A vast property spanning nearly 34,000 hectares has officially become a new national park, protecting a vital refuge for rare and threatened species in perpetuity.
Minister for Environment James Griffin said the creation of Brindingabba National Park, 175 kilometres north-west of Bourke, is part of the 602,500 hectares of land since 2019 that has been secured for conservation as part of the NSW national parks estate.
“The addition of Brindingabba National Park is significant because its rich biodiversity will now be protected in perpetuity, and the people of NSW will be able to experience it for themselves for generations to come,” Mr Griffin said.
“The new Brindingabba National Park protects an important part of Lake Wombah and more than 7,000 hectares of Yantabulla Swamp, which are nationally important wetlands.
“The 33,903 hectare park supports 30 different ecosystems, protecting habitat for at least 12 endangered and 31 vulnerable species, including a small carnivorous marsupial called the kultarr, pied honeyeaters, hooded robins, pink cockatoos and fat-tailed dunnart.
“It also protects an endangered plant called Lancewood (Acacia petraea), which is only found in two other areas in NSW, and hasn’t been previously protected in our national parks estate.
“This new national park is a fantastic example of how partnerships can boost our efforts to conserve biodiversity, and we’re working towards more opportunities like this.”
The purchase of Brindingabba Station involved a ground-breaking partnership with The Nature Conservancy Australia (TNC), with the NSW Government supported in the acquisition with a valuable contribution from TNC, which brokered contributions from charitable foundations The Wyss Foundation and artist Haley Mellin’s Art into Acres initiative.
TNC’s Director of Conservation and Science Dr James Fitzsimons said the acquisition of Brindingabba is an important milestone for the conservation of the State’s unique biodiversity.
“Brindingabba National Park protects unique landscapes that are nationally significant,” Dr Fitzsimons said.
“With neighbouring privately protected areas, it creates a conservation corridor of more than 65,000 hectares.”
The park adjoins the 31,200 hectare Naree and Yantabulla Stations, which are private reserves that the NSW Government protected in perpetuity through its Biodiversity Conservation Trust (BCT) in June.
Situated in the Mulga Lands bioregion, this park increases the protection of one of Australia’s most poorly protected bioregions, with less than five per cent reserved.
Brindingabba features a diversity of ecosystems, from gidgee country and stony mulga rises, through to Mitchell Grass grasslands, Blackbox and Coolibah lined creek systems and lignum swamps.
Wetlands are some of the most endangered ecosystems on the planet, and this NSW Government acquisition will forever protect vital wetlands in the Cuttaburra Basin, part of the Paroo and the Warrego floodplains.
Located in the traditional Paroo River country of the Budjiti and Barkandji People on the NSW-Queensland border, the property has extensive Aboriginal cultural heritage, with evidence of artefacts and other items of significance across the property.
The National Parks and Wildlife Service (NPWS) looks forward to working with the local Aboriginal community to protect these important cultural sites.
The park will boost the outback economy, providing an important new visitor destination as part of a strategy to help diversify regional economies.
NSW national parks contribute almost $18 billion in economic output for the state, delivering significant economic benefits for the regions.
NPWS has commenced management on the property and plans to build facilities to support opportunities to camp and explore the area.
It is expected the new park will open to the public before the end of 2023. Visit https://www.nationalparks.nsw.gov.au/
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