13 October 2026
After more than a decade of campaigning, legislation to establish the Great Koala National Park has finally been introduced into NSW Parliament today, marking a historic milestone for koala conservation.
The Nature Conservation Council NSW (NCC) has welcomed the legislation, which will protect some of the state’s most important koala habitat and wildlife corridors.
Quotes attributed to NCC Senior Forest Campaigner Clancy Barnard:
“After more than ten years of campaigning, it’s fantastic to see the Great Koala National Park legislation finally reach Parliament.
“What started as an idea more than a decade ago, inspired by China’s panda reserves, has grown into one of the largest new national parks in NSW.
“The original 175,000-hectare proposal has now grown to more than 178,000 hectares, with the recent addition of 386 hectares of Crown land securing even more vital habitat for koalas and more than 100 threatened species.
“This is a tremendous achievement for the thousands of people who have campaigned, advocated and worked tirelessly to make this park a reality.
“Polling has consistently shown that more than 85% of people in NSW support the Great Koala National Park. This is something people across the political spectrum can celebrate, and we encourage all members of Parliament to support the legislation.
“We applaud the NSW Government for delivering on its commitment to establish this park and for its work to ensure the park delivers for local communities as well as wildlife.
“It’s particularly encouraging to see plans for improved recreational opportunities, including free campsites and continued access for dog walkers, mountain bikers and horse riders. This will see more people have access to these magnificent forests.
“For those of us living on the Mid North Coast, it’s particularly exciting to see more than $140 million in new funding flowing into our region, supporting conservation, restoration, park management and local jobs.
“The creation of new Aboriginal ranger positions, employed through Aboriginal Community Controlled Organisations, is another exciting step towards placing First Nations knowledge and leadership at the heart of caring for Country.
“The Great Koala National Park is a huge achievement built on more than a decade of community campaigning, and that work continues.
“It was devastating to see almost 10,000 hectares of the proposed park logged before the Government finally declared a moratorium, on top of decades of intensive logging under previous governments.
“These forests need significant investment in restoration, weed management and ongoing fire management, so it’s extremely pleasing to see the Government commit to funding this work.
“Logged forests are more vulnerable to severe bushfires, and the challenge now is getting enough boots on the ground to repair the damage. We welcome the Government’s investment and expect that commitment to continue for decades to come.
“We’ll continue working to protect important koala habitat across NSW and secure an end to native forest logging for good. That’s what the community wants, and that’s what we’ll keep fighting for.”
