Not surprisingly, camping opportunities has emerged as one of the key things that people would like to see in the proposed Great Koala National Park in New South Wales.
The What We Heard report which, summarising feedback from members of the public, has just been released with recreation and conservation emerging as the public’s top priorities.
The consultation was one of the largest ever undertaken for a new national park.
It attracted around 4,000 survey responses and involved more than 70 face-to-face meetings, group forums, community events and online sessions.
Key feedback themes include:
The proposed new park will play a key role in protecting koalas. PIC: Holgi / Pixabay
There was naturally strong support for improved protection for koalas and other threatened species while also ensuring that a broad range of recreational uses are available in the park.
Minister for North Coast Janelle Saffin said the clear message from the public was that they wanted a park that was ‘active, accessible, and alive with recreation’.
“By listening to the 4,000 people who engaged with this survey, we are designing a world-class destination that keeps the outdoor activities locals love, while unlocking economic opportunities for our regional businesses, tour operators, and our hospitality sector,” she said. “Local voices are driving this process, and that’s exactly how it should be.”
The proposed park will reserve 176,000 hectares of state forest and connect with existing national parks to create a 476,000-hectare reserve of protected areas encompassing over 475,000 hectares from Kempsey to Grafton and inland to Ebor – one of the largest in NSW.
The What We Heard report can be viewed here.
WIN DENI UTE MUSTER TICKETS
Grey Nomad members are being given the chance to win one of three admission and camping packages to the iconic Deni Ute Muster event in the NSW town of Deniliquin.
Each package is valued at $800 and includes two General Admission tickets, a reserved campsite, and early entry from Wednesday for the event which this year runs from Friday, October 2, until Saturday, October 3.
Click here to learn more about the competition.
WIN VOLTX LiFePO4 BATTERY SYSTEMS
Grey Nomad members are being given the chance to win one of two fantastic VoltX LiFePO4 Battery systems, with a combined value of nearly $2,500.
With travellers increasingly spending more time off-grid, having a reliable and adequate power source is more important than ever … and these two products will certainly offer adventurers peace of mind on that front.
Click here to learn more about the competition.
