This Huge Outback QLD Station Will Become National Park

In a landmark acquisition, the Queensland Government, in partnership with The Nature Conservancy, has acquired Vergemont Station in Western Queensland in order to add it to an existing national park and other protected areas.

 

This environmentally significant land acquisition was made possible by The Nature Conservancy who brokered a $21 million philanthropic donation to contribute to the purchase.

The Nature Conservancy Senior Advisor, Global Protection Strategies, Dr James Fitzsimons says this type of partnership will be essential to Australia achieving set targets of protecting 30% of oceans and 30% of lands by 203o.

‘It highlights the power of leveraged gifts, enabling philanthropists and governments alike to achieve outcomes far beyond what is possible alone’, he said.

Vergemont Station, Longreach

The additional land added to the national park will also generate economic activity in the local area.

‘This includes enhanced tourism opportunities, the employment of locally-based rangers and the construction of new infrastructure and land management activities such as pest and fire management actions which will be sourced from local contractors where suitable’, said Minister for the Environment and the Great Barrier Reef Leanne Linard.

Vergemont Station Longreach

About Vergemont Station

Vergemont Station is a 352,589-hectare cattle grazing property in western Queensland. It sits at the headwaters of the Lake Eyre Basin, one of Queensland’s most important inland river catchments and its one of the last remaining free-flowing arid river systems in the world.

Around 98% of the station is covered in remnant vegetation across two bioregions. It also has 34 different regional ecosystems meaning it ranks higher than 90% of existing national parks in Queensland for regional ecosystem representation.

There are significant riverine and biodiversity conservation values in the area. It’s a primary habitat for the endangered Night parrot, vulnerable Yellow-footed rock wallaby, and the highly restricted Opalton grasswren.

Yellow-footed rock-wallaby

How will it work?

Vergemont Station, and adjoining Tonkoro Station, will be combined with the surrounding Mount Windsor Nature Refuge, Pullen Pullen Special Wildlife Reserve and Goneaway, and Diamantina National Parks to create a protected corridor. This will conserve almost 1.5 million hectares of Channel Country bioregion.

It’s expected that at least 300,000 hectares of the property will become national park. The remainder will continue to support opal mining operations.

‘We will work to ensure an ecologically sustainable co-existence between the existing opal mining operations and conservation of the important natural and cultural values on the property’, Minister Linard says.

The government will also consult with the Maiawali First Nations people to ensure significant Indigenous cultural heritage values on the lands are protected in future planning.

What is The Nature Conservancy?

The Nature Conservancy is a global environmental not-for-profit that focuses on the restoration and management of land, water, and biodiversity across a range of ecosystems. It partners with communities to create functioning ecosystems that are responsive to change.

Photos supplied by Queensland Government