A Pyxis poll has shown overwhelming support for the creation of new national parks and protected areas on the NSW South Coast.
Statewide, 67 per cent of voters would support the creation of large new protected areas like the Great Southern Forest National Park proposal, with this number increasing to 72 per cent within the NSW South Coast area.
National Parks Association of NSW (NPA) local conservation campaigner, Monica Mudge, said, ‘Transitioning local state forests away from logging to the Great Southern Forest is not only what the vast majority of locals want for our forests, it would also be a boon for our local economy.
‘The Great Southern Forest would be a major tourist drawcard. Nature-based tourism is a thriving industry on the South Coast. The area had 10.3 million visitors, adding $4.2 billion in expenditure to the local economy in 2025’ (Destination NSW).
‘By contrast Forestry Corporation’s Hardwood Division, which manages NSW’s public native forests, ran at a loss of $105 million over the last five years, with taxpayers having to foot the bill. Shockingly, 80 per cent of the trees taken from the Southern and Eden regions over the past five years has gone to woodchip export or other low value products such as firewood and fencing.
‘Creating the Great Southern Forest is not only a win for our wildlife and local economies, the proposal also opens the door to a wealth of new recreational opportunities while retaining existing activities such as mountain biking, free/low-cost camping and horse riding. The inclusion of Regional Parks would also allow people to continue to walk their dogs in areas with lower environmental sensitivity’ Ms. Mudge stated.
NPA Conservation Projects Officer Kate Carroll said, ‘The Great Southern Forest proposal is large enough to give threatened species like the endangered southern greater glider, the threatened yellow-bellied glider, and the critically endangered swift parrot a genuine chance to thrive long-term, rather than merely surviving in isolated pockets of protection.
‘The National Park proposal which also includes joint management opportunities with First Nations, would help the region cope with growing pressure from severe bushfires and the ongoing loss of wildlife.
‘There is a common misconception that protected areas like national parks increase bushfire risk; however, logging makes forests more susceptible to catastrophic fires. Furthermore, the National Parks and Wildlife Service (NPWS) is responsible for 75 per cent of all hazard reduction burns in NSW and employs more than half of the state’s remote-area firefighters’ concluded Ms. Carroll.
We need the Great Southern Forest now more than ever; for our wildlife, our local economy, and a resilient future.
