Keep Lost City Wild

Foremost among the many concerns conservationists have with the management plans for the new Gardens of Stone State Conservation Area is the proposed adventure theme park at the Lost City. Lithgow’s primary lookout in the new reserve is proposed to be for the view of Lost City. Conservationists believe the adventure theme park should be located closer to Lithgow at State Mine Gully, where it would ensure increased visitation to the State Mine Heritage Park and the town.

The Lost City

Gardens of Stone in Focus

Frost and Fire - Image Jochen Spencer

Frost and Fire - Image Jochen Spencer

Gardens of Stone Alliance poster

Gardens of Stone Alliance poster

Pink flannel flower

Pink flannel flower

Sphinx Pagoda beside State Mine Gully - Image Ian Brown

Sphinx Pagoda beside State Mine Gully - Image Ian Brown

Protect Gardens of Stone banner on Sphinx Pagoda - Image - David Noble

Protect Gardens of Stone banner on Sphinx Pagoda  - Image - David Noble

State Mine Gully view

State Mine Gully view

West of Angus Place trail - Image Brian Fox

West of Angus Place trail - Image Brian Fox

Box Gum Woodland near Cullen Bullen

Box Gum Woodland near Cullen Bullen

Pagodas above Cullen Bullen - Image Henry gold

Pagodas above Cullen Bullen - Image Henry gold

Threats

Angus Place West Mine proposal puts nationally endangered swamps at risk

Centennial Coal plans to reopen the Angus Place Colliery, that has been mothballed since 2015. The mine is located in the upper Coxs River valley 20 minutes north of Lithgow. In August 2021 Centennial submitted a Scoping Report to the Planning Department for its Angus Place West proposal. The company plans to extract up to 8.5 millions tonnes of coal at a rate of up to 2 million tonnes a year till 2040.

Adventure facilities and tourism accommodation must not blight views

The reserve’s plan of management must be amended as it currently drives commercial tourism growth, instead of conservation and presentation of the heritage values that ensures quality sustainable tourism. Placing adventure tourism facilities in the middle of the Lost City view wrecks Lithgow’s best scenic asset and illustrates perfectly what’s wrong with the management plan.

The Gardens of Stone State Conservation Area must establish effective recreation management that:

Lost City near Lithgow  - Image H. Gold
Lost City - before - Image H. Gold
Building and adventure facilities in the centre of the view - NPWS figure from the tourism EoI
Glamping huts blight views of an outstanding pagoda landscape - NPWS illustration from the tourism EoI

Visit Gardens of Stone

Road access to the Gardens of Stone State Conservation Area is being reconstructed from a previously ruinous state. 

Until officially opened, it’s best not to visit the reserve on your own. It’s easy to get into trouble on the reserve’s myriad of rough access tracks in the reserve and off-track navigation is difficult. So please be patient while this new reserve is put in place.

Figure 2 map of the Gardens of Stone SCA locality and boundaries
The Gardens of Stone Special Conservation Area
Pantoney's crown at sunset

Experience the natural wonders. Within reach of Lithgow, an amazing variety of ways to celebrate natural beauty and scenic awe. Many people have visited, few have been unchanged by the experience.

Pantoney's crown at sunset

Experience the natural wonders. Within reach of Lithgow, an amazing variety of ways to celebrate natural beauty and scenic awe. Many people have visited, few have been unchanged by the experience.

Lost City near Lithgow  - Image H. Gold

The Gardens of Stone visitors map has been created to showcase the area and provide visitors with a guide to some of the more remarkable and accessible areas. Available for $10.

Lost City near Lithgow  - Image H. Gold

The Gardens of Stone visitors map has been created to showcase the area and provide visitors with a guide to some of the more remarkable and accessible areas. Available for $10.

New Values; New Plans

Manage the Gardens of Stone so visitors are spellbound by nature

The Gardens of Stone area is more than just an iconic pagoda-studded landscape, it encompasses forested montane sand dunes, high altitude peat swamps, slot canyons, caverns, slot canyons, waterfalls, gorges and arches. It supports 1000 plant species, 33 vegetation communities, 319 vertebrate animal species, 42 threatened animals and 42 threatened plants.

Gardens of Stone Challenge - World Class Reserve or Theme Park?

Today, the Gardens of Stone State Conservation Area was gazetted, with its draft Master Plan publicly released containing plans for major visitor and tourism development.

Keith Muir, former Colong Foundation for Wilderness (now Wilderness Australia) Executive Director, said:

“The Gardens of Stone State Conservation Area gazetted today must negotiate a political minefield if it is to be properly managed.

Ben Bullen - Photo H. Gold

After a 20 year campaign, new protection for the Gardens of Stone

Hut News Issue 398 December 2021

Cheers, tears and a storm of emails erupted in celebration within the Society when, on Saturday 13 November, the NSW government at last announced the creation of a new Gardens of Stone State Conservation Area (SCA).

The announcement came in a joint media release from the Premier, Dominic Perrottet, Environment Minister and Treasurer, Matt Kean and Deputy Premier and local MP, Paul Toole.

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