In 2011, Western Australia introduced the purpose of “protecting and conserving the value of the land to the culture and heritage of Aboriginal persons” into the Conservation and Land Management Act. While bringing little change to traditional owners perspectives on land management, this is a powerful driver of change within the Western Australian government as it requires an ongoing collaboration with diverse groups of Aboriginal people who have different priorities, understandings of land management, and decision making structures to the state. The differences between Traditional Owners and PWS conservation managers have both demanded changes within conservation management, and are a source of tension that will propel further changes in conservation management. Based on 17 interviews with Traditional Owners, state-employed conservation managers and non-Indigenous land managers working in Aboriginal organisations, this presentation investigates how joint management is changing official conservation management and discusses the key issues raised by participants. It seeks to document the progress and achievements of joint management while also looking at the sources of tensions and the possibilities for ongoing improvements in joint management collaborations.