Wellington National Park receives $3.35 million for facility upgrades

As part of its recent State Budget, the Western Australian Government will be injecting $3.35 million into the expansion of Wellington National Park to upgrade roads and provide visitor facilities such as lookouts, tracks, trails, and campgrounds, while also providing a greater level of protection for flora and fauna.

The proposed areas also include registered Aboriginal heritage places and sites of other Australian cultural heritage.

Wellington National Park is located just outside of Collie and features the Wellington Dam and Collie River Valley, with the park widely used for camping, mountain biking, fishing, swimming, rafting, canoeing and bushwalking.

Almost 7,500 hectares of State forest has been proposed for addition to the national park. This addition will increase the overall area of the national park to 25,000 hectares.

The proposed expansion along the southern boundary to the Preston River will provide a focus for tourism along major access routes and enhance opportunities for recreation and tourism.

This expansion forms part of the Government's Plan for Our Parks initiative, which seeks to increase the conservation estate through the establishment of five million hectares of new conservation reserves over five years.

Western Australian Environment Minister Stephen Dawson advised "Wellington National Park continues to grow as a popular camping and day visit destination due to its proximity to Perth; outstanding scenic, cultural and biodiversity values; and the multitude of recreational activities it offers.

"The feedback we received as part of the public comment period was extremely positive and showed the vast majority of people were supportive of the expansion.

"This funding will allow for an increased level of protection for the natural environment, and opportunities for developing the local economy through increased tourism and recreational activities."

Image courtesy of WA Parks and Wildlife Service