Five million hectares of land around Uluru in Australia's Northern Territory is to be declared an Indigenous Protected Area, allowing traditional owners to better preserve sites of cultural significance.
A ceremony will be held at a remote centre between Uluru an the Western Australian border today, allowing the Anangu people to receive federal government funding to protect sacred sites, native plants and animals around the Uluru-Kata Tjuta National Park.
"We really want to teach the young ones how to look after the place properly and strongly ... to get out there and see all the water holes and important places," traditional owner Janie Miama said.
The Central Land Council said the new protected area would help the Anangu re-engage in traditional cultural practices.
"They can get out on country for burning, clearing of water holes or ceremony and to take young people out with them and pass on cultural knowledge," director David Ross said.
Australia already has 51 Indigenous Protected Areas covering 36 million hectares.
