MEDIA STATEMENT: Great Koala National Park downgrade to regional park – not good news for koalas

October 14, 2026

The New South Wales government have announced the final boundaries of the Great Koala National Park, as they tabled the bill in parliament on Tuesday, with conservationists and koala advocates shocked to see that much of the critical koala habitat has been downgraded to regional park.

“We are horrified that 13% of the 178,000ha of state forest that was promised to become National Park has now been downgraded to regional park. That’s over 23,000ha of koala habitat now effectively unprotected,” said Koala Clancy Foundation’s Janine Duffy.

“The vast majority of the areas downgraded from National Park are coastal forests – the very areas that koalas will need most under climate change scenarios,” she said.

“Regional parks are not recognised as protected areas by international bodies, and don’t count towards international agreements. That is because they are not prioritised for biodiversity conservation, but rather for human recreation.” https://vnpa.org.au/nationalparksfaq/

“The Minns government are even suggesting motor racing through the Koala Park.” https://www.environment.nsw.gov.au/news/landmark-legislation-introduced-create-great-koala-national-park-conservation-culture-and-recreation

Koala Clancy Foundation works with koalas in regional parks in Victoria, and have seen first-hand the difference park classification makes in practice.

“Funding in regional parks is tight, and usually prioritised for human infrastructure rather than biodiversity. Dogs are allowed in the parks, on lead, but only 50-70% of dog walkers respect that rule, and policing is poor or non-existent. Off-track trail biking damages a large part of these parks, with significant noise and erosion impacts. Regional Parks are more likely to be weed-infested, with little funding for control. Speed limits in regional parks are rarely policed. We’ve lost at least one koala to vehicle strike on a 40km/hr dirt road,” said Duffy.

This announcement is the most recent in a long line of cuts to the long-promised Park. It comes after the exclusion of the Pine Creek/Tuckers Nob Forest Bridge – a critical linking corridor from Bongil Bongil National Park on the coast to Dorrigo National Park in the hills, and home to the largest coastal koala population in NSW. https://friendsofpinecreek.com/the-forest-bridge/

“We call on all parliamentarians in NSW to amend this bill to overturn the downgrade to regional park, and return the Pine Creek Forest Bridge to the Great Koala National Park.”

ENDS

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