NSW Parliament Passes Legislation to Establish Great Koala National Park

Legislation to establish the Great Koala National Park has passed the New South Wales Parliament following a lower house vote with support from the NSW Liberal Party, conservation groups announced on 23 October 2026.

According to environmental groups, the legislation will protect more than 178,000 hectares of former state forest and other public land from logging. This will create a connected network of protected forests covering over 475,000 hectares across the NSW Mid North Coast, stretching 150 kilometres long and 40 kilometres wide from the coast to the Great Dividing Range.

Conservation advocates state the newly protected area encompasses vital habitat for an estimated 12,000 koalas, 36,000 greater gliders, and more than 100 threatened species. The move will cut timber harvested from NSW native forests by approximately 20%, supported by safeguards designed to prevent logging activities from shifting to other locations.

Clancy Barnard, Senior Forest Campaigner at the Nature Conservation Council NSW, stated that securing the park followed more than a decade of campaigning. Barnard noted that the final park area is larger than initially proposed and welcomed the inclusion of public access arrangements, such as new walking trails and campsites, alongside ecosystem protections. However, Barnard also criticized broader government decisions regarding coal mining expansion.

Representatives from other environmental and scientific organizations, including the National Parks Association of NSW Coffs Coast Branch, WWF-Australia, and the North East Forest Alliance, noted that the park's establishment excludes grazing leases and incorporates joint management and employment opportunities for First Nations peoples. Conservation scientist Dr. Stuart Blanch suggested the site should be assessed for World Heritage listing, while koala expert Dr. Steve Phillips described the park as a significant step forward for landscape-scale koala management in the state.

Conservation groups emphasized that following the passage of the legislation, focus will turn to long-term forest restoration, management, and ongoing efforts regarding the remaining 1.76 million hectares of native state forests across NSW.

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