National Parks Expansion Boosts Tourism, Biodiversity
Almost 725 hectares – the equivalent of 450 Adelaide Ovals – are being added to three popular South Australia’s parks, providing more access and better protection to our state’s natural attractions for local, interstate and international visitors.
Murray River National Park and Maize Lagoon Conservation Park in the Riverland, as well as Sceale Bay Conservation Park on Eyre Peninsula, will be expanded.
The expansions are in addition to 1246 hectares added to eight other parks across the state by the Malinauskas Government and the creation of two new national parks at Nilpena and Worlds End.
Another proposal to add 1840 hectares to the Seal Bay Sanctuary zone in the Southern Kangaroo Island Marine Park has received overwhelming public support.
These additions will help the State Government better manage and protect land that is home to valuable biodiversity, and culturally significant and sensitive sites.
Murray River National Park is a popular camping location that provides recreational activities and an opportunity for visitors to interact with nature and experience the River Murray floodplains.
Maize Island Conservation Park is home to one of the state’s first village settlements along the River Murray, including ruins of some original dwellings and old horticultural plantings.
Sceale Bay Conservation Park supports significant wading birds, including migratory species – the Australian pied oystercatcher, Sanderling and fairy tern – that are subject to international protection agreements between Australia, Japan and China.
In the 2024/25 State Budget, an additional $30 million in funding was provided to sustain our national parks.
The additions align with the state and federal governments’ 30 by 30 commitment, which aims to protect 30 per cent of Australia’s landmass and marine areas by 2030 in an effort to halt further biodiversity loss.
The Department for Environment and Water manages about 23 million hectares of national parks and wilderness protection areas, which comprise about 22 per cent of the state’s land.
Research shows $70 billion of the state’s economic activity and $11 billion of its exports have a dependence on nature.
As put by Susan Close
This expansion will provide enhanced protection of threatened species and increased opportunities to connect with nature.
Murray River National Park and Maize Island Conservation Park provide habitat for nationally threatened birds, including the regent parrot, southern bell frog and blue-faced honeyeater.
South Australia’s national and conservation parks are home to an abundance of native animals and plants that we must protect now to ensure they remain sustainable in the future.
They are also hugely popular with seven out of 10 South Australians visiting our parks annually.
We know people love spending time in our parks and reserves, which provide amazing opportunities to connect with nature.