WA’s national parks are worth far more than we can count

Western Australia’s national parks and conservation areas are some of the most loved places in the state. They protect extraordinary landscapes, support culture and connection to Country, provide homes for wildlife, and give millions of people the chance to camp, walk, swim, fish, explore and spend time in nature.

Now, a new WA Government report has put hard numbers behind what communities, Traditional Owners and tourism operators have long known: protected areas are one of Western Australia’s greatest assets.

Nature protection is an investment in WA’s future

• Protected areas are projected to generate a total social asset value of $26.6 billion over the next 30 years.
• They support 20,445 full-time equivalent jobs.
• Aboriginal tourism linked to protected areas generated $55.1 million and supported 514 full-time equivalent jobs.
• Two million Western Australians visited a protected area in 2023–24.
• An estimated 830,000 additional visitors are brought to the state each year by protected areas.

This shows how national parks and other protected areas contribute to tourism, regional jobs, visitor spending and nature-based recreation. It also recognises the broader social value people place on knowing these places are protected, whether they visit them regularly or simply want them cared for into the future.

Protected areas support jobs, tourism and regional communities

Protected areas are a major part of WA’s visitor economy. In 2023–24, two million Western Australians visited a protected area, while an estimated 830,000 additional visitors were drawn to the state by protected areas each year.

That means protected areas are not a niche issue. They are part of the WA way of life, and they help sustain local businesses, regional towns and tourism operators across the state.

Investing in protected areas is one of the smartest economic decisions governments can make. Healthy national parks and conservation areas – when managed properly with adequate resources – support tourism, agriculture, clean water, climate resilience and healthier communities, while helping avoid far greater costs from biodiversity loss, disasters and degraded landscapes.”

Caring for Country, culture and future generations

Many of WA’s national parks and conservation areas hold deep cultural value and protect places of enduring significance to Traditional Owners. Jointly managed parks show what is possible when traditional ecological knowledge and Western science come together to care for Country.

Aboriginal tourism connected to protected areas generated $55.1 million and supported 514 full-time equivalent jobs – another sign that looking after Country can strengthen culture, support livelihoods and create opportunities for regional communities.

WA can build on strong foundations

Western Australia has already made important progress through recent conservation commitments, including Plan for Our Parks. The next step is to keep working with Traditional Owners and regional communities to protect more of the state’s globally significant land and sea Country.

National analysis backs up the WA findings. Research for the 30 by 30 Alliance found Australia’s biodiversity generates up to $511 billion for the economy each year when broader services such as carbon storage, flood prevention, recreation and other non-market benefits are included.

At a time when nature is under growing pressure, the case for creating, expanding and properly managing protected areas has never been stronger.

There is still a major job ahead to protect more of WA’s extraordinary landscapes. If we invest properly in protected areas now, we can strengthen regional economies, protect the natural systems that support jobs and livelihoods, and leave WA better prepared for the future.