Overview

• Proposed boundaries map a 476,000-hectare reserve by adding 176,000 hectares of state forest to existing national parks on the Mid North Coast.
• Native-forest harvesting in the proposed area pauses from Monday, while Forestry Corporation retains access to plantations and can retrieve timber already felled.
• Government-commissioned drone surveys estimate nearly 12,000 koalas and 36,000 greater gliders in the state forests slated for protection, alongside more than 100 other threatened species.
• National Parks and Wildlife Service receives an additional $60 million on top of a prior $80 million allocation, with projections of about 85,000 extra visitor nights a year and $163 million in economic activity over 20 years.
• The state forecasts 200–300 job losses across Forestry Corporation, contractors and mills, with six of 25 mills directly affected and temporary wage support, services and priority NPWS roles offered.