The Pilbara just got a new national park

It’s been more than 10 years since a national park was declared in the Pilbara… until now! In Nyamal Country east of Port Hedland, the Pilbara is welcoming Purungunya National Park and Purungunya Conservation Park, protecting more than 200,000 hectares of WA’s nature!

These new parks will increase protection for WA’s unique nature and rich culture, while also providing new tourist destinations to attract visitors to the Pilbara region.

Jointly-managed between Nyamal Traditional Owners, Nyamal Aboriginal Corporation and the WA Government, the parks will create new long-term Aboriginal ranger positions and support Traditional Owners to manage and care for Country.

The Purungunya parks are also good for regional communities! By boosting nature-based tourism in the area, they’ll help add diversity to the Pilbara’s economy — it’s win-win for WA! 

Located in one of WA’s 8 globally-significant biodiversity hotspots, these jointly-managed parks will be vital to help protect WA’s nature for the future generation to experience and enjoy. They’ll also increase protection for the region’s rare and threatened animals like the Pilbara olive python, the Pilbara leaf-nosed bat, and the iconic bilby.

We want to wish a sincere congratulations to Nyamal Traditional Owners, Nyamal Aboriginal Corporation and the WA Government for protecting more of WA’s incredible nature.

Together, we’ve secured another win for both people and nature in WA and helped leave a legacy we can be proud of.