Protected areas of New South Wales

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The Protected areas of New South Wales include both terrestrial and marine protected areas. As of June 2020 there are 225 national parks in New South Wales. [1]

Contents

Based on the Collaborative Australian Protected Area Database (CAPAD) 2020 data there are 2136 separate terrestrial protected areas with a total land area of 7,696,641 hectares (19,018,810 acres) (9.61% of the state's area). [2] CAPAD data also shows 18 marine protected areas with a total area of 348,849 hectares (862,020 acres), covering 39.63% of NSW waters. [2]

History

New South Wales established the first known protected area in Australia, Royal National Park in 1879. The formation of the NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service in 1967 saw a bid in the conservation of the state's diversity of natural ecosystems and cultural heritage. Today New South Wales contains more than 16.4 million acres within 870 protected areas, as well as 225 different national parks, each with their own pristine beauty and tranquil scenery.

New conservation areas

In June 2020 the Government of New South Wales acquired 153,415 ha (379,100 acres), [3] or 1,534 km2 (592 sq mi) [4] of private land for a new national park, when it purchased Narriearra station in the state's far north-west, [3] subsequently named the Narriearra Caryapundy Swamp National Park. It is the largest ever purchase of private land for conservation in the state, [4] and provides 90 percent of the habitat of the endangered grey grasswren. The Dingo Fence on the border with Queensland forms the northern boundary of the property. [5]

The second largest acquisition ever was made in October 2021, Avenel/Mount Westwood station, north of Broken Hill, comprising 121,390 hectares (300,000 acres). [6] A further 60,416 hectares (149,290 acres) of private land, Langidoon and Metford stations, located 65 kilometres east of Broken Hill was also purchased [7] and gazetted in 2021. [8] Koonaburra station, 45,534 hectares (112,520 acres) located between Ivanhoe and Cobar, was also purchased and gazetted in the same year. [8] [9]

Terrestrial protected areas

National Parks

National parks are managed by the National Parks and Wildlife Service, an agency of the Department of Planning, Industry and Environment of New South Wales.

Central NSW

Hunter & Mid North Coast

Northern Tablelands

Northern Rivers

Outback NSW

South Coast & Highlands

Sydney & Surrounds

Nature Reserves

Nature Reserves are managed by the National Parks and Wildlife Service, an agency of the Department of Environment and Climate Change of New South Wales.

Central NSW

Hunter & Mid North Coast

New England Tablelands

Northern Rivers

Outback NSW

South Coast & Highlands

Sydney & Surrounds

State Conservation Areas

State Conservation Areas, formerly referred to as State Recreation Areas, are managed by the Department of Environment and Climate Change.

Central NSW

Hunter & Mid North Coast

New England Tablelands

Northern Rivers

Outback NSW

South Coast & Highlands

Sydney & Surrounds

Regional Parks

Regional Parks are managed by the Department of Environment and Climate Change.

Hunter & Mid North Coast

South Coast & Highlands

Sydney & Surrounds

Aboriginal Areas

Aboriginal Areas are managed by local Aboriginal communities and the Department of Environment and Climate Change.

Hunter & Mid North Coast

New England Tablelands

Northern Rivers

Outback NSW

South Coast & Highlands

Sydney & Surrounds

Historic Sites

A number of Historic Sites are managed by the Department of Environment and Climate Change. Other historic sites in the state are managed by the Historic Houses Trust of New South Wales.

Central NSW

Hunter & Mid North Coast

Northern Rivers

Outback NSW

South Coast & Highlands

Sydney & Surrounds

State Parks

State Parks are managed by the Land and Property Management Authority.

Karst Conservation Reserves

Four Karst Conservation Reserves are managed by the Jenolan Caves Reserve Trust.

Marine protected areas

Marine Parks

Marine Parks are managed by the New South Wales Marine Parks Authority. [10]

Aquatic reserves

Aquatic reserves are managed by the New South Wales Department of Primary Industries. [11]

See also

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Protected areas of Australia</span> Protected areas in Australia

Protected areas of Australia include Commonwealth and off-shore protected areas managed by the Australian government, as well as protected areas within each of the six states of Australia and two self-governing territories, the Australian Capital Territory and the Northern Territory, which are managed by the eight state and territory governments.

Queensland is the second largest state in Australia. It contains around 500 separate protected areas. In 2020, it was estimated a total of 14.2 million hectares or 8.25% of Queensland's landmass was protected.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Protected areas of South Australia</span> Areas protected by legislation in South Australia

Protected areas of South Australia consists of protected areas located within South Australia and its immediate onshore waters and which are managed by South Australian Government agencies. As of March 2018, South Australia contains 359 separate protected areas declared under the National Parks and Wildlife Act 1972, the Crown Land Management Act 2009 and the Wilderness Protection Act 1992 which have a total land area of 211,387.48 km2 (81,617.16 sq mi) or 21.5% of the state's area.

