the first time. It was a landmark event with 240 delegates and became a celebration of Indigenous desert rangers in the heart of the desert.
Due to pandemic travel restrictions, the 2020 and 2021 IDA Conferences were held online over two days via video conference. Even though rangers couldn’t come together face to face, the desert stayed connected with over 30 ranger teams sharing information and discussing regional priorities.
The 2022 IDA Conference marked the first time Indigenous rangers from across the desert were able to meet in person since 2019 due to COVID-19 restrictions. 375 delegates from over 40 desert ranger teams gathered at Uluṟu for three days of sharing and connecting.
It was a special time, full of joy, laughs and passion. Rangers made their mob proud by speaking up for country and discussing Indigenous land management priorities for one-third of the Australian land mass.
The IDA ensures Traditional Owner priorities lead significant species monitoring and management, and ranger teams receive strong and appropriate support to do this work. The IDA is proud to have facilitated Australia’s first Indigenous-led recovery plan for a threatened species – the Tjakura (Great Desert Skink). Since 2022, we have lead Mulyamiji March, an annual monitoring program to support the survival of this culturally significant species.
Traditional Owners, Indigenous rangers and conservation groups from the southern deserts met over three days at Morapoi Station for the 2023 Malleefowl Workshop. The workshop enabled desert ranger teams to connect up, share local and cultural knowledge and work together on protecting Nganamara.
The IDA Foundation is a philanthropic fund created by desert rangers for desert rangers. Its purpose is to help where it is needed most by enabling tailored grant-based support and prioritising Indigenous led aspirations for Culture, Community and Country.
The IDA Foundation funds Indigenous led land management activities which provide social, cultural, economic and environmental outcomes in the Australian desert. As of 2025, $1 million in philanthropic support was distributed through 18 grants, enabling ranger teams to deliver projects driven by Indigenous knowledge, needs, and cultural priorities.
The 2024 IDA Conference was the biggest gathering of Indigenous desert rangers to date. 423 delegates from 54 ranger groups made the journey to Uluṟu.
The conference theme was “A decade of connection”, to celebrate 10 years of connecting, learning and working together as an alliance and network. A big focus of the conference was strengthening the alliance, yarning about matters of regional importance, sharing information and most importantly, connecting with each other.
The IDA facilitates the world’s largest Indigenous-led fire management program. In 2025, we supported 35 ranger teams working on 17 Indigenous Protected Areas to manage around 66 million hectares of desert country with right way fire. This is collaborative, landscape scale conservation at its best!
The IDA is celebrating 21 desert ranger team exchanges! A milestone all IDA members can be proud of. Desert mob involved in these exchanges continue what our old people started; connecting, sharing knowledge, learning from each other and looking after country together.
A big part of keeping the desert connected means enabling peer-to-peer learning and knowledge sharing activities on Country. To do this, the IDA enables regular ranger collaborations, encouraging professional development and access to broader support networks for emerging and established ranger teams.
Warning: Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander peoples should be aware that this website may contain images, voices and names of people who have passed away which may cause sadness or distress.