THE New South Wales state government will establish a 100,000ha area of National Park in the state’s northwest, following its purchase of cattle and sheep property Comeroo station announced today.
The acquisition of the 37,000ha Comeroo, Muttawary and Maranoa stations (known collectively as Comeroo), 150km north west of Bourke, from owners Bruce and Chris Sharpe will produce an expanded National Park covering 100,000ha in the region, containing endangered ecological communities and an array of threatened species.
Comeroo Station near Bourke, in northwestern NSW. Click on image for a larger view
The estate will be managed by the NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service.
Comeroo features diverse habitat including alluvial floodplains and swamps with permanent waterholes, ephemeral wetlands, grasslands, woodlands and shrublands.
More than one quarter of the new park stretches across Yantabulla Swamp, which is recognised as an important bird area. Yantabulla Swamp hosts thousands of internationally protected migratory shorebirds as well as up to 50,000 waterbirds including threatened freckled ducks, pink-eared ducks, grey teals, night herons and many other species.
Three ecological communities listed as endangered cover one-third of Comeroo. These are the Coolibah-Blackbox woodland, Brigalow-Gidgee woodland/shrubland and critically endangered artesian springs.
At least 13 known threatened species will benefit from permanently protecting the area, a NSW Government press release said. They include the stripe-faced dunnart, ringed brown snake, black-breasted buzzard, brolga, pink cockatoo, little eagle and Hall’s babbler.
Comeroo is located in in the traditional Paroo and Warrego River country, and contains extensive Aboriginal cultural sites including wells, waterholes, stone arrangements, artefact scatters and scarred trees.
When combined with nearby recently reserved Brindingabba National Park and properties Yantabulla and Naree which have agreements with the Biodiversity Conservation Trust, the acquisition secures a contiguous area of more than 100,000ha for conservation.
The purchase is funded by the NSW Government with support from The Nature Conservancy which has brokered funding from the Wyss Foundation.
The new National Park will be established after the statutory process is completed, and is expected to be named then opened to the public in late 2024.
NSW minister for the environment Penny Sharpe said the addition to the NSW national parks estate would protect vital wetlands in the Cuttaburra basin, part of the Paroo and the Warrego floodplains and some of NSW’s and Australia’s best waterbird breeding sites.
“Wetlands are some of the most endangered ecosystems on the planet, which is why this acquisition is so important.
“National Park management and visitation are an important economic driver for regional NSW. In time, this will become another must-see National Park destination. The construction of visitor experiences and driving tours will help people explore this vast new park.”
The Nature Conservancy spokesman James Fitzsimmons said these types of partnerships would be critical to achieving large-scale protection outcomes and meeting Australia’s commitment to protecting 30 percent of land, freshwaters, and ocean ecosystems by 2030.
Source: NSW Government
100,000 Hectares sounds like a lot but it is only a square 31 km on side. Sounds less when you say it that way.
Why has this article avoided how much of taxpayers money was spent on this acquisition. This government continues to spend like drunken sailors.
Given that the buyer was described as the NSW government, we’d argue that it is clearly evident that the purchase was taxpayer-funded, Raymond. Editor
Permanently protected from the feral pigs??
Every bit of protection afforded to threatened ecosystems, flora and fauna is a step in the right direction. Well done to all who helped make this happen.
What about the feral animals they fail to control, the introduced weed species that will now run rampant, the increase in vegetation creating a bushfire risk, the lack of maintenance of roads and fences making it hellish for neighbours who are unfortunate enough to live alongside these “havens.” So have another look at the whole picture Helen.
Another poorly managed National Park that will infest surrounding landholders with feral animals. This is not about biodiversity, it’s all about net zero intelligence and carbon offsets.
Big bush fire there.