Legislation to establish the Great Koala National Park on the NSW Mid North Coast has been introduced to State Parliament.
The National Park Estate (Great Koala National Park Reservations) Bill 2026 would transfer more than 178,000 hectares of state forest and Crown land into the national park estate.
Combined with existing national parks and reserves, the protected area would cover more than 475,000 hectares.
Habitat for Thousands of Koalas
The proposed park is expected to protect habitat for around 12,000 koalas, as well as greater gliders and more than 100 threatened plant and animal species.
Government surveys conducted across the assessment area in 2024 estimated the koala population at between about 10,300 and 14,500 animals.
Recreation to Continue in Parts of the Park
The legislation creates several reserve categories rather than treating the entire area as the same type of national park.
This would allow activities such as bushwalking, camping, fishing, horse riding, mountain biking and four-wheel driving to continue in designated areas.
Some regional park areas could also continue to host motorsport events on existing roads with ministerial approval.
The final management arrangements will be developed through future plans of management and further consultation with Aboriginal communities, councils and recreational users.
Support for Forestry Workers
The creation of the park will affect native forest operations within the proposed boundary.
The legislation includes provisions allowing eligible Forestry Corporation employees to move into suitable roles within the NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service.
Separate assistance has also been announced for affected workers and businesses, including retraining, financial support and other transition services.
Park Not Yet Formally Established
The legislation still needs to pass NSW Parliament.
Its commencement is also conditional on the relevant carbon project being formally registered under the Australian Carbon Credit Unit scheme by the Commonwealth Clean Energy Regulator.
Until those steps are completed, the Great Koala National Park remains a proposed protected area rather than a formally established park.
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