The forests of the central west are extraordinary. They’re refuges for wildlife and people, places of connection to Country for First Nations communities.
These forests and woodlands are fragmented remnants of bush, surrounded by a sea of cleared farmland. An incredible variety of life call them home – including over 380 rare and threatened plants and animals.
These surviving habitats protect the headwaters of important rivers and help ease the impacts of climate breakdown.
After decades of community pressure, in June 2021 the Victorian Government committed to three new national parks.
They accepted expert advice that 60,000 hectares of forest across Wombat and Wellsford Forests, the Pyrenees and Mount Cole deserve proper protection.
When created, the new parks will be the Wombat-Lerderderg National Park, (near Daylesford), Mount Buangor National Park (near Beaufort) and the Pyrenees National Park (near Avoca).
An incredible variety of life – including over 380 rare and threatened plants and animals – need forever protection
An incredible variety of life – including over 380 rare and threatened plants and animals – need forever protection
As Victoria experiences rapid rates of ecosystem decline and the real-time impacts of climate disruption, this could not come at a better time.
This is an incredible victory for our wildlife, their habitats and the communities and visitors who will enjoy these new parks.
But the parks still have to be legislated to actually provide protection.
It’s now critical our new national parks are properly legislated and declared.
It’s now critical our new national parks are properly legislated and declared.