Largest land purchase for NSW national park
Situated in far north-west NSW, Narriearra Station is the largest purchase of private land for a national park in the state’s history.
The purchase of the 153,415-hectare Narriearra Station for a new national park will help protect threatened species, important habitats and wetlands.
Narriearra Station stretches across the outback Channel Country and includes part of the Bulloo River floodplain, ephemeral wetlands and landscapes currently not found anywhere in NSW national parks.
More than 25 threatened species live in Narriearra Station, including nearly 90% of NSW’s critical habitat and breeding areas for the nationally endangered Grey Grasswren.
The purchase of the land also secures a key section of a nationally important wetland – the Caryapundy Swamp. The wetland can host tens of thousands of waterbirds, including pelicans, straw-necked ibis, egrets and whiskered terns during inland flood events.
Environment Minister Matt Kean has invited the Tibooburra Local Aboriginal Land Council to suggest a name for the new national park.
“Narriearra along with the nearby Sturt National Park, will create a vast near-contiguous conservation area of almost half a million hectares, or twice the size of the ACT,” Mr Kean said.
“Adjoining the Pindera Downs Aboriginal Area, Narriearra contains many significant and valuable stone artefacts, tools and stone arrangements.”