For the first time, pink lakes will be protected within the NSW national parks estate, following the joint purchase of Pulgamurtie Station by the Minns and Albanese Labor Governments.
Located 235 kilometres north-east of Broken Hill, Pulgamurtie Station will protect more than 74,000 hectares of outback landscape and provide a home to more than 70 threatened species including the iconic brolga, pink cockatoo and slender darling pea.
Its most extraordinary features are two striking pink lakes, which are among NSW's most spectacular natural wonders. Pink lakes are rare in NSW, with many appearing only seasonally. Their distinctive hues are created by naturally occurring microorganisms, including algae and bacteria, that thrive in highly salty water and produce pink pigments.
The landscape also features sweeping outback plains, rolling sand dunes and thriving wetlands. Its larger lakes and wetlands provide critical feeding and breeding grounds for thousands of waterbirds, including migratory species that travel between Australia, Russia, China and Japan.
Rich in Aboriginal cultural heritage, the property forms part of the significant Dreaming songlines and contains historic stone artefacts, hearths and grinding stones.
Located along the Silver City Highway, Pulgamurtie will become a new destination for visitors to Far West NSW. NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service (NPWS) will explore a range of potential visitor experiences, including campsites near the larger lakes, day-use areas, walking trails and scenic drives, with opportunities for birdwatching and taking in views towards the Koonenberry Range.
Acquisitions such as Pulgamurtie help protect landscapes and ecosystems that are under-represented in the reserve system, while creating new tourism opportunities and supporting investment in regional communities.
National parks play a vital role in supporting Western NSW communities and economies, contributing $433 million to the region annually and supporting nearly 9,000 jobs.
The Albanese and Minns Governments are jointly investing to purchase high-priority conservation properties like Pulgamurtie, for protection through the Australian Bushland Program.
Strategic land purchases of this kind have assisted the Albanese Government to protect more than 25 per cent of Australia's land mass, which is crucial to restore the nation's biodiversity.
NPWS will now undertake ecological and cultural heritage surveys to guide the property's future management. This will include feral animal and weed control, as well as protection of threatened species and cultural heritage.
NPWS will continue to work closely with members of the Malyangapa Aboriginal Community, neighbouring landholders and other stakeholders as this planning progresses.
Pulgamurtie Station was on the market for around two years and was acquired after it failed to meet its reserve at public auction. NPWS has purchased five of the 60 properties sold in Far Western NSW in 2024 and 2025.
Federal Minister for the Environment, Murray Watt, said:
"Australians love spending time in the bush and this purchase will protect more of it for future generations.
"With our natural environment under significant pressure, the Albanese Government is committed to protecting and restoring more land across Australia.
"Through our partnership with the NSW Government, we're helping secure important habitat and expand the network of protected areas in places that deliver the greatest conservation benefits.
"By protecting and conserving diverse areas of NSW, we're supporting many threatened species and the habitats they call home."
NSW Minister for the Environment, Penny Sharpe, said:
"These will be the first pink lakes protected by the NSW national park estate. This is a once-in-a-generation conservation and tourism opportunity that will protect these spectacular landscapes and allow more people to experience them.
"Few places capture the scale and diversity of the NSW outback quite like Pulgamurtie, where a mosaic of wetlands, lakes and rolling arid plains exist side by side.
"This is a critical investment in conservation that will help safeguard this unique landscape, its wildlife and its rich cultural heritage for generations to come."
Representative member of the Malyangapa Native Title Board, Mark Sutton, said:
"The Malyangapa people are supportive of the continued expansion of protected areas in Far West NSW.
"The acquisition of Pulgamurtie ensures that representative landscape types and Aboriginal cultural heritage will be protected.
"We look forward to engaging with National Parks and Wildlife Services to create another recreational destination for locals and visitors alike."
