An online petition by mayor of Bourke Shire, Lachlan Ford is calling for the NSW Government to stop purchasing farming land for National Parks in the western region.
“In the last 20 years, the Bourke region has lost nearly half a million acres of agricultural land to make way for a suite of National Parks, Nature Reserves and State Conservation Areas – now totalling approximately 860,000 acres managed by the NSW Government,” Mr Ford’s online statement reads
Mr Ford said when the community learnt the Government had recently acquired further properties in the district it was understandably not well received, and prompted his action.
“Across the Unincorporated, Central Darling, and Bourke districts, a staggering 4.67 million acres – around 10 per cent of all land – has been removed from agricultural production,” Mr Ford said.
“With no transparency, consultation, or compensatory policies, these communities have been left worse off.”
Many who have signed the petition have also commented.
“New National parks should only be created if there is a guarantee of operational funding for infrastructure maintenance and pest animal control,” said Duncan Fraser.
“Please no more National Parks anywhere in NSW,” Wendy Webb said.
“Please push for a Royal Commission into the ongoing mismanagement of the NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service.”
“If it’s not managed by locals on the ground then they do not understand the flow on effects of locking up country,” Jaymee Manns said.
“More pests, more bushfires, more damage; not protection.”
“They (national parks) are a feral breeding ground,” Robert Rogers said.
“Western NSW communities have had enough,” Henry Ridge said.
“The current policies formed from eastern seaboard focus groups for the appearance of environmental progress are doing more damage than good to the regions and the environment.”
The NSW Government asserts that the price per hectare paid for the recent acquisitions is substantially lower than the median price for similar land sales in the Central West and Far West regions during 2024.
It says that the National Parks and Wildlife Service (NPWS) pays market value for each property, which is independently assessed, and that these purchases have not influenced the valuations of other properties.
The government notes that in 2024, there were 45 property sales in the far west exceeding 2,000 hectares, with NPWS acquiring only one, and says that the recent purchases are not responsible for driving up land prices.
Despite this, local councils, including those in Bourke and Cobar, have raised concerns about the economic impact, including the loss of pastoral businesses, potential increases in local land rates due to non-rate-paying parks, and the lack of promised tourism infrastructure.
Residents and groups such as NSW Farmers and the Pastoralists Association of West Darling have voiced opposition, citing inflated land prices, reduced opportunities for young farmers, and the negative social and economic effects on regional communities.
Mr Ford’s petition calls for a multitude of measures to create what he calls a “balanced approach.”
“Halt further acquisitions: Cease new park purchases of pastoral grazing land, except in cases with clear cultural value.
“With so many underutilised parks already, adding more offers little benefit to tourism and only stretches the already limited management resources.
“Evidence-based acquisitions: Require rigorous scientific and cost-benefit assessments before any new park purchases, with decisions justified and measurable. Include diverse local representation in the process.
“Reallocate funding to park management: Redirect acquisition budgets toward effective on-ground management, transparency, and reporting of existing parks.
“Equitable landholder financial contributions: Require National Parks to contribute like other landholders by introducing payments for Western Lands Lease rents, Border Fence Management Board rates, Local Land Services rates, and Council rates.
“Higher oversight standards: Commission peer-reviewed, independent studies to assess the environmental, economic, and social impact of existing parks – including land degradation under public management – to improve outcomes going forward.
“Transparent reporting: Require annual public reporting on ecological condition, funding, visitor numbers, and economic contribution – with standardised benchmarks.
“Parks rationalisation: Identify park areas with lower cultural, natural, or tourism value. Lease or sell these areas for primary production under practical environmental covenants, and reinvest proceeds into sustainable park management and public reporting.”
Minister for the Environment Penny Sharpe has previously welcomed additional land acquisitions for National Parks, calling them important.
“National Park management and visitation are an important economic driver for regional NSW, Ms Sharpe said.
The Australian Government has committed to the ’30 by 30′ goal of protecting at least 30 per cent of its land, freshwater, and ocean ecosystems by 2030, as part of the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework.
The commitment was signed in December 2022, alongside 195 other nations.
As of 2023, the goal is being pursued through a mix of state government managed National Parks, Indigenous Protected Areas (IPAs), private conservation covenants, and land acquisitions.
Indigenous Protected Areas already cover over 74 million hectares, and account for nearly half of Australia’s protected lands.
A 2023 report titled Pathways to 30×30, led by The Nature Conservancy, WWF-Australia, and others, recommends a $5 billion fund for land purchases, expanded conservation covenants, and stronger support for indigenous land management.
At the time of publication, Mr Ford’s petition had been signed by more than 890 people and collected hundreds of comments.
The petition can be found online: https://www.ipetitions.com/petition/no-more-bourke-district-national-parks.
This article appeared in The Riverine Grazier, 26 November 2025.