You can now experience some of Sydney's national parks from the comfort of home thanks to four new immersive experiences which have been developed using innovative digital storytelling technology.
Four 360-degree interactive experiences have been developed which spotlight some of Sydney national parks' most precious plants, animals and landscapes.
As people 'explore' the familiar landscapes of Ku-ring gai Chase, Marramarra and Sydney Harbour national parks, engaging popups offer quirky and interesting facts as well as images, audio and video about the threatened and intriguing animals and plants hiding in plain sight.
Users can meet and learn more about threatened species like the endangered southern brown bandicoot, the glossy black-cockatoo and the eastern pygmy-possum.
The interactive experiences aim to drive awareness of the National Parks and Wildlife Service (NPWS) Assets of Intergenerational Significance (AIS) program.
AIS are the strongest protection for threatened species in NSW national parks and have been declared to provide increased legal protections for the habitat of some of the most threatened and irreplaceable animals and plants in our parks.
Several threatened species in Sydney's national parks are protected within areas that have been declared AIS areas, including the critically endangered Nielsen Park she-oak shrub and the Haloragodendron lucasii plant, affectionally called 'Hal'.
To date there are 279 AIS areas declared across 127 national parks and reserves in New South Wales, protecting key habitat for 108?threatened plant and animal species.
Sydney native habitats in 360 can be accessed at Sydney native habitats in 360
Quotes attributable to NPWS Conservation Team Leader Melissa Hall:
Given their proximity to Australia's largest city, it may come as a surprise that Ku-ring-gai Chase National Park, Marramarra National Park, and even Sydney Harbour National Park provide vital habitat for many threatened species.
'Sydney native habitats in 360' gives everyone the opportunity to understand why places like Bobbin Head, West Head, Nielson Park and the Hawksbury escarpment are special, and the irreplaceable natural values that they protect.
This technology will bring national parks into loungerooms and classrooms across the state, making threatened species conservation accessible to everyone regardless of their age, location or level of mobility.
It's a fantastic way to raise awareness about these important natural assets and why we need to protect them.
