Govind Tekale
The NSW government’s $60 million plan to create Australia’s largest koala sanctuary has sparked fierce criticism from timber workers who fear for their livelihoods.
Premier Chris Minns announced Sunday the creation of the Great Koala National Park, covering 476,000 hectares on the state’s Mid North Coast. The massive reserve aims to protect over 12,000 koalas and more than 100 threatened species, including greater gliders.
The government will add 176,000 hectares of state forest to existing national parks, creating a protected area stretching from Kempsey in the south to near Grafton in the north. An immediate logging ban has been placed on these forests.
“Koalas are at risk of extinction in the wild in NSW – that’s unthinkable. The Great Koala National Park is about turning that around,” Premier Minns said.
The timber industry has responded with anger, particularly over the timing and lack of consultation.
“Our members are devastated and disgusted by today’s decision,” said Alison Rudman from the Timbers, Furnishing and Textiles Union (TFTU). “To announce it to the largely male workforce on Father’s Day only compounds the distress for workers who will pay the price of this cheap politicking.”
The logging moratorium will impact six timber mills and approximately 300 Forestry Corporation jobs. While plantation logging will continue, the ban on native habitat harvesting threatens small communities that depend on the industry.
“When you take out the timber industry, you kill the town,” Rudman warned. “Businesses close, schools lose students, health services withdraw, and entire communities are left to wither.”
The government has promised a JobKeeper-style payment system to cover workers’ salaries during the transition, plus free mental health and financial support services. The $60 million in new funding adds to $80 million pledged for the park in 2023, with an additional $6 million allocated for regional business support.
Agriculture Minister Tara Moriarty emphasized the government’s commitment to affected workers: “Our government’s priority is to fully support impacted workers with payments and services during this major change.”
But the TFTU claims there has been minimal consultation with the industry for nearly a year, raising concerns about the long-term future of these communities beyond immediate financial assistance.
NSW Nationals leader Dugald Saunders criticized the approach, arguing that koala protection and sustainable logging could coexist: “You can still do a Great Koala National Park, you just need to make sure some of those high-quality production areas are maintained and you can still have the corridors necessary to protect our local fauna.”
Saunders warned of broader economic fallout: “There’ll be all of the downflow effects on haulage, all of the truck drivers, all of the people who look after the truck drivers. All of the people and businesses who provide the certainty of the timber industry.”
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On the conservation side, the project has received strong support. Environment Minister Penny Sharpe said the park could be formally established soon. NSW National Parks Association Coffs Harbour branch president Grahame Douglas welcomed the move, highlighting its importance for wildlife protection.
For the Aboriginal community, the park brings new opportunities. Dedicated Aboriginal rangers will be employed through community-controlled organizations to work on cultural heritage within the park, which holds significant cultural value for the Gumbaynggirr and Dunghutti peoples.
The government projects substantial economic benefits from tourism, estimating an indirect economic surplus of more than $160 million over the next two decades, generating 85,000 extra visitor nights per year.
According to recent analysis by the Australian Conservation Foundation, more koala habitat has been approved for clearing under Australia’s nature laws in 2025 than in any other year since the marsupial was listed as threatened. The koala’s status was upgraded from vulnerable to endangered in 2022, with habitat destruction identified as a major threat.
With koalas potentially facing extinction in NSW by 2050, the government views the national park as crucial for their survival, while impacted timber communities worry about their own future.
For official information about the Great Koala National Park, you can visit the NSW government website.
The role of forests in fighting climate change is also relevant to this conservation effort.
