Support nature-focused reserve management

Commercial luxury accommodation in conservation reserves incur high costs, causes environmental impacts, brings few additional visitors and generates minