National Parks buys vast Comerooaggregation north of Bourke for $13 million

National Parks Bourke Area Manager Melissa Hams on the Cuttaburra Creek, Comeroo with NSW Environment Minister Penny Sharpe last week. Photo: Joshua J Smith Photography

The New South Wales government will create a 100,000ha area of National Park in the state’s northwest, following its purchase of cattle and sheep property Comeroo station announced on Sunday.

The acquisition of the 37,000ha Comeroo, Muttawary and Maranoa stations – known collectively as Comeroo – 150km northwest of Bourke, from owners Bruce and Chris Sharpe will be incorporated into an expanded National Park covering 100,000ha, containing endangered ecological communities and an array of threatened species.

NSW Environment Minister Penny Sharpe said that threatened species and vital wetlands in outback NSW will be protected by the new National Park.

“This addition to the NSW national parks estate will protect vital wetlands in the Cuttaburra basin, part of the Paroo and the Warrego floodplains and some of NSW’s and Australia’s best waterbird breeding sites,” Ms Sharpe said.

“Wetlands are some of the most endangered ecosystems on the planet, which is why this acquisition is so important.

“National Park management and visitation are an important economic driver for regional NSW. In time, this will become another must-see National Park destination. The construction of visitor experiences and driving tours will help people explore this vast new park.”

The purchase will see more than 37,000 hectares containing endangered ecological communities and an array of threatened species added to the NSW national park estate, managed by the National Parks and Wildlife Service.

Comeroo features diverse habitat including alluvial floodplains and swamps with permanent waterholes, ephemeral wetlands, grasslands, woodlands and shrublands.

More than one quarter of the new park stretches across Yantabulla Swamp, which is recognised as an ‘Important Bird Area’, based on criteria used by BirdLife International. […]

Map showing Comeroo and adjacent conservation areas. Copyright of Department of Planning Industry and Environment.adjacent conservation areas

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