Fish River Station facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Fish River Station Northern Territory
IUCN Category II (National Park)
Fish River Station Location in Northern Territory
Nearest town or city	Daly River
Established	2010
Area	1,781 square kilometres (688 sq mi)
Managing authorities	Nature Conservancy
See also	Protected areas of the Northern Territory

Fish River Station is a very special protected area in Australia's Northern Territory. It's about 50 kilometers (31 miles) south of Daly River. This amazing place helps protect nature and important cultural sites.

Discover Fish River Station

Fish River Station covers a huge area of about 1,781 square kilometers (688 square miles). That's bigger than many cities! It is located south of Darwin, a major city in the Northern Territory. The Daly River forms its northern and eastern borders. To the west, you'll find the Wingate Mountains.

A Special Place in Nature

This protected area is a mix of different landscapes. You can find parts of the Daly River floodplain here. This means there are many billabongs, which are like small lakes or ponds left behind after a river changes course.

The land also has small areas of beautiful rainforest. There are rugged mountain ranges too. Around these features, you'll see wide-open savannah woodland. This mix of environments makes Fish River Station a home for many different plants and animals.

Protecting the Land: How it Happened

Fish River Station became a protected area in 2010. In 2011, a group of organizations worked together to buy this important land. The main group was the Indigenous Land Corporation. They teamed up with the Nature Conservancy, the Pew Environmental Group, and the Australian Government.

They bought the property for 13 million Australian dollars. The goal was to protect its unique nature and cultural heritage forever. This purchase helped make sure the land would be looked after for future generations.

Traditional Owners and Their Connection

The land of Fish River Station has been home to Indigenous peoples for thousands of years. The traditional owners of this area are the Wagiman, Labarganyan, Malak Malak, and Kamu peoples. They have a deep connection to this land.

In 2011, after the land was bought, something very important happened. The management of Fish River Station was given back to the traditional owners. This means they now lead the efforts to care for and protect their ancestral lands. It helps keep their culture and knowledge strong.