Alex Graham to lead NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service

Alex Graham has been appointed to head the NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service (NPWS) from 18th August 2025, after previously working with City of Gold Coast Council, Australia's second-largest council as Executive General Manager, Environment, Heritage and Resilience.

Graham brings more than 20 years' experience across conservation, infrastructure and government leadership that will be critical to ongoing stewardship of the NSW national park estate, which is approximately 10% of the state's land.

At the City of Gold Coast Council, Graham had responsibility for conservation estate management, bushfire and disaster response, and First Nations engagement.

Through her work at City of Gold Coast Council, she achieved conservation outcomes through property acquisitions, private landholder partnership programs, community education and engagement, and management of 14,000 hectares of conservation estate, 400km of waterways, and 70km of iconic coast.

Her experience also includes Executive Director Landscapes, Water and Natural Capital at the Queensland Department of Environment and Science, and was Director of Greater Sydney Branch, Regional Operations Division of the former Office and Environment and Heritage between 2017 and 2020.

Graham's leadership will be critical to NPWS as it leads ecological conservation into a climate-resilient future. NPWS is part of the Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water (DCCEEW). NPWS manages 7.6 million hectares of land, including more than 895 national parks and reserves, four of which are World Heritage-listed sites.

These areas are critical in conserving biodiversity, as well as natural and cultural heritage.

Management of these areas includes fire management, sustainable tourism and visitation, research, education and volunteering programs.