NSW Parliament passes legislation for Great Koala National Park
The story at a glance
New South Wales Parliament has passed legislation to reserve more than 178,000 hectares of state forest and Crown land for the Great Koala National Park. The bill had passed both Houses and was awaiting assent, so the park had not yet formally commenced. 12
The proposed addition would bring the protected area to more than 475,000 hectares. The state says the new land is home to around 12,000 koalas and more than 100 threatened species. Carbon-credit revenue is part of the plan, while employment effects and the park’s final management arrangements remain unresolved. 245
What you need to know
- Parliamentary passage is an important step, but it is not the same as formal commencement. The NSW Parliament tracker recorded the bill as awaiting assent, while the state government expected the park to commence before the end of 2026. 12
- The planned addition is substantial in scale: more than 178,000 hectares of state forest and Crown land would be reserved, joining existing reserves to form a protected area of more than 475,000 hectares. 24
- NSW estimates that the added land supports around 12,000 koalas and more than 100 threatened species. These are state estimates; the supplied reporting does not provide measured outcomes from the new reserve. 2
- A carbon project linked to the park has been registered under the Improved Native Forest Management method. NSW says carbon revenue could help fund long-term management, but conservationists differ over the role and value of carbon credits in the scheme. 235
- The change also has consequences for the timber sector. NSW estimates that up to 300 timber-industry jobs could be affected and says more than 100 new National Parks and Wildlife Service staff will be required; industry representatives cited by ABC described layoffs and effects on regional suppliers. 4
Why this matters
The legislation establishes a significant expansion of the national park estate intended to protect koala habitat and other threatened species. Its longer-term contribution to conservation will depend on formal commencement, management and the outcomes achieved on the ground. 24
What happens next
The bill was awaiting assent, with the state expecting the park to commence before the end of 2026. Further questions include how carbon revenue and credits will be handled, what the final management plan provides, and how employment effects will develop. 125
What we know
- The bill passed both Houses of NSW Parliament in October 2026 and provides for more than 178,000 hectares of state forest and Crown land to be added to the national park estate. 12
- The Clean Energy Regulator registered the associated carbon project under the Improved Native Forest Management method. 3
- The legislation uses different reserve categories to accommodate recreation as well as conservation. 5
What we don't know
- The parliamentary record cited in the reporting listed the bill as awaiting assent. The supplied material does not confirm when assent will be recorded or the exact date the park will formally commence. 12
- The reporting does not establish how much carbon revenue the project will generate or how credits will be used or retired in practice. 235
- The final management plan’s provisions for ecological connectivity and recreation, and the extent of any further protection for forests outside the boundary, remain unresolved in the supplied reporting. 5
- The eventual number of timber-sector jobs and businesses affected, after transition support and new park-service roles are considered, is not established. 4
Read the reporting
This WildNews briefing synthesises and summarises reporting from the sources below. WildNews did not produce the original reporting. Learn more about how we use AI
Was this story useful?
Your anonymous feedback helps us make future WildNews briefings more useful.
