NSW NATIONAL Parks have announced an addition to the Medowie Conservation Area.

The NSW national park estate is expanding with an additional 1,300 hectares of land added to permanently protect important habitat for threatened and endangered species.

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Included in this is 72 hectares in the Medowie Conservation Area which is designed to protect vulnerable species.

Minister for Environment James Griffin said the NSW Government’s commitment to conservation and biodiversity has seen more than 602,500 hectares secured for reservation since 2019.

“The latest additions to the NSW national park estate is another step towards protecting and conserving critical habitat for vulnerable species like koalas, powerful owls, swift parrots and squirrel gliders,” Mr Griffin said.

“These targeted pockets of land are now protecting land in the Hunter, Sydney and Riverina regions in perpetuity while offering habitat, wildlife corridors and food sources to more than 30 threatened species.

“Our national parks are incredibly important for protecting threatened species and areas of cultural significance, and they also play a significant role in the economy, receiving 60 million visits each year while supporting 74,000 jobs and driving $18 billion in economic activity.”

NSW National Parks make a critical contribution to the Government’s conservation efforts, covering almost 9.5 percent of NSW, providing habitat corridors and home to about 85 percent of the State’s threatened and endangered species.

With koalas facing extinction in the wild by 2050 if no action is taken; this can be seen as a small step in the right direction for the species.

Port Stephens Councillor Leah Anderson told News Of The Area, “An extra 72 hectares of state conservation land in Medowie is a real win for protecting critical habitat, and for conservation and biodiversity in our LGA.

“There are other pockets of land in the LGA that the government should consider, such as the potential buy back of the old Gan Gan Army Camp land, and also the land at 22 Homestead St, Salamander Bay where koalas are often rescued and released,” she said.

By Marian SAMPSON