Offer or propose land for the national parks system

Tell us about land that you think we could buy or acquire to expand the size and conservation value of the national parks system.

Trees, cattle, farmland in Kangaroo ValleyEvery year, we acquire land for our national parks by purchasing private land, public land transfers, donations and bequests.
Land is purchased each year to add to the national parks system. Most of this land is offered to us by landowners.

The Reserve Establishment Team manages the establishment of parks and reserves across NSW.

Contact us about the acquisition or reservation of land if you want to:

  • offer land you own
  • tell us about other land you feel has important natural or cultural value.

All offers or proposals will be treated with strict confidence.

What we look for

We will only buy land if the sale or transfer is voluntary and is suitable for reservation.

We are most interested in land that:

  • has outstanding natural and cultural values
  • provides significant benefits to the community
  • is available for purchase or acquisition (that is, land on the open market or Crown land that is not subject to an Aboriginal land claim).

The NSW Government has also allocated funding to purchase properties in New South Wales with priority koala habitat for management and conservation within the national parks system. More on that initiative can be found on our Purchasing land with priority koala habitat page.

When we assess the suitability for land on offer, we consider:

  • Whether the land has a national, state or regional significance listing
  • Whether the land would improve the comprehensiveness, adequacy and representativeness of biodiversity in the national parks system
  • Whether the land contains features that provide habitat value
  • Whether the land has Importance for ecosystem function and/or catchment protection
  • Whether the land is part of migratory routes and corridors, or offers refuge, roosting sites, breeding sites and caves
  • Whether protecting the land reduces the risk of loss of natural and cultural values
  • What vegetation communities are present, their protection status and current representation in the national parks system
  • The manageability of the land - whether the land improves a reserve boundary, provides better access, reduces threats to conservation assets, or contains assets that assist management
  • The extent of pests and weeds
  • Whether the land is subject to alternative protection mechanisms (land-use zoning, conservation covenants)
  • Whether the land offers research and education opportunities
  • Whether the land offers recreational or visitor experience opportunities
  • Whether there is community support for the protection of the land/values.

Other features of interest include:

  • Aquatic ecosystems (rivers and wetlands)
  • Sites of geological and/or geomorphological importance
  • Cultural heritage sites and objects of significance
  • Connection to other areas in a cultural context - stories or tradition
  • Landscape corridors that provide connectivity
  • Migratory birds/habitats
  • Threatened species, populations or ecological communities
  • Exceptional visual quality or protection of visual amenity.


Land owners may offer their land for addition to the national parks system by sale, donation or bequest.

Sell your land to us

If you want to offer your own land to us send us a letter of offer.

Your letter of offer should include:

  • your contact details
  • the lot number and deposited plan (DP) details of the land you are offering for sale
  • an asking price (preferably)
  • the reasons your land may be suitable for addition to the national parks system.

Mark your letter of offer ‘Confidential’ and send it to us via post or email at:

Reserve Establishment Team 
National Parks and Wildlife Service 
Locked Bag 5022
Parramatta NSW 2124

Email: reserve.establishment@environment.nsw.gov.au

Offering your land to us to assess does not oblige you, or us, in any way. Your offer should not influence your personal undertakings, business decisions or any other options available to you in dealing with your land.

We will acknowledge receipt of your letter and give you information about our assessment process and its timeframes.

Donate or bequeath your land

Suitable land (or money for land purchase) can be donated or bequeathed to OEH. Contact us to investigate this further.

Alternatively, you can donate your land or money through the Foundation for National Parks and Wildlife.

Tell us about land you feel has important natural or cultural values that could be suitable for the national parks system. To recommend land you do not own, you need to submit a community acquisition proposal.

You can send your proposal to us via the post or email and we will acknowledge its receipt and provide you with a timeframe for its assessment.

The priority given to your proposal will depend on our available resources, the proposal’s size, complexity and feasibility.