Protected areas of Tasmania consist of protected areas located within Tasmania and its immediate onshore waters, including Macquarie Island. It includes areas of crown land managed by Tasmanian Government agencies as well as private reserves. As of 2016, 52% of Tasmania's land area has some form of reservation classification, the majority is managed by the Tasmania Parks & Wildlife Service. Marine protected areas cover about 7.9% of state waters.

Victoria is the smallest mainland state in Australia. As of 2022 it contained 5,081 separate protected areas with a total land area of 4,012,888 ha.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Georges River National Park</span> National park in Sydney, Australia

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Lake Macquarie (New South Wales)</span> An open and trained youthful wave dominated barrier estuary in Hunter, Central Coast

Lake Macquarie is Australia's largest coastal lagoon. Located in the City of Lake Macquarie and Central Coast Council local government areas in the Hunter and Central Coast regions of New South Wales, Australia, it covers an area of 110 square kilometres (42.5 sq mi) and is connected to the Tasman Sea by a short channel. Most of the residents of the City of Lake Macquarie live near the shores of the lagoon.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">South Western Slopes</span> Bioregion in New South Wales, Australia

The South Western Slopes, also known as the South West Slopes, is a region predominantly in New South Wales, Australia. It covers the lower inland slopes of the Great Dividing Range, extending from north of Dunedoo through central NSW and into northeast Victoria, meeting its southwestern end around Beechworth. More than 90% of the region is in the state of New South Wales and it occupies about 10% of that state.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tasmania Parks and Wildlife Service</span> Government body of Tasmania, Australia

Tasmania Parks and Wildlife Service is the government body responsible for protected areas of Tasmania on public land, such as national parks, historic sites and regional reserves. Historically it has also had responsibility for managing wildlife, including game.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ulandra Nature Reserve</span> Protected area in New South Wales, Australia

The Ulandra Nature Reserve is a protected nature reserve that is located in the west hills of the Southern Tablelands and eastern Riverina regions of New South Wales in eastern Australia. The 3,930-hectare (9,700-acre) reserve is situated approximately 25 kilometres (16 mi) south-west of Cootamundra and 4 kilometres (2.5 mi) south-east of the village of Bethungra.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Paroo-Darling National Park</span> Protected area in New South Wales, Australia

The Paroo-Darling National Park is a protected national park that is located in the Far West region of New South Wales, in eastern Australia. The 178,053-hectare (439,980-acre) national park spans two distinct regions in the outback area. This region covers the arid catchments of the Paroo River and the Paroo-Darling confluence to the south.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Yanga National Park</span> Protected area in New South Wales, Australia

The Yanga National Park is a newly formed national park, located near the township of Balranald in south- western New South Wales. It covers an area of 66,734 hectares which includes 1,932 hectares of Yanga Nature Reserve, and has a frontage of 170 kilometres (110 mi) on the Murrumbidgee River. It is largely located in the Lower Murrumbidgee Floodplain, which is included on A Directory of Important Wetlands in Australia because of its importance as a breeding site for waterbirds when flooded.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Dharawal National Park</span> Protected area in New South Wales, Australia

The Dharawal National Park is a protected national park that is located in the Illawarra region of New South Wales, in eastern Australia. The 6,508-hectare (16,080-acre) national park is situated between the Illawarra Range and the Georges River and is approximately 45 kilometres (28 mi) south west of Sydney. There are three entry points to the park: from the east through Darkes Forest; from the north through Wedderburn; and from the south through Appin.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Stingray Swamp Flora Reserve</span> Protected area in New South Wales, Australia

Stingray Swamp Flora Reserve (SWFR) is located immediately north of Penrose township in the south-western region of Wingecarribee Shire. The reserve is primarily surrounded by the Penrose State Forest, which is a commercially active plantation forest administered by the Forest Corporation NSW. Pine species dominate the state forest with a mix of native vegetation types in isolated pockets and adjacent areas. Stingray Swamp Flora Reserve belongs to a larger wetland complex known as the Paddy's River Wetland Complex (PRWC). These wetlands also form part of the Paddy's River sub-catchment, which belong to the larger Hawkesbury-Nepean catchment. Historic use of this area has mainly been that of pine plantation, agriculture and mining activities. The forest is publicly accessible and therefore is a site of mixed recreational activities.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Nocoleche Nature Reserve</span> Nature reserve in Australia

The Nocoleche Nature Reserve is a conservation area in New South Wales on the Paroo River located 20 kilometres south of the town of Wanaaring, New South Wales. It was created in 1979, and has an area of 711.08 km².

<span class="mw-page-title-main">High Conservation Value Old Growth forest</span> Historic site in and New England regions of New South Wales, Australia

The High Conservation Value Old Growth forest is a heritage-listed forest located across twelve local government areas in the Northern Rivers, Mid North Coast, and New England regions of New South Wales, Australia. The conservation area is also known as Old Growth Forest; HCVOG Forest; and Upper North East NSW. Broadly speaking, the conservation area forms part of the much larger Gondwana Rainforests, a UNESCO World Heritage Site totalling more than 366,000 hectares. The conservation area is owned by the NSW Department of Primary Industries and the NSW Office of Environment and Heritage, both agencies of the Government of New South Wales. The conservation area was added to the New South Wales State Heritage Register on 22 December 2000.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Cook Island (New South Wales)</span> Island in Australia

Cook Island, formerly Cooks Island, Turtle Island and Joong-urra-narrian, is an island in the Australian state of New South Wales located on the state's north coast about 600 metres (2,000 ft) north-east of Fingal Head and 4 kilometres (2.5 mi) south-east of the town of Tweed Heads.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Limeburners Creek National Park</span> Protected area in New South Wales, Australia

Limeburners Creek National Park is a protected national park on the Mid North Coast of New South Wales, Australia. The 91.2 km national park is located 5 km (3.1 mi) to the north of Port Macquarie and exists across both the Kempsey Shire and Port Macquarie-Hastings Council local government areas, but is chiefly managed by National Parks and Wildlife Service. The area was originally erected as a nature reserve but this reservation was revoked when it became formally recognised as a national park in 2010 under the National Parks and Wildlife Act (1974). Many threatened ecological habitats and species of fauna and flora are found within this park, alongside several heritage sites of cultural significance, particularly to the local Birpai and Dunghutti people upon whose land the park exists. The protected status of this national park is largely owing to the ecological and cultural value of the area, in addition to the value of the ecosystems to further scientific research.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Protected areas of North Carolina</span> North Carolina protected areas

The protected areas of North Carolina cover roughly 3.8 million acres, making up 11% of the total land in the state. 86.5% of this protected land is publicly owned and is managed by different federal and state level authorities and receive varying levels of protection. Some areas are managed as wilderness while others are operated with acceptable commercial exploitation. The remainder of the land is privately owned, but willingly entered into conservation easement management agreements, or are owned by various nonprofit conservation groups such as the National Audubon Society and The Nature Conservancy. North Carolina contains 1 National Park, and various other federally owned protected land including 2 National Seashores, 5 National Forests, 12 Wildlife Refuges, and the southern half of the Blue Ridge Parkway. North Carolina has an extensive state park system of 42 open units, 35 of which are state parks, 4 that are recreation areas, and 3 staffed state natural areas, along with other designated units managed by the North Carolina Department of Natural and Cultural Resources.

References

  1. "Home". NSW National Parks. 25 December 2018. Retrieved 29 June 2020.
  2. 1 2 "CAPAD 2020". Department of Agriculture, Water and the Environment. 3 October 2021. Retrieved 12 April 2022.
  3. 1 2 Redfearn, Graham (27 June 2020). "NSW makes record land purchase for new national park". The Guardian. Retrieved 29 June 2020.
  4. 1 2 "New Australia national park for rare species". BBC News. 27 June 2020. Retrieved 29 June 2020.
  5. Mabin, Saskia (27 June 2020). "NSW buys outback station in state's largest single property purchase for a national park". ABC News. Australian Broadcasting Corporation. Retrieved 29 June 2020.
  6. "Massive NSW outback stations turned into national parks to save flora and fauna". ABC News. 26 October 2021. Retrieved 11 April 2022.
  7. "New outback reserve to protect diverse western wilderness". NSW Environment and Heritage. 7 June 2021. Retrieved 11 April 2022.
  8. 1 2 "New parks and additions to parks". NSW Environment and Heritage. Archived from the original on 19 March 2022. Retrieved 11 April 2022.
  9. "Big boost to national parks in Western NSW". NSW Environment and Heritage. 26 October 2021. Retrieved 11 April 2022.
  10. "Marine parks". Marine protected areas. NSW Department of Industry. Retrieved 23 January 2018.
  11. "Aquatic reserves". Marine Protected Areas. NSW Department of Industry. Retrieved 23 January 2018.