NSW National Park Land Has Just Grown by 31,500 Hectares to Protect Threatened Species

 

NSW National Parks has purchased Broughton Vale Station, a 31,500 hectare property around 75km east of Broken Hill in Far West NSW. The land acquisition will expand the national park estate and contribute to the conservation of threatened plants and animals, as well as sacred Aboriginal sites in the region.

The acquisition is an exciting milestone in the expansion of national parks in NSW. The land is home to at least 70 threatened species, including the Purple-wood wattle, Barrier Range dragon, Pink cockatoo, Stimson’s python, and the Creeping Darling pea. Some of the vegetation types and landscapes on the property aren’t found in any other NSW national parks.

The property adjoins the recently created Langidoon-Medford State Conservation Area, so together it will expand to an area of 92,000 hectares of protected land for conservation of local plant and animal life.

A Barrier Range dragon, an endangered species in Western NSW | Image by M Bonnett DCCEEW

Conserving a Sacred Aboriginal Site

Importantly, Broughton Vale Station also includes the Kukirrka, or Burkes Cave, a sacred Aboriginal birthing cave used for more than 2,000 years. The land also features other significant cultural sites, including engravings and cave paintings. The purchase will ensure the protection of these sites, and the government will work with local Indigenous communities to ensure their conservation.

‘When I was told that the Minister had purchased Burkes Cave, I burst into tears’, said Barkandji Elder, Dot Stephens. ‘The site is a spiritual place, a woman’s site, and it connects our country from Mutawintji to the Menindee Lakes and beyond.’

Rock etchings at Broughton Vale

Future Plans for the Protected Land

Some key priorities for the site include targeting feral animals and weed control on the land. Future plans may also include adding visitor facilities, such as a campsite, walking trails, and more.

‘Adding this land to the national parks network is an important step forward in environmental and cultural conservation in NSW’, said Minister for the Environment, Penny Sharpe. ‘It will also greatly enhance ecological, educational, cultural, and tourism opportunities in our Far West.’

Rock overhangs at Broughton Vale

The acquisition is the latest effort to expand NSW National Parks’ estate of protected land, which now covers around 10% of NSW. In 2024, the NSW Government acquired 36,000 hectares of land to expand existing parks, create new ones, and protect critical habitats.

Images supplied by NSW DCCEEW