In a joint statement on 5 January 2023, the Acting Queensland Premier and Minister for the Olympic and Paralympic Games, The Honourable Dr Steven Miles and the Minister for the Environment and the Great Barrier Reef and Minister for Science and Youth Affairs, The Honourable Meaghan Scanlon, confirmed an additional 43,000ha will be added to protecting Queensland’s ‘lifestyle and environment.’
The mix of new and expanded nature refuges as well as additions to a number of national parks includes 129.9 hectares increase to the area of Woonoongoora (Lamington National Park).
Following the advocacy by one of the founders of the National Park system in Queensland, Robert Collins (1843-1913), and Binna Burra co-founder, Romeo Lahey (1887-1968) the Lamington National Park officially came into being on 31 July 1915 with 19,035 ha included. With extra areas added over the decades and this new addition, the Park now covers 21,305.9 ha.
Out of respect for the First Nation’s people of the region, Romeo Lahey had also advocated for the park to be called ‘Woonoongoora’, something that Binna Burra Lodge continues to support over 100 years later.
Steve Noakes, Chairperson of Binna Burra Lodge said: ‘Binna Burra is situated inside the national park which is part of the Gondwana Rainforests of Australia World Heritage Area – a biodiversity hot-spot with species from ancient times as well as those recently evolved. We are very pleased to see the State Government make this long term investment to expand the national park and other protected areas across Queensland.’
Noakes also serves as Vice President of the National Parks Association of Queensland, formed in 1930 under the leadership of Binna Burra co-founders, Romeo Lahey and Arthur Groom.
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