Casuarina Coastal Reserve to become Northern Territory's newest National Park

Casuarina Coastal Reserve protects a large coastal area in Darwin's northern suburbs and is popular for its white sandy beaches, shady picnic areas, cycle paths, mountain bike tracks and wildlife.

Located between the mouth of Rapid Creek and Buffalo Creek, the 1500-hectare reserve includes eight kilometres of sandy beaches fringed by Casuarina trees and dramatic sandstone cliffs with the reserve attracting more than one million visitors a year who exercise and enjoy the natural beauty of the coastal habitats.

The Northern Territory Government is safekeeping Casuarina Coastal Reserve, by growing the protected area and making it the Territory’s newest national park.

The reserve will expand to include a 34-hectare lot (Lot 9458) to ensure protection of the dry monsoonal rainforest that is home to some of the Territory’s most iconic endangered species, the Black-footed Tree-rat and Croton habrophyllus, the host plant for the endangered Atlas Moth.

The Territory Government has commenced the process for the reserve to become a national park under the Territory Parks and Wildlife Conservation Act 1976, ensuring its protection and management by Parks and Wildlife.

The new status of national park for Casuarina Coastal Reserve would constrain the type of development that could occur on the land and provide safeguards that any development is consistent with maintaining the values of the park.

Declared national parks provide a range of opportunities for the public to be involved in, including recreation, nature appreciation, scientific research and conservation, with the first step a series of consultation processes, including the outlining the natural, cultural and recreational values of the Reserve.

The community is invited to provide input to make representations about the land through the Have Your Say website

Applications close on Monday 22nd April 2024.