Great Koala National Park would boost local economy, say Mid North Coast business owners

More than 100 Mid North Coast business owners have called for the immediate establishment of the promised Great Koala National Park.

They hail from dozens of towns and cities surrounding the proposed park, including Bellingen, Sawtell, Coffs Harbour, Urunga, Dorrigo, Sapphire, Grafton, Grassy Head, Kempsey and Nambucca Heads.

Yesterday, a letter signed by 110 local businesses was delivered to NSW Parliament. 

The park was a previous election promise from the Minns Labor government, elected in 2023. 

Two years on, and the proposed 176,000 hectares of state forest and national park is still under consideration for formal protection by the state government. Until it is formally established, it continues to be logged.

On Thursday, local business owners Kevin Doye of Kombu Wholefoods, and Lindy Davis of Mountains to Sea: Natural Area Management, travelled to NSW Parliament to deliver an open letter from the businesses.

They were joined by NSW Greens MP and advocate for the park, Sue Higginson, and conservationist and former Executive Director of the Wilderness Society, Alec Marr.

The letter states that a Great Koala National Park would help sustain the local economy, and provide water security and a stable climate for the agricultural, horticultural, tourism and fisheries industries, and all nature conservation in the region.

It expresses concern about the impact of logging.

Until the Labor Party formally establishes the Great Koala National Park, the logging can continue. 

Higginson said “it's clearly taking too long, and it matters because every day of delay is another day that the forests within the park are destroyed”.

Businesses represented in the letter included Mt Christopherson Estate, ​​Emporium Bellingen Department Store, 3D Ecology Mapping, The Happy Frog, Diavoletto Woodfired Pizza, Timothy Nott Licensed Builder and Shade Lover Nursery.

“It's no surprise these business leaders recognise the immense benefits of establishing the Great Koala National Park,” Higginson said.

“There is an abundance of evidence showing the economic returns that the Great Koala National Park will bring, generating thousands of jobs and adding over a billion dollars to the NSW economy.”

In an Instagram post pointing to a Notice of Motion, state member for Oxley, The Nationals’ Michael Kemp said: “The people of Oxley voted clearly last week. We reject anti-forestry activists pushing their ideology. We back our timber workers and evidence-based conservation.”

Kemp wants the Great Koala National Park limited to 37,000 hectares.

Thumbnail: (L-R) Kevin Doyle, Greens MP Sue Higginson and Lindy Davis. Picture supplied: Sue Higginson.