Freshwater springs and billabongs are central to the life of Nyul Nyul people of the Dampier Peninsula in north Western Australia. . For countless generations they have been an important source of food, clean drinking water and served as a place to cool off; and many are also places of deep cultural significance. Since the arrival of Europeans, new threats to the health of freshwater habitats have emerged including inappropriate fire regimes, grazing by feral donkeys, and introduced fish species. A collaborative research approach has brought together Indigenous Rangers, Traditional Owners and researchers to utilise local traditional knowledge and scientific techniques to gain a richer understanding of culturally and ecologically important freshwater habitats on the Dampier Peninsular. Core components of the project include onground sampling to gather vital baseline scientific data including fish species distribution and riparian condition. This data, combined with the analysis of remote sensing imagery on Nyul Nyul freshwater habitats, have been used as the basis for discussions and integration of local and traditional knowledge about these areas. The information gathered through these various means will identify practical monitoring techniques and allow for the development of culturally appropriate data collection tools, for the ongoing monitoring and protection of both the cultural and ecological values of Nyul Nyul freshwater habitats. This novel approach represents a best practice model for supporting Indigenous land and sea managers like the Nyul Nyul Rangers, who are the key to managing biodiversity across Australia’s vast and sparsely populated north.