In March 2025, the government announced the Australian Bushland Program. The program will invest $250 million over 5 years to boost conservation and protect more land.

The Australian Bushland Program involves:

• partnering with state and territory governments to expand, and better manage, protected and conserved areas
• growing the Indigenous Protected Areas (IPA) Program to support First Nations led conservation
• investing in Nature Repair Market projects that protect and conserve biodiversity
• contributing funds to help buy and protect key properties with high biodiversity value.

Australian Bushland Program funding will expand the IPA program.

Funding will be available for 2 years, until 30 June 2028. It will support at least 8 new IPA projects. The new IPA grant round opened on 13 January 2026. It is a competitive round restricted to applications from Indigenous organisations. Applications close on 11 March 2026.