A visionary new national park proposal would protect nearly 1.2 million hectares of forests, wildlife habitat, vital water catchments, and cultural landscapes across southern New South Wales.

 The National Parks Association of NSW along with other conservation groups are calling for the creation of the Great Southern Forest that would stretch from the Illawarra to the Victorian border.

 The proposal would bring together 55 state forests, 24 flora reserves and 98 existing national parks and reserves into one of Australia’s largest connected conservation landscapes.

 NPA NSW launched the proposal on 20 June  to more than 80 community leaders, Traditional Owners, conservation organisations, scientists, local residents, and elected representatives gathered at the Eurobodalla Regional Botanic Gardens in Mogo on the South Coast.

 The proposal would protect more than 10,000 hectares of threatened ecological communities, support 12 endemic and 4 critically endangered flora species, and protect 61 threatened animal species, including the Yellow-bellied Glider, Swift Parrot, Southern Greater Glider, Spotted-tailed Quoll and Southern Brown Bandicoot.