The state's newest national park has been named Cuttaburra National Park, in recognition of its key geographical features which are unique to the north-western corner of NSW.
Cuttaburra National Park stretches across 37,700 hectares 150 km north-west of Bourke and protects vital wetlands, threatened ecological communities and an array of rare species.
It has been named after Cuttaburra Creek which runs through the park for 20 kilometres, and the surrounding Yantabulla Swamp Cuttaburra Basin.
The new national park has been created from the former Comeroo, Muttawary and Maranoa stations which were acquired by the NSW Government last year.
Surveys have confirmed the park is home to at least 158 native animal species and 292 plant species. 12 animal species are listed as threatened species, including the brolga, stripe-faced dunnart, yellow-bellied sheath-tailed bat and the eastern fat-tailed gecko.
More than one quarter of the new park stretches across Yantabulla Swamp, which hosts thousands of internationally protected migratory shorebirds as well as up to 50,000 waterbirds including threatened freckled ducks and many other species.
The park has a broad range of landscapes including stony mulga hills, grassy open floodplains, woodlands, swamps, the Cuttaburra and Burrawantie creeks and the Maranoa Waterhole.
The Minns Labor Government is committed to protecting and restoring biodiversity in the state's north west. Cuttaburra National Park connects more than 100,000 hectares for conservation when combined with Brindingabba National Park and the Yantabulla and Naree properties, which have permanent conservation agreements with the Biodiversity Conservation Trust.
Cuttaburra National Park lies in in Paroo and Warrego River country. The NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service will work with the Aboriginal and local community on future management and how to reflect the previous pastoral history into the park. For example, the station names could be incorporated into precinct or campground names.
The purchase was funded by the NSW Government with support from The Nature Conservancy Australia which brokered generous co-funding contributions from the Wyss Foundation and the Holdfast Collective, Patagonia's non-profit shareholder.
Key programs are underway in Cuttaburra National Park including feral animal and weed control, fire management, conservation cultural projects and the development of visitor experiences and facilities. Planned visitor opportunities include campgrounds, driving tours and provisions for bird watching and nature exploration. Recruitment is underway for staff to manage the park.
Statewide, 8.3 million hectares or 10.4% of NSW is now protected in the national parks estate.
Quote attributable to Minister for Climate Change and the Environment Penny Sharpe:
"The Minns Labor Government is committed to turning around biodiversity loss and restoring habitats and ecosystems. Acquiring land to convert into a national park is one of the ways we do this.
"This new national park will protect many native plants and animals, including a dozen listed as threatened species, as well as one of Australia's most important wetlands.
"Creating Cuttaburra National Park will ensure people from across NSW, and around the globe, will be able to visit and explore this area for themselves. I have been lucky enough to see first-hand the new park's creeks, woodlands, open floodplains, stony mulga hills and wildlife – and I'm pleased the area will be protected for generations of visitors to come."
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