The Darwin Harbour Indigenous Marine Ranger program is an innovative monitoring and research collaboration between the Northern Territory’s Department of Land Resource Management (DLRM) and Larrakia Nation Aboriginal Corporation (LNAC), with additional support from the North Australian Marine Research Alliance (NAMRA). The program aims to train Indigenous rangers in technical skills, whilst increasing the level of Harbour environmental research and monitoring. The program was initiated to meet the requirements of the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation (EPBC) Act, as an offset for the Darwin Harbour East Arm Wharf expansion; however, it is expected to achieve broader social and environmental benefits through enhancing Indigenous capacity at individual and organisational levels.

Whilst most of Darwin Harbour is in near-natural condition, there are small but significant developed areas and Darwin is an expanding population centre, sea transport and industry hub.  The monitoring and research program is an important element in the adaptive management of Darwin Harbour’s environment.

The Larrakia, salt water people, are the traditional owners of the greater Darwin region and LNAC provides an Indigenous cultural foundation to the program.  The program supports the established LNAC Ranger Group by funding four additional marine rangers, who receive training from the DLRM and NAMRA partners.  The program provides opportunity for the rangers to work on sea country and coastal areas of Larrakia traditional land, participating  in the research and monitoring programs for  migratory shorebirds, water quality, dolphin, dugong, fish, seagrass and sediment.  Rangers will also engage in community education, providing positive role modelling to other young Indigenous people.