WA’s nature is who we are right now — and who we’ll be in the future

WA’s protected areas do more than just look after nature, they —

💪 Power tourism and open up areas for recreation
👷‍♀️ Create jobs and diversify the WA economy
💚 Support Traditional Owners to care for Country
📸 Provide a backdrop to our best moments and memories

**Nyangumarta Rangers building a fence around a birthing tree.** *Courtesy of Nyangumarta Warrarn Aboriginal Corporation and Yamatji Marlpa Aboriginal Corporation*

Nature brings people together and shapes what it means to be Western Australian. By expanding and looking after our nature, we’re backing a future that’s better for people, community and culture.

Partnerships that look after Country & culture 🤝

Looking after our nature also means partnering with WA’s First Nations who have been caring for our environment for thousands of years, and who continue their connection and custodianship with Country.

WA is leading the way in jointly managed national parks where Traditional Owners and government are working together to protect nature and culture.

These partnerships are:

Creating jobs for managing and working on Country
Supporting traditional knowledge systems and land management practices
Opening up opportunities for cultural tourism
Building capacity and making communities stronger
Recognising Traditional Ownership of Country

**Installation of road signs.** *Courtesy of Nyangumarta Warrarn Aboriginal Corporation and Yamatji Marlpa Aboriginal Corporation*

Across WA, this model is helping enduring land practices that have been working for tens of thousands of years – from fire management to protecting sacred sites and songlines.

Our WA Better by Nature Alliance also supports private protected areas, Indigenous Protected Areas and other partnerships that support Indigenous-led conservation.

Indigenous-led conservation strengthens both the land and the lives of those connected to it.

*Courtesy of Nyangumarta Warrarn Aboriginal Corporation and Yamatji Marlpa Aboriginal Corporation*

Nature’s good for the economy 💰

WA’s protected areas not only support native species, they support people, jobs, regions and the economy.

The numbers speak for themselves…

Every year, nature-based recreation in WA:

Generates 2.1 billion in spending (gear, trips, tours)
Happens more that 38 million times (West Aussies love the outdoors!)
Supports around 18,500 full-time jobs in regional areas where nature is best.

Nature-based recreation contributes around $1.1 billion in direct gross value to WA annually — through everything from park ranger roles and tourism operators to accommodation, food and fuel along the way.

That data was from 2018! Since then, the Plan for Our Parks program has grown protected areas in WA by 6.5 million hectares and created over 270+ jobs, now the future looks even brighter.

Investing in nature is investing in jobs, regional resilience, our First Nations and an outdoor economy. It’s not just about protecting what we have for conservation — it’s about diversifying and backing an economy that grows with nature and makes it better.

Nature’s good for tourism 📸

WA covers one-third of the continent and our scale, diversity and iconic landscapes makes us one of the world’s most unforgettable destinations — and when it comes to tourism, WA’s nature and culture is our natural advantage 💪.

Protected areas open up more of these incredible places for people to:

⛺️ Camp under the stars
🖤❤️💛 Learn about WA’s First Nations
🥾 Hike diverse landscapes
Get off-road and go bush
📸 Visit lookouts and nature walks
🚣 Paddle through rivers and gorges
🌸 See the wildflowers in bloom

Protected areas make all this possible in a safe, accessible and well-managed way, giving us places to visit, learn about culture and people, and fall in love with – all while making sure they’re looked after for the long haul.

And every visitor means more for the local economy—from truckstops and caravan parks to community stores, cultural tour operators and accommodation. It’s how we build a more resilient and diverse economy, one that supports communities and nature, for the better.

Our nature is part of what it means to be Western Australian

Nature is where life happens in WA.

From camping under the stars in the Western Desert, to hiking alongside the tall-tree trails in our south west, or heading up the coast in a 4WD for a weekend with family and mates — our nature is where some of our strongest memories are made.

Remember the good times…like:

Getting bogged
Being eaten by mozzies
Changing a tyre
Bugged by flies
Cooking in the dark
Setting up your tent in the rain
Getting lost
Getting sunburnt.

Nature is our weekend escape, our quiet moment, and our next big adventure. It:

🧠 Supports our mental and physical wellbeing
🤝 Brings communities together
🌿 Creates a shared responsibility to look after the places that define us

National parks and protected areas are the backdrop to our lives – they inspire us and remind us that life can be more. It shapes how we live, who we are, and what WA becomes in the future.

Our favourite parts of WA and places that need our help are under increasing pressure — we risk losing part of who we are.

By using tools like private protected areas and parks, we’re looking after what it means to be Western Australian — for our future, our communities, our culture, and each other.