Co-investment lends confidence to Indigenous-led conservation effort
Gayini shows what’s possible when Country is cared for by the people who know it best, proving when culture leads, conservation thrives.
Ancient waterways wind through the wetlands of the Riverina, shaping a landscape rich in cultural significance and ecological value.
At the centre of this region lies Gayini, an 88,000-hectare property of which 55,220 hectares is protected through an innovative partnership of the Nari Nari Tribal Council, NSW Biodiversity Conservation Trust, and a consortia of land and water management leaders including UNSW, the Murray Darling Wetlands Working Group and The Nature Conservancy: who together form the cornerstone of one of Australia’s most ambitious private land conservation initiatives.
The landmark, in-perpetuity conservation agreement honours Aboriginal leadership and knowledge while securing ecological protection at scale. It is also the largest private landholding in NSW under a funded conservation agreement.
UNSW Sydney Richard Freeman
NSW Biodiversity Conservation Trust Director of Partnerships and Investments Kate Smillie said the strength of the Gayini agreement is in the trust and collaboration between all parties.
“This is a model of what can be achieved when we work in genuine partnership. The success of Gayini is grounded in shared vision, co-design, and the deep knowledge the Nari Nari people bring to looking after Country,” Kate said.
Gayini Conservation Area Land Manager Mark Brettschneider said the partnership acknowledged the solid connection between Aboriginal culture, heritage, and conservation.
“You might think this is just flat open country, but it’s not. It’s one of the most culturally significant areas in the Riverina,” Mark said.
“To Aboriginal people, we are all one. The land, water, animals - they all teach us. When we began discussions about the conservation agreement, one of the first things we said was that we have to manage this project. If we don't lead, it won’t work. We were heard, and that gave us confidence. That’s real partnership.”
The partnership between the Gayini consortia and the NSW Biodiversity Conservation Trust extends into the wider community through the Trust’s Conservation Champions education program and UNSW research to explore the opportunities to support grazing on certain protected landscapes.
Students are invited to Gayini through the Conservation Champions program to gain hands-on conservation experiences and contribute directly to conservation outcomes.
High school students participating in our Conservation Champions program last year created more than 1,000 seed balls for revegetation, an experience grounded in cultural learning and ecological stewardship.
UNSW researchers’ access to Gayini and the conservation management, led by Nari Nari Tribal Council, are studying the biodiversity impact of grazing. With a grazing clause included in the conservation management plan for the protected area, the contracted research team will study grazing regimes for the property’s specific landscapes, as well as other factors, like fire and floods.
As the global nature crisis accelerates, the conservation efforts on Gayini are a beacon to investors, guiding them in how collective long-term impact can be achieved.
“We know biodiversity is in rapid decline – more than 1,000 species are threatened in NSW alone,” Kate said.
“We can’t reverse that trend alone. But when we partner, when we bring together public funding, private capital, and local knowledge, we can scale up the solutions that work.”
How Conservation Co-investment works
Conservation Co-investment supports landholders with conservation agreements, while also providing broader economic and social outcomes for investors. It brings landholders and investors together to plan for and manage biodiversity.
The 6 priorities for co-investment are:
- Aboriginal cultural values and practices, where we can work with Aboriginal communities to protect and care for places that are culturally important.
- Under-represented ecosystems and landscapes not well represented by public or private conservation efforts.
- Areas with high conservation value, like habitats for threatened species, wetlands and endangered ecosystems.
- Over-cleared vegetation, where we can support habitat recovery and help build biodiversity in areas that have been heavily cleared.
- Areas of landscape connectivity, where we can protect and restore habitat corridors so animals and plants can move, adapt to change and survive in healthy, connected landscapes.
- Areas at high risk of loss, where we can focus on places that face urgent threats and where we can act quickly to protect important sites and stop further damage.
“Our model is about shared investment for shared outcomes,” Kate said.
“We generate returns that go back to landholders, support community benefit, and help regenerate nature at scale.”
The co-investment contributions of Nari Nari Tribal Council, the NSW Biodiversity Conservation Trust and the partners of the Gayini consortia, demonstrate how conservation can be led by community, powered by partnership, and shaped by respect for Country.
If you’re interested in investing in high-priority, large-scale biodiversity opportunities, please review our priorities for investment or email us at partnerships@bct.nsw.gov.au and ask to have a conversation with us.