Completion of a major park in one of Sydney’s most densely populated suburbs is a step closer, with the NSW government expanding it by almost five hectares.
The state government said on Friday the “rare native bushland” would be added to Wolli Creek Regional Park as part of a $13 million budget commitment.
Labor has committed to completing the park project, first launched in 1998, by acquiring outstanding land pockets, and protecting bushland in Sydney’s south.
“This expansion of the park will provide them with even more opportunities to enjoy nature right in our own backyards,” Pemier Chris Minns said in a statement.
“For decades completing Wolli Creek Regional Park has been put in the too hard basket, but now the NSW Labor Government is protecting this important area of natural bushland.”
The new land had been transferred from the Office of Strategic Lands to the Canterbury Bankstown council, the government said.
The park, in one of the state’s most densely populated urban areas, is a habitat for more than 460 plant and animal species.
Managed by the NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service, the park is located about 13km from the city centre.