Help shape the future of NSW national parks

The NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service (NPWS) is inviting communities to help shape the future of national parks across the state, with public exhibition now open on the draft National Parks Establishment Plan (the draft plan). 

Building on the original National Parks Establishment Plan released in 2008, the draft plan draws on the latest scientific knowledge and expert input to help identify where future national parks could be established or expanded across NSW.  

It also responds to a range of emerging conservation challenges facing NSW today, including habitat loss, landscape fragmentation and the impacts of a changing climate.

The draft plan will help guide the future growth of a national park estate that began with the establishment of Royal National Park in Sydney’s south in 1879.  Today, there are more than 890 national parks and reserves that protect some of the state's most significant natural and cultural landscapes.

A key feature of the draft plan is a new statewide framework to improve transparency and consistency in how future opportunities to create new national parks or add land to existing parks are assessed. The framework is built around seven assessment themes:

• Areas of high conservation value
• Ecological connectivity and resilience
• Cultural heritage, including Aboriginal cultural heritage, shared and historic heritage
• Management effectiveness
• Restoration and rehabilitation
• Climate change adaptation and mitigation
• Visitor experience value

The draft plan also introduces a stronger regional focus to help identify priority opportunities across NSW.

Many of NSW's ecosystems and cultural landscapes remain under-represented in the national park estate and face increasing pressure from climate change, habitat loss and land-use change. Twelve of NSW's 18 mainland bioregions and 82 of the state's 131 subregions currently have less than 15 per cent of their area under permanent protection.

Growing the national park estate delivers a range of benefits for communities across NSW in addition to conservation, including cultural heritage protection, fire and land management, visitor experiences, regional tourism, jobs and community wellbeing.

Complementary work is also underway to strengthen the evidence base on the economic and community impacts and opportunities of national park acquisitions. 

Findings from this work, together with community and stakeholder feedback, will help shape the final plan, and guide future decisions about the growth and management of the NSW national park estate.

The draft National Parks Establishment Plan will be on public exhibition from Friday 11 September 2026 until 11:59pm on Monday 12 October 2026. Feedback is welcomed from community members, Aboriginal knowledge holders, conservation groups, industry representatives, and other stakeholders.

For more information and to provide feedback, visit Draft National Parks Establishment Plan | Have your say

Quotes attributable to Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water Secretary, Anthony Lean:

“National parks protect our unique natural and cultural heritage and also make a significant contribution to regional economies, generating an estimated $19.5 billion annually for the NSW economy and supporting around 62,500 direct and indirect jobs.

“The development of the draft National Parks Establishment Plan has been informed by extensive engagement with NPWS advisory boards, committees, key stakeholders and other subject matter experts.

“Our parks system is one of the best in the world, and we are encouraging everyone to read the plan and provide a submission to help keep it that way.”

Quotes attributable to NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service Executive Director, Trish Harrup: 

“For almost 150 years, national parks have helped protect the places that make NSW unique. This draft Plan builds on that legacy by providing a roadmap for future national park opportunities across the state. 

“It will help ensure future decisions are guided by the best available science, expert knowledge and community benefit, while protecting the landscapes, wildlife and heritage that matter most. 

“While the national park estate plays a critical role in protecting biodiversity, significant gaps remain and this strategic plan will help ensure that conservation efforts are targeted to areas of highest priority and greatest benefit.”

Additional background information for journalists

• Today, the national park estate covers 8.45 million hectares under the National Parks and Wildlife Act 1974 (NPW Act). 
• It includes more than 897 national parks and reserves, 4 World Heritage-listed sites and 17 Ramsar wetlands. 
• Nature-based tourism continues to grow, with 65.5 million domestic visits to NPWS protected areas in 2024–25, alongside 4.6 million international visits.
• National parks also make a significant contribution to regional economies, generating an estimated $19.5 billion annually for the NSW economy and supporting around 62,500 direct and indirect jobs.