Vast national park to be created and native animals protected in NSW government land purchase

Dominic Perrottet lauds tourism benefits of buying 440,000 hectare site Thurloo Downs in state’s north-west

• Get our morning and afternoon news emails, free app or daily news podcast

Habitat for more than 50 threatened species will be preserved as part of a new land acquisition by the New South Wales government that will become the state’s third-largest national park.

The 437,394 hectare site, which is called Thurloo Downs and is about 250 kilometres from Bourke in the state’s north-west, contains globally significant arid zone wetlands, as well as salt lakes, playas and other geological formations that are unprotected elsewhere in NSW.