- Another 325,000 hectares added to WA's conservation estate under Plan for Our Parks
- Joint management of new national parks to create five full-time ranger positions
- Move creates opportunities for new nature-based and outback tourism north of Geraldton
Another 325,000 hectares has been added to Western Australia's conservation estate as part of the Cook Labor Government's Plan for Our Parks.
The move means more than 3.8 million of a targeted five million hectares of new conservation estate has been created since Plan for Our Parks was introduced in 2019.
As part of an Indigenous Land Use Agreement (ILUA) with Nanda Traditional Owners, Nanda National Park, Nanga National Park, and Nanda Nature Reserve will be created and joint vested and managed, with Kalbarri National Park and Zuytdorp Nature Reserve also to be joint vested and managed under the agreement.
The new reserves will be formally named after consultation with Nanda Traditional Owners.
In partnership with the Department of Biodiversity, Conservation and Attractions' Parks and Wildlife Service, five Traditional Owners will be employed on-Country, with two already in place at Kalbarri National Park.
Rangers will help to protect the area's cultural heritage and biodiversity, monitoring native wildlife like the black-flanked rock wallaby.
The new conservation reserves are located 170 kilometres north of Geraldton and contain vast open spaces and spectacular scenery, with joint management creating opportunities for nature-based and outback tourism.
As stated by Environment Minister Reece Whitby:
"This is a significant achievement for Nanda Traditional Owners, who have a long history of managing cultural heritage values within this area.
"Soon they will reap some of the benefits of the Cook Labor Government's Plan for Our Parks, which is creating more tourism opportunities, better environmental outcomes, and jobs for Aboriginal Australians throughout Western Australia.
"These national parks can become a stopping point for visitors on the way to Mount Augustus or Ningaloo, providing a great chance for them to explore our State's landscape."
Comments attributed to Geraldton MLA Lara Dalton:
"The creation of new national parks is significant for the region and will support ongoing conservation jobs and new tourism opportunities while empowering Traditional Owners to care for Country.
"This will create a fantastic opportunity for tourists travelling from Geraldton to stop and see the spectacular scenery this beautiful part of Western Australia has to offer."
As stated by Mining and Pastoral Region MLC Peter Foster:
"I'm proud of the partnerships the Cook Labor Government is forming with Traditional Owners that are creating opportunities for tourism and vital protections for Western Australia's biodiversity.
"This announcement also brings us closer to Plan for Our Park's objective of creating five million new hectares of conservation estate in WA.
"It's proof only a Cook Labor Government can deliver the environmental conservation Western Australians want and deserve."
