You are here

New Outback Reserve to Protect Diverse Western Wilderness

NEW OUTBACK RESERVE TO PROTECT DIVERSE WESTERN WILDERNESS

Environment Minister, Matt Kean has today announced the second largest land acquisition for national parks in the last 10 years with the purchase of the neighbouring Lanigdoon and Metford stations, 65km east of Broken Hill.

The plan for the two properties, totaling 60,468 hectares, is to create a new outback reserve conserving significant biodiversity and Aboriginal heritage in the region.

“Land to the west of the Great Dividing Range supports a great diversity of wildlife, unique natural heritage and culturally important places, worthy of protection,” Mr Kean said.

“This new park will be an important refuge for wildlife including at least 14 threatened animal species including habitat for the Australian bustard, white fronted chat and the pink cockatoo.”

Once this addition is formally reserved, the national parks system will have increased by more 350,000 hectares since August 2019, well on the way to meet the target of an additional 400,000 hectares by the end of 2022.

The purchase follows on from the recent creation of another outback reserve - Narriearra Caryapundy Swamp National Park which was the largest purchase of private land for the national parks estate.

In time, it is expected visitors will be able to explore sandplains and stony desert, gibber chenopod shrublands, floodplain woodland along watercourses and a lake system that provides habitat for a range of migratory bird species.

The properties contain important Aboriginal heritage including artefacts such as grinding plates and stones.