New and expanded parks and reserves across Victoria’s central west and Mirboo North in Australia have officially entered a new management phase under Parks Victoria to protect natural landscapes and support public outdoor access.
The environmental initiative creates over 65,000 hectares of national park land following the Victorian Government’s response to the 2021 Victorian Environmental Assessment Council Central West Investigation Final Report and the subsequent Parks and Public Land Amendment (Central West and Other Matters) Bill.
The expansion establishes three new national parks across familiar regional landscapes: Mount Buangor National Park, Pyrenees National Park, and Wombat–Lerderderg National Park, according to a press release by Parks Victoria.
Mount Buangor National Park incorporates Mount Buangor State Park and portions of the Mount Cole State Forest.
Pyrenees National Park combines the Landsborough and Landsborough Hill Nature Conservation Reserves with sections of the St. Arnaud-Pyrenees State Forest.
Wombat–Lerderderg National Park joins Lerderderg State Park with added land from the Wombat State Forest.
Along with the national parks, the network adds three new conservation parks, seven new or expanded regional parks, and nearly 30 nature and bushland reserves.
Parks Victoria is managing these public lands in continuous partnership with Traditional Owners to incorporate Indigenous cultural knowledge, values, and leadership into land management.
The sites continue to support recreational activities such as camping, walking, and nature exploration, with updated signage and visitor guidance being released on the Parks Victoria website at parks.vic.gov.au.
For the outdoor recreation sector, formalizing national park designations and expanding protected public lands secures long-term access for nature-based recreation and regional travel.
