News
13 October, 2026
New national park not possible at the moment: Minister
The NSW State Government hasn’t said ‘yes’ to calls for a new national park in the Wollondilly and Southern Highlands and – but it hasn’t exactly said ‘no’ either.
The NSW State Government hasn’t said ‘yes’ to calls for a new national park in the Wollondilly and Southern Highlands and – but it hasn’t exactly said ‘no’ either.
Minister for the Environment Penny Sharpe has responded to a petition lodged by Member for Wollondilly Judy Hannan calling for a new national park encompassing existing National Park and Crown lands around Bargo Gorge in the north and south towards Mt Alexandra and Morton National Park.
Mrs Hannan said a new Southern Highlands National Park would help protect wildlife corridors and Aboriginal cultural sites and would give the region’s struggling koala population “a real chance to recover”.
Her calls have been supported by the Southern Highlands Wildlife Sanctuary.
Mrs Sharpe said the NSW Government recognised the importance of better protecting wildlife habitat and ecosystems in the area – in particular improving connectivity within the Great Western Wildlife Corridor which connects the Southern Blue Mountains and Nattai National Park to Morton National Park in the south.
However, she said the proposal to create a Southern Highlands-Wollondilly National Park would require the transfer and reservation of Crown land subject to Aboriginal land claims lodged under the Aboriginal Land Rights Act 1983.
She said it was a requirement that claims be “appropriately addressed” before affected land can be transferred or reserved as a national park.
The claims are currently being assessed.
Mrs Sharpe said the National Parks and Wildlife Service (NPWS) had been “actively progressing conservation outcomes in the area” – including through the establishment of the Guula Ngurra National Park at Canyonleigh, subsequent additions to that park and the creation of the Jellore Flora Reserve near Mittagong.
The Minister said more than100 hectares of cleared land had been restored in the Guula Ngurra National Park, transforming former paddocks into healthy forests with more than 20,000 native seedlings.
“The restoration efforts will continue with the goal to restore 600 hectares of land, providing vital habitat for koalas and other threatened species.”
Mrs Sharpe said the NPWS would continue to work with Wingecarribee Shire Council to investigate the suitability of council-owned land for potential addition to the reserve system.
She said the NSW Government would “continue to assess opportunities to strengthen and expand the reserve system within the Southern Highlands region”.
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