A long-planned sanctuary for Australia’s most beloved marsupial is finally real. New South Wales will add 176,000 hectares of state forest to existing reserves to form the Great Koala National Park, creating a 476,000-hectare refuge for more than 12,000 koalas and over 100 other threatened species, as The Guardian reports.

State leaders paired the announcement with an immediate moratorium on logging inside the proposed boundary to halt further habitat loss while legislation is prepared, according to the NSW Government.

The Great Koala National Park will cover 476,000 hectares of protected forest.

What the Park Protects—And Why

The park stitches together tall eucalypt forests that act as climate refuges and critical food and nesting habitat. Beyond koalas, it shields an estimated 36,000 greater gliders and a roster of threatened species, notes the Koala Conservation Australia.

Habitat protection remains the lever that moves koala recovery, but experts say breeding programs and on-ground interventions will reinforce gains, the organization adds.

Communities, Jobs, and a Planned Transition

Shifts of this scale carry human consequences. The temporary moratorium is expected to affect six timber mills and about 300 jobs, with JobKeeper-style wage support, business assistance, and free training and counselling rolling out in the region, according to the NSW Government.

Regional tourism is poised to grow as nature-based operators expand, with authorities also committing A$6 million to support small businesses and A$60 million in additional funding to establish the park, Travel And Tour World reports.

Over 12,000 koalas will find refuge within the park’s boundaries.

Country, Culture, and a Decade of Advocacy

This conservation win grew from years of grassroots persistence across Gumbaynggirr and Dunghutti Country, where community vigil lines and local campaigns held the line at forests like Clouds Creek until formal protection landed, recounts Friends of the Koala.

The new park also elevates Indigenous-led land management and cultural heritage roles so Country care is guided by First Nations knowledge, the group adds.

Next Steps and the Long Game

Final creation of the park hinges on registering an improved native forest management carbon project with the federal government, the NSW Government notes. Even with a vast sanctuary, threats persist outside the boundary—from disease to road strikes—so habitat restoration, monitoring, and complementary programs remain vital, argues Friends of the Koala.

Why It Matters Now

Koalas in NSW face possible extinction in the wild by 2050 without decisive action. This park is a strategic attempt to change that trajectory—and to do it in a way that supports workers and communities through transition, as The Guardian details.

The work starts with protection. It continues with people. And it aims for a landscape where koalas can still live wild—and be seen by future generations.