Now to lock up the land - Agenda 21

Sydney news: National park land boosted by purchase of two huge properties in state's west

Over 165,000 hectares of land in far-western New South Wales has been acquired by the state government to expand National Parks and Wildlife Service estate.

The state government has purchased Avenel station, near Broken Hill, and Koonaburra station between Ivanhoe and Cobar.

The government says Avenel is the second largest purchase by national parks in the state's history and home to 30 threatened plant and animal species including the eastern fat tailed gecko and the dusky hopping mouse.

National Parks spokesperson Atticus Fleming says the purchases will ensure the state is protecting landscapes and habitats that aren't protected in any other national park.

Avenel is set to become a new visitor destination with campgrounds, 4WD circuits and walking trails to open to the public in mid-2022.

Environment Minister, Matt Kean said the two purchases take the total additions to the parks estate to 520,000 hectares since August 2019.

Another aged care COVID death

A 90-year-old woman with COVID-19 has died at the Tarrawanna Aged Care Centre in the New South Wales Illawarra.

It's the fourth COVID death at the centre since an outbreak started there three weeks ago.

Twenty-six residents and six staff have so far tested positive to COVID-19.

Yesterday, the state surpassed 500 COVID-19 deaths since the Delta outbreak began in Sydney in June.

https://www.abc.net.au/news/2021-10-26/sydney-news-government-purchases-more-land-for-national-parks/100567494