New South Wales establishes Great Koala National Park using carbon credits

The government of New South Wales established the Great Koala National Park, the state's second-largest national park, located between Kempsey and Grafton on the Mid North Coast.

The park covers 478,000 hectares and protects more than 100 species of flora and fauna. It combines existing protected areas with 178,000 hectares of former state forest and Crown Land. Conservationist Ashley Love initiated the campaign after local residents reported a decline in the regional koala population.

The proposal eventually became a platform for the NSW Labor party, which won the government in 2023. The legislation survived 160 amendments during the parliamentary process to secure the park's creation. The Clean Energy Regulator registered a project covering more than 117,000 hectares of the park's state forest. By ending native forest logging in these areas, the government can now sell carbon credits. The government notes that protected forest generates more revenue than timber.

The logging moratorium caused the Forestry Corporation of NSW to cut more than 30 jobs in Coffs Harbour. Timber NSW president Andrew Hurford stated that the move has also reduced orders for engineering firms and transport providers. The government plans to move displaced staff into roles with the National Parks and Wildlife Service. Ashley Love noted that the park remains fragmented, but it represents a major step toward providing connected habitat for koalas.