Environment groups have come out in force to support the Minns Labor Government's decision to protect a Great Koala National Park spanning a proposed 476,000 hectares on the NSW Mid North Coast.
They have praised the government's move to protect habitat that is home to more than 12,000 koalas, 36,000 Greater Gliders and more than 100 other threatened species.
The park will become a world-class nature-based tourism destination, boosting the local economy, businesses and jobs.
An additional $60 million in funding for NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service has been announced to create the park, taking the total investment to $140 million.
The NSW Government has imposed an immediate moratorium on timber harvesting within the proposed park boundary.
A comprehensive support package has been announced for impacted businesses and workers, with additional funding. It's expected the decision will impact six timber mills in the region, and between 200 and 300 jobs.
For more information on the park, visit www.nsw.gov.au/environment-land-and-water/great-koala-national-park
For detail on the announcement, visit www.environment.nsw.gov.au/news/great-koala-national-park
Support for the proposed Great Koala National Park:
World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF)
"WWF-Australia has hailed the creation of the Great Koala National Park as a game changer in the fight to save koalas from extinction and end native forest logging."
Full statement: https://wwf.org.au/news/2025/new-national-park-could-help-save-koalas-from-extinction/
Australian Climate and Biodiversity Forum
"Today's decision is welcomed and a giant stride forward for the protection of endangered koalas and their habitat, and one that is backed by a robust economic plan. This is one of the largest decisions in support of forest conservation in NSW in a generation."
Full statement: https://www.climatebiodiversity.org/gknp_a_win_for_koalas_and_the_economy
Nature Conservation Council
"Today's announcement of the Great Koala National Park is one of the most significant conservation victories in NSW in decades. We are thrilled that from tomorrow, 176,000 hectares of precious native forest, accounting for 20% of NSW's koala population, will be protected from logging."
Full statement: https://www.nature.org.au/ncc_welcomes_the_great_koala_national_park
The Wilderness Society
"Conservation wins don't get much bigger than this. This historic announcement will give koalas a fighting chance for a future. This is a decision backed by science, and it will deliver outcomes for both nature and the economy."
Full statement: https://wilderness.org.au/news-events/historic-win-nsw-delivers-full-great-koala-nationalpark
Outdoors NSW & ACT
"This is a landmark announcement for conservation, recreation, and regional economies. We celebrate the establishment of the Great Koala National Park and the opportunities it brings for more people to enjoy and learn from nature"
Full statement: https://www.outdoorsnswact.org/post/great-koala-national-park-a-win-forconservation-
