New South Wales government has moved with one of the most ambitious new conservation initiatives in recent memory. They’re establishing the Great Koala National Park to protect koalas and other threatened species. Covering over 176,000 hectares, this park will become one of the largest in the state, safeguarding approximately 10,000 koalas along the mid-north coast. The announcement follows heightened alarm over koala populations that have plummeted as a result of habitat destruction and record-breaking bushfires.
Evidently few are more passionate about the park than newly-elected Premier Chris Minns. He pointed to its importance for wildlife habitat and the local communities. Remarkably, one in five remaining koalas in New South Wales will find sanctuary in the new park. This new initiative will save these beautiful little marsupials — our national icon — and establish a Greater Glider sanctuary, saving nearly 100 other endangered species of plants and animals too.
The creation of the Great Koala National Park has not been without contention. The Australian Forest Products Association (AFPA) recognizes that the initiative will cost taxpayers around $1.3 billion. The logging ban that accompanies the park’s creation will be a direct blow to six of the 25 timber mills in the area. This reorganization has already led to an estimated 300 layoffs. Critics from the timber industry retaliate by asserting that this decision will lead to a $730 million annual economic blow.
“The funding announced today is a fraction of the cost for a decision of this size. The timber industry has put the figure for this 176,000 hectare park at $1.3 billion to taxpayers. That cost is immense, and it will be felt not just in the day after tomorrow, but in the months, weeks and years to come as well.” – James Jooste
Despite these concerns, supporters of the park believe that in the long-run, local economies will benefit as a result of increased tourism. A $6 million package has been introduced to support new opportunities for tourism and small businesses along the mid-north coast. The goal is to create a vibrant tourist destination similar to panda parks in China, drawing visitors from across Australia and beyond.
“The Great Koala National Park also will provide an economic boon for locals and businesses alike. It will become a great tourist park, just like the panda parks in China; this will be our iconic park, not only on the north coast but in Australia.” – Environment Minister
Environmental advocates are pointing to the climate crisis and the need for urgent action. In recent years, koala populations have declined, mainly due to habitat destruction and climate-related bushfires. After the bushfires of 2020, this loss in population was deeply felt, with many experts calling for urgent action to change this narrative.
Dermot O’Gorman from World Wildlife Fund Australia commented on the necessity of establishing a sanctuary for these animals:
“Over the last few decades, we’ve seen koala numbers drop. The bushfires of 2020 devastated their populations, and so creating a home for more than 10,000 koalas on the mid-north coast of New South Wales as a sanctuary is a really crucial part of what the Great Koala National Park will achieve.”
From the beginning, the decision to create such a large national park has drawn scorn from conservative circles. Janelle Saffin sounded the most optimistic note, saying there is room for compromise between conservation advocates and those who want to see a sustainable timber industry restored.
“We said you can have both; you can deliver your election commitment for a Great Koala National Park and also have a sustainable timber industry on the other side of this,” she stated. “Those two options were ignored by the New South Wales Government.”
Premier Minns addressed these concerns by reaffirming that the decision prioritizes long-term conservation goals over short-term economic interests:
“It was a real temptation to take a compromise in relation to the size of the park. In the end, my colleagues and I made a decision that that would be the worst of all worlds – that there would be an economic impact on the industry, but we wouldn’t be solving the reason for the Great Koala National Park.”
