WA Labor have confirmed plans to work with the local community and industries to expand the Wellington National Park.
Shadow environment minister Chris Tallentire and Collie-Preston MLA Mick Murray visited the national park on Monday and said expansion plans would boost tourism, create new jobs and preserve the natural environment.
Mr Tallentire said the expansion would provide strong protection to the area’s unique flora and fauna and open up the forest to be better used for recreation activities such as mountain biking or hiking.
“The bushland and wildlife in the Wellington Forest area is absolutely stunning. We’ll protect it by expanding the Wellington National Park.
“This will be a job-creator. An expanded National Park will provide new opportunities for local tourism, support small business and create jobs.
“I also know how popular the area is with mountain bike riders, so we’ll be investigating how best to enhance the trails and look into boosting other day use activities.”
Mr Murray said the expansion would create a central recreation and conservation hub linking five local shires and providing new opportunities for local tourism.
“The expansion will link the five shires in the area to create a new central forest recreation area for day use activities like hiking and mountain biking.
“We also plan to open up some parts of the National Park to locals and campers to be able to walk the family dog.
“Locals will be very much involved in guiding this plan. We will engage the community in a full consultation process to guide planning and management to protect the area’s biodiversity while opening it up for recreation activities.”