Congratulations and a thousand thanks to the New South Wales Government and Premier Chris Minns and his team for this most welcome and timely announcement. This is a marvelous policy initiative and one that offers hope for Koalas who have been under severe pressure from habitat lose. Thank you! – Kevin Parker Site Publisher (former National Campaign Director of the Wilderness Society)
Moratorium on logging takes immediate effect as government unveils $66 million support package for workers and communities
The NSW Government has thrown a conservation lifeline to the state’s koalas, unveiling plans for a massive 476,000-hectare Great Koala National Park that will protect 12,000 of the iconic marsupials from extinction.
The announcement, on 7th September, National Threatened Species Day, included an immediate moratorium on timber harvesting within the proposed park boundary and comprehensive support packages for affected workers and businesses.
Without intervention, koalas face extinction in NSW wilderness by 2050. The new park will reserve 176,000 hectares of state forest and link existing national parks to create one of the state’s largest protected areas.
“We’ve listened carefully and we’re making sure workers, businesses and communities are supported every step of the way,” Premier Chris Minns said as he unveiled the plan that will impact six timber mills and approximately 300 jobs.
The park will safeguard habitat for more than 100 threatened species, including 36,000 Greater Gliders, powerful owls and yellow-bellied gliders in what scientists consider one of the world’s biodiversity hotspots.
Environment Minister Penny Sharpe called the park “a dream for more than a decade,” adding: “It will ensure koalas survive into the future so our grandchildren will still be able to see them in the wild. These amazing old-growth forests are among the world’s top biodiversity hotspots.”
Support Package Cushions Economic Impact
The government has moved swiftly to address industry concerns, announcing JobKeeper-style payments to cover worker salaries and business operating costs for affected mills. Workers and families will receive immediate access to mental health, financial and legal counselling services, plus training support.
Agriculture Minister Tara Moriarty emphasized the government’s commitment to affected workers: “That is why we will provide financial assistance to businesses we know will be impacted, so they can continue to pay their staff’s salaries and cover costs. We are committed to a sustainable forestry industry in NSW.”
An additional $6 million will flow to tourism and small business opportunities on the Mid North Coast, with communities consulted on how best to deploy the funds as the park takes shape.
The NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service will receive $60 million to establish the park, adding to $80 million already allocated in 2023.
Balancing Conservation and Industry
North Coast Minister Janelle Saffin stressed the dual benefits of the plan: “This will deliver the protection of our most precious and loved species, our koalas, that everyone in NSW wants to see protected; and the Greater Koala National Park will also provide an economic boon for locals and businesses alike.”
She pledged ongoing support for forest workers: “I am committed to ensure that our forest workers and small business forest operators are supported economically and emotionally through this change.”
The park’s final creation hinges on federal approval of a carbon project under the Improved Native Forest Management Method, currently under assessment.
Importantly, the Great Koala National Park won’t spell the end of North Coast forestry. The Independent Forestry Panel continues developing advice for the Government’s Forestry Industry Action Plan.
The announcement follows extensive consultation with industry and community stakeholders. Full details are available at www.nsw.gov.au/greatkoalanationalpark.
Read our in-depth article The Koala : Biology, Conservation Status, and Future Prospects