Australia already has more than 500 national parks, but that doesn't mean the country is shy about adding even more to the mix. When it opens, Gulguer National Park will provide 1,100 hectares (2,718 acres) of protected environment within an hour-and-a-half drive from Sydney. This isn't an entirely new space, but rather a merging of existing natural preservation areas and some additional land. Gulguer National Park will combine and expand Bents Basin State Conservation Area and Gulguer Nature Reserve, adding another 700 hectares (1,730 acres) of protected land to make it one of the largest in Western Sydney.
Gulguer National Park's creation is part of the wider Cumberland Plain Conservation Plan (CPCP), which aims to "improve ecological resilience and protect biodiversity in Western Sydney by 2056." Australia's newest national park is a big step forward for this plan, because it will protect the habitats of almost 30 threatened native species, big and small, from the southern great glider and powerful owl to the giant burrowing frog and Cumberland and Dural land snails. "Making it a national park means that it has one of the highest levels of protection," NSW Environment Minister Penny Sharpe was quoted as saying by the ABC. "It means that it's here for us to look after for many, many decades to come."
The national park will also offer Sydney residents and visitors yet another nature escape from the bustling city, compensating for the 73,000-house development happening nearby. Visitors will be able to experience unique Australian wildlife with little effort. Hiking and mountain biking trails are expected to weave throughout the eucalyptus trees, creeks, and gum tree forests. While only some trails will be open initially, New South Wales National Parks and Wildlife Service plans on adding more down the line, along with lookouts, campsites, and picnic areas in the future.
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Another focus of Gulguer National Park is the protection of important Aboriginal culture, land, and heritage. The national park will occupy the traditional land of the Indigenous Dharug, Dharawal, and Gundungurra peoples. As such, it will preserve significant Aboriginal cultural sites, including rock art, shelters, artifacts, and meeting places. It also ensures that these Indigenous peoples have better access to Country and their ancestral ties to the protected land, animals, plants, and skies. Instead of it potentially being lost to more housing or metro development projects. It still remains to be seen how, if at all, these cultural sites will be incorporated into the national park.
Wildlife watching, on the other hand, looks to be a guaranteed highlight of Gulguer, where many native species call home. Along with those aforementioned species, visitors will have a chance to spot regent honey eaters, eastern bent-wing bats, glossy black cockatoos, and sooty owls. These species currently reside within the rare Cumberland Plain woodland, which comprises part of Bents Basin State Conservation Area. The basin here will also be a source of outdoor recreation, providing a lake-like setting surrounded by native trees and gorges for swimming and paddling. All this considered, the national park will be a welcome addition to a region that already has the Blue Mountains for thrilling hikes and pretty waterfalls.
While there's no official opening date set, the national park is expected to fully welcome the public sometime within the next six months. Right now, you can access it through Bents Basin State Conservation Area, which is just over an hour's drive from Sydney. Visitors can fly into Sydney Airport (SYD), which has one of the best airport lounges in the world. Want nature closer to downtown? Visit Milk Beach, one of Australia's best-kept secrets, only 20 minutes away.
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Read the original article on Islands.