ABSTRACT Studies of land divided into regions based on various criteria have long attracted geographers around the world. Insights from these studies, with a focus on Australia, highlight the power of geographical analyses to differentiate areas of community interest that can activate government policies in addressing spatially specific issues. Application of the regional approach in the form of integrated natural resource management that will capture the trust of regional communities should guide the restoration and resilience of landscapes experiencing decades of degradation. Forces of environmental change along with other social and economic pressures are continually transforming landscapes. This requires the application of a devolved governance framework based on multi-level governance principles that reflect regional geographical character at a scale linked to community identities and interests committed to achieving sustained outcomes over time.