New South Wales and Australian Capital Territory

Click on the following topics for further information: Threats to NSW Wilderness Wilderness in NSW - Land Tenure Map of NSW Wilderness Areas Index on individual NSW wilderness areas (extensive data resource on each area in NSW provided)

There are 42 wilderness areas listed in the 1999 Wilderness Red Index in New South Wales and the Australian Capital Territory, including four overlapping into Victoria, two into Queensland and one into the ACT. There is preliminary information for further 11 areas in western NSW that is included on the internet version of the Index.

The 1999 Wildernes Red Index updates the 1993 Index. Considerable progress has been made during the intervening 6 years, with over a million hectares of new wilderness declared under the NSW Wilderness Act. Of this figure, around 10 per cent was was not previously within National Parks.

An important development in the last six years has been the community proposals for several new wilderness areas and additions to existing areas, covering an additional over half a million hectares.

Forty two wilderness areas are described in detail the Index, fourteen more than in 1993. They represent over 3 percent of the State. From 1993 until 1995, progress on wilderness management has been limited, highlighted by Parliamentary censure of the former Fahey government for its broken wilderness promises, dissection of wilderness into smaller areas divided with minor unsealed four wheel drive roads or horse riding routes. While considerable progress has been made under the Carr Government, there have been significant compromises made to off road vehicle access to these sensitive areas. So far only three of the community based wilderness nominations have been assessed and identified under the Carr Government.

To comment on this site, email: keith@colongwilderness.org.au

National Red Index Contents Page

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Summary of the Overall Status of Wilderness in NSW/ACT

Of the areas described in the index, only five are considered to be satisfactorily managed to retain or restore their values and only one wilderness is protected in Western NSW.

There are 9 new areas and a further 9 additions to existing areas nominated for assessment under the Wilderness Act that have not been considered within the statutory two year time limit. On the other hand, 4 new areas and several additions to a further 5 existing areas will be assessed before 2000 as part of the Southern Forest Comprehensive Regional Assessment.

The Forestry and National Park Estate Act passed by State Parliament in 1998 with the support of all major parties has created a legal barrier to the protection of wilderness on any area of State Forest covered by a logging approval. The same legislation could exclude up to 60,000 ha of wilderness from logging moratorium protection that had been in place since 1995 or earlier, but about 140,000 ha of wilderness leasehold lands will remain protected by a logging moratorium.

Most of the wilderness outside parks is poor grazing land. This is mostly held under leasehold titles which are at long term risk of conversion to freehold and major development. Funding for the acquisition of these lands has been significantly increased since 1996 through the Dunphy Wilderness Fund created by the NSW Government. It will need to be ongoing for at least 10 years to secure these areas.

The western section of the Coolangubra Wilderness is earmarked for logging to feed the Eden woodchip driven timber industry. The Deua and Tuross wilderness areas have been left under threat of logging through delaying the exhibition and determination of areas nominated over 6 years ago.

In a major policy shift, the NPWS is encouraging partnerships with horseriders and 4WD groups who seek innappropriate wilderness access as a key concern.

The Tourism industry is also beginning to make inroads into National Parks, threatening the Jagungal wilderness area which may not be fully assessed by the NPWS.

A massive open cut gold mine has been commenced in the newly identified Timbarra Plateau Wilderness that could pollute the Clarence River system, while coal mining has polluted the Wollongambe River in the Wollemi Wilderness.

The protection of wilderness is essential to the long term survival of our wildlife. Severe habitat modification and fragmentation has resulted in the known extinction of 21 mammal, 21 bird and 7 fish species in Australia. One hundred and seventeen plant species have also become extinct. Many remnant wildlife populations live precariously in an increasingly isolated wilderness archipelago.

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Threats to Wilderness in NSW

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Wilderness in NSW - Land Tenure

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Wilderness Areas in New South Wales (Click on the Map for a bigger version)

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NSW wilderness areas

Click on the following headings for more information, or a description of each one of the named regions.

• BANYABBA
• BARRINGTON
• BINDERY
• BINGHI
• BRINDABELLA
• BROGO
• BUCKENBOWRA
• BUDAWANG
• BULLOO SOUTH O
• BUNDJALUNG
• BUNGONIA
• CHANDLERS CREEK
• COOLANGUBRA
• COTURAUNDEE O
• DEUA
• ETTREMA
• GENOA
• GOODRADIGBEE
• GROSE
• GUNDERBOOKA O
• GUY FAWKES
• INDI
• JAGUNGAL
• KANANGRA BOYD
• KINCHEGA
• KULKYNE O
• LEVERS
• LOST WORLD
• MACLEAY GORGES
• MATAKANA O
• MOOTWINGEE
• MOUNT BALLOW
• MOUNT GLASS O
• MOUNT KAPUTAR
• MURRUIN
• MUMMEL GULF
• NADGEE
• NATTAI
• NEW ENGLAND
• NOMBINNIE O
• PEERY LAKE O
• PILLIGA
• SALT LAKE O
• SNOWY-PILOT
• TABLETOP
• TIMBARRA
• TUROSS
• WASHPOOL
• WERRIKIMBE
• WOLLEMI
• YANDAMINTA O
• YATHONG O
• YENGO

O The data on flagged wilderness areas in Western NSW is in a more preliminary form and is archieval material from 1994.

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National Red Index Contents Page

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To comment on this site, email: keith@colongwilderness.org.au

Last updated Friday 31-Oct-2003