‘Plan for Our Parks’ initiative conserves 6.5 million hectares of Western Australian land and water

The Western Australian Government has conserved 6.5 million hectares of WA land and water - equivalent in size to Tasmania - with the completion of their ‘Plan for Our Parks’ policy.

The policy, announced in 2019, set an ambitious target for the State Government to create five million hectares of new conservation estate - including national parks, marine parks and nature reserves - in just five years.

Completed late last year, that target has since been met, with 6.5 million hectares of land being conserved representing a 28% increase in Western Australia's conservation estate.

Significant sites expanded or created through that policy include:

Beeliar Regional Park, where the State Government has accorded the Beeliar Wetlands status as a class A reserve after having stopped development of the flawed Perth Freight Link;

Wellington National Park, where conservation is growing a thriving tourism industry parallel to Collie's energy transition; and

Fitzroy River National Park, which has been expanded and will now cover Sir John Gorge and other areas important to Kija people, who will jointly manage the park alongside the State Government.

Conserving these and other areas has meant 671 priority flora and fauna have been accorded protection in the past five years, including iconic WA species like the Carnaby's cockatoos.

The policy has also had a significant economic impact on several local communities, with joint management arrangements creating 277 jobs for Traditional Owners largely in regional WA, as well as allowing Aboriginal-run businesses to invest in nature-based or adventure tourism opportunities.

To find out more, head to www.dbca.wa.gov.au/management/parks/plan-our-parks

Image. Fitzroy River National Park