The NSW Government has reached a significant milestone in establishing a new national park to protect koalas along Sydney’s Georges River, with close to 1000 hectares of land transferred to the NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service.
The NSW Labor Government is delivering on its commitment to protect koalas in the wild with the creation of this new park, which represents a once-in-a-generation opportunity to provide protection for south-western Sydney’s rich environmental assets.
The new park will also provide local communities access to nature-based recreation to meet significant demand for quality green and open space.
When fully realised, the park will protect approximately 1,830 hectares of land for koalas and a north-south koala movement corridor. The park will include bushland in Long Point, Ingleburn, Minto Heights, Kentlyn, Airds, St Helens Park, Gilead and Appin.
The transfer involved 257 parcels comprising 916 hectares from the Office of Strategic Lands in the NSW Department of Planning. It is in line with the NSW Government’s commitment to transfer all publicly owned land within the park’s footprint, between Long Point and Appin, to the NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service by September 2026.
So far, 63 per cent of the public land transfer commitment for this park has been achieved. Further transfers will occur over time involving other public lands and as certain areas of private land are acquired.
The NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service is consulting with the local Aboriginal community to name the park. It is also ensuring the transferred lands are in a suitable condition for reservation.
$80 million is being invested by the NSW Labor Government to protect koalas and secure their habitat in south-west Sydney. This is part of part of a $172 million investment by the NSW Labor Government for the conservation of koalas in the wild across NSW, on top of the $193 million Koala Strategy.
Quotes attributable to Member for Campbelltown Greg Warren MP:
“The protection of connected koala habitat is an important part of making sure that our precious koalas can continue to survive and then thrive.”
“This is a welcome and necessary step towards the establishment of the Georges River Koala National Park.”
Quote attributable to Minister for Climate Change and the Environment Penny Sharpe:
“Koalas need connected habitat to have any future in Sydney. We are delivering on our commitment to protect koala habitat in the city’s south-west by establishing this national park.
“The $80 million investment will accelerate the addition of more than 1000 hectares of public land to the national park system within three years.
“The transfer and reservation of these lands will deliver long-lasting conservation benefits for Sydney’s largest koala population, helping to ensure generations to come will see them in the wild
Quote attributable to Minister for Planning and Public Spaces Paul Scully:
“It’s exciting to see this important green space help conserve Australia’s most iconic animal as part of the transfer of lands to the NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service.
“The NSW Labor Government is committed to taking action to protect the flora and fauna that make our state great, and this land is an important contribution to that project.”
