Latest News

Back to Latest News back

 

NSW Government doubles goal for expansion of national parks estate

NSW Government doubles goal for expansion of national parks estate
November 1, 2020

The NSW Government has announced that it has added more than 270,000 hectares to its national park estate, meeting its goals to increase the footprint a year early.

Gazetting 202,669 hectares of additional national park land on Friday, including 153,682 hectares for the new Narriearra Caryapundy Swamp national park in the state’s far north-west, NSW Environment Minister Matt Kean said the new additions were the largest increase to national parks in a single day since 2005.

He advised “permanently reserving national parks is the cornerstone of biodiversity conservation in NSW.

“I made a commitment last year to expand the parks estate by 200,000 hectares and I am pleased to see that we have achieved that and more in just over a year.

“That’s why we are taking it up a notch and doubling our initial target, with a revised goal to have added 400,000 hectares in total to our national park footprint by the end of 2022.”

The acquisition of the land for the new Narriearra Caryapundy Swamp national park in June was the largest single purchase of private land for conservation in the state’s history and was praised as a significant step for threatened species and habitat.

Other additions, formally reserved on Friday, include:

• Narriearra Caryapundy Swamp National Park – 153,682 hectares
• Capertee National Park addition – 1,057 hectares
• Maria National Park addition – 66 hectares
• Mungo National Park addition (TSR) – 7,074 hectares
• Sturt National Park addition (TSR) – 17,479 hectares

The additions to Capertee National Park near Lithgow will increase protection for the Great Eastern Ranges wildlife corridor and a globally significant bird breeding area, including habitat for the critically endangered regent honeyeater. While the additions to Maria National Park will protect critical koala habitat on the NSW mid-north coast.

Also included in the additions are reclaimed Travelling Stock Reserves (TSR) in the State’s far-north west that are already managed by the National Parks and Wildlife Service.

Minister Kean’s announcement comes at a time when the NSW Government has been under pressure over its environmental policies, after the koala state environmental planning policy (Sepp) nearly split the Coalition.

The turmoil has resulted in proposed changes to laws that legal experts and conservationists have said would weaken environmental protections.

NSW Government policies have also led to increases in land-clearing and allowed for continued logging of habitat after the state’s bushfire disaster.

Images: Capertee National Park (top and below, credit K. Eardley) and the Narriearra Caryapundy Swamp National Park (middle).

Related Articles

15th October 2020 - Lonely Planet ranks Uluru-Kata Tjuta National Park high on their list of places to visit

12th October 2020 - Wellington National Park receives $3.35 million for facility upgrades

13th October 2020 - Nature Valley and Landcare Australia partner to rejuvenate bushfire affected walking trails

4th October 2020 - Leading environmental groups welcome Queensland Government’s strategy to protect national parks

24th September 2020 - Bilbies returned to Sturt National Park after 100 year absence

22nd September 2020 - Falls Creek Resort and Alpine National Park reopen to visitors from regional Victoria

15th September 2020 - National Parks and Wildlife Service temporarily close Bandahngan Aboriginal Area

10th August 2020 - Minderoo Foundation funding assists research into koala recovery post-bushfires

6th August 2020 - Bushfires and Coronavirus impact Australian tourism with no imminent respite

12th July 2020 - Federal Government to provide $233 million backing for tourism in national parks

6th July 2020 - Traditional owners in Kakadu National Park call for resignation of Parks Australia executives

29th June 2020 - NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service Hunter Central Coast encourages women to join their team

27th June 2020 - NSW Government makes record land purchase to create new national park

12th May 2020 - Bushfire affected wildlife and plants to receive $150 million funding boost 

6th May 2020 - Tourism businesses in Commonwealth National Parks to receive financial relief

2nd April 2020 - WIRES and Landcare Australia partner in $1 million post-bushfire wildlife habitat regeneration

1st March 2020 - Bushfire impacted Mogo Wildlife Park reopens on NSW south coast

3rd February 2020 - Gold Coast tourism suffers $40 million dip due to Coronavirus and bushfires impact

16th January 2020 - NSW National Parks announces the re-opening of some Northern Tablelands Parks

6th January 2020 - Researchers put a value on national parks’ impact on mental health

11th November 2019 - NSW declares state-wide national park closures due to extreme fire conditions

9th August 2017 - Australia’s great outdoors needs to be more accessible for nature-based tourism


Support our industry news service
We hope that you value the news that we publish so while you're here can we ask for your support?

As an independent publisher, we need reader support for our industry news gathering so ask that - if you don't already do so - you back us by subscribing to the printed Australasian Leisure Management magazine and/or our online news.

 

supplier directory

The Complete Guide to Leisure Industry Products & Services.

See the directory see all

Advanced Aquarium Technologies

Advanced Aquarium Technologies (AAT) is a world leader in the design, construction, and operation of landmark public aquariums. Led from Queensland, AAT has delivered aquarium projects in over 25…

read more

Attractions / Consultants / Design / Parks / Zoos

 
 

Felton Industries

Felton Industries is Australia’s leading designer, manufacturer and supplier of quality outdoor furniture and has been supplying premium seating solutions for all sporting, commercial, community…

read more

Parks / Play / Recreation / Sport / Venues

 
 

Fun Wheels Pty Ltd

Fun Wheels Pty Ltd are the premium dealer in Australasia for the Dutch company BERG’s commercial and domestic products. Our flagship product is their revolutionary pedal go-kart – the…

read more

Attractions / Tourism / Venues

 
 

PerfectGym

Perfect Gym Solutions is a software as a service (SaaS) solution purpose-built to service the fitness industry, with over 1000 clients servicing over two million gym members across 40 countries making…

read more

Access / Fitness / Marketing / Recreation / Technology

 
 

SportEng

ABOUT SPORTENG specialises in the Planning, Design and Construction inspection of Fields of Play for all sports. Blending engineering with the specialist knowledge gained from working closely with…

read more

Consultants / Recreation / Sport / Surfaces / Venues

 
 

Pico Play

Pico Play is a global leader in the planning, design, development and construction of world-class themed attractions and entertainment that deliver extraordinary and memorable experiences to millions…

read more

Attractions / Consultants / Design / Recreation / Tourism

 
 

Riedel Communications Australia Pty Ltd

We live for media production and global events, providing real-time networks for video, audio, data and communications.

read more

Entertainment / Events / Technology / Venues

 
 

XBODY Australia Pty Ltd

PROVEN BUSINESS CONCEPTS WITH XBODY XBody’s goal is to see you and your EMS business succeed. That is why we don’t just sell equipment, we provide know-how, expert knowledge, business support…

read more

Fitness / Technology / Wellness

 
 
 
 

get listed with our suppliers directory

Get your business noticed in our targeted directory. Viewed by 10,000 industry professionals per week!

list your business