Western Australia’s Plan for Our Parks initiative creates new Mid-West conservation park

The Western Australian Government's Plan for Our Parks initiative has created the Thundelarra Conservation Park - located in the State's Mid-West region within Badimia country – which supports important ecological communities including threatened flora and vegetation types, and threatened fauna species including the malleefowl.

Spanning more than 100,000 hectares, the park complements a further 114,000 hectares of conservation reserves created in the region in January this year.

The land includes a 25 kilometre stretch of land along Mongers Lake, with associated fringing vegetation and swamps that provide important nesting habitat for waterbirds. It also contains the Australian Directory of Important Wetlands listed lignum cane grass swamp.

With a rich wildflower display in spring, there is significant tourism potential with possible links to nearby lands which are part of the Yamatji Nation Indigenous Land Use Agreement.

The park also provides a unique opportunity for a variety of camping, four-wheel driving and other recreational experiences within a day's travel from Perth.

Sitting within Badimia country, the park ensures important cultural heritage sites are protected, with further opportunities for joint management between traditional owners and the Department of Biodiversity, Conservation and Attractions.

Thundelarra Conservation Park is a key milestone in the Plan for Our Parks initiative, which aims to create five-million hectares of new national parks, marine parks and other conservation reserves across the State by February 2024.

Western Australian Environment Minister Amber-Jade Sanderson notes "Thundelarra Conservation Park is important for the protection of our State's biodiversity and cultural values and provides us with further ongoing opportunity to build relationships and undertake joint management with the Badimia traditional owners.

"This is an exciting milestone for Plan for Our Parks, and it is wonderful to see more conservation land created in the Mid-West region to benefit generations to come."

Image:The western spiny-tailed skink. Courtesy Outback WA Credit: Scott Thompson