Warranmadhaa National Park

The NSW Government is delivering on its commitment to protect koalas in the wild with the creation of Warranmadhaa National Park, which represents a once-in-a-generation opportunity to provide protection for south-western Sydney’s rich environmental assets.

The name 'Warranmadhaa' refers to the woodland areas between the Nepean and Georges Rivers near Appin, which relates to the southern area of the park. The name was chosen in close consultation with Traditional Custodians, the Tharawal Local Aboriginal Land Council and the local Aboriginal community.

This new national park will also provide local communities with access to nature-based recreation to meet significant demand for quality green and open space, subject to the provisions in a future adopted plan of management.

The first stage of the park covers 962 hectares located on Dharawal Country along the Georges River between Long Point and Appin, within Campbelltown City Council and Wollondilly local government areas. Over the longer term with additional land acquisition the park will protect approximately 1,830 hectares of land.

You can download the map (PDF 476KB) showing the current area of the park.

The transfer and reservation of these lands as Warranmadhaa National Park will deliver long-lasting conservation benefits for Sydney’s largest koala population and mitigate against the major threats to it as identified by the Chief Scientist and Engineer. This will help to ensure generations to come will see koalas in the wild.

Establishing this new koala national park

Establishing the park will involve:

• transferring existing public lands within the proposed park to the National Parks and Wildlife Service (NPWS) by September 2026
• acquiring additional land within the footprint of the park longer term
• working with Traditional Custodians, Elders and Western Sydney’s Aboriginal communities to repair, protect and enhance the health and wellbeing of Country
• using expert environmental and cultural specialists to develop strategies to safeguard the unique environmental and cultural heritage of the park
• developing a plan of management and concept plan that set out the long-term vision for the park
• ongoing community engagement
• developing a strategy for visitor infrastructure to welcome visitors to the park.

Acquiring and reserving the land

The establishment of this park is a commitment under the Cumberland Plain Conservation Plan, a strategic conservation plan for Western Sydney to offset the biodiversity impacts of future urban development. The plan identifies strategically important biodiversity areas, including the area that has become this new park, to protect the southern Sydney koala population and other threatened species.

Warranmadhaa National Park is being built progressively. To date, 970 hectares of land have been transferred to NPWS for the park and further public land transfers are expected to occur in the near term.

Once finalised, the park will protect up to 1,830 hectares of koala habitat (see the spatial viewer on the Cumberland Plain Conservation Plan webpage for the future park boundary). It will also enhance the connectivity of fragmented patches of other important habitat, including the north–south koala corridor.   

Caring for Country

The principles contained in the Caring for Country Aboriginal Outcomes Strategy will be considered in the planning, design and opening of the park to visitors.

The strategy is a 10-year NSW Government plan co-developed with Aboriginal communities that aims to: 

• improve the health and wellbeing of Country
• support Aboriginal communities to maintain distinctive relationships with land and waters in western Sydney
• promote Aboriginal culture and knowledge
• support economic participation for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people.

Continuing community engagement 

NPWS is engaging with the local community on an ongoing basis by:

• involving the local community and key stakeholders
• providing publicly accessible information and 
• formally consulting on planning documents such as the plan of management and concept plan.

To register your interest in Warranmadhaa National Park, please complete and submit the form.