THE National Parks Association of NSW (NPA), World Wildlife Fund Australia (WWF) and the Australian Climate Biodiversity Foundation have co-hosted an evening seminar at the Jetty Beach House to highlight local business support for the Great Koala National Park (GKNP).
The organisers said the GKNP will offer incredible benefits for businesses, communities, and the important koala populations in the park.
They said that tourists from all over the world will come to see koalas in their natural habitat of native forests and the GKNP will become a major attraction, rivaling destinations like the Blue Mountains and the Great Barrier Reef and creating a boon for regional employment and the local economy.
Local businesses have previously approached NSW parliamentarians about the GNPK, and the NPA now has almost 100 businesses supporting it.
Three independent state parliamentarians attended the evening.
Alex Greenwich, the Member for Sydney, told the audience that the trio want to hold the government to its commitment to create the GKNP.
“It’s the job of Independents to hold governments to account,” he said.
Jacqui Scruby, the Member for Pittwater, said people used to see koalas around their properties in the suburbs of Sydney, but no longer.
She said she was hearing from local businesses about how the GKNP will boost the local economy.
Michael Regan, the Member for Wakehurst, said the park is analogous to skiing, and mountain bikers will be attracted to come from Sydney to visit it.
Ashley Love, who is credited with originally suggesting the park, said the work of the North East Forest Alliance in the 1990s led to 50 percent of Pine Creek State Forest becoming Bongil Bongil National Park.
By 2010, he said, it was obvious that koala numbers had declined.
Louis Riley from the Emerald Beach Store and Rattle Restaurant said, “We see visitor numbers increase year to year, especially out of season.”
He said foreign tourists want to see Australian wildlife in their natural habitat.
Tiga Cross, from the Coffs Coast Wildlife Sanctuary, told the audience, “It is not just about a national park but about creating an educational space to learn about wildlife.”
“It’s about supporting the economy of Coffs Harbour and regional Australia.”
She said she doesn’t want Coffs to be another Byron Bay and that the focus should be on ecotourism.
The organisers said local businesses have united to support the creation of NPA NSW’s proposal for the full GKNP and now it’s time for the government to fulfil its promise before more koalas and habitat are lost.
By Andrew VIVIAN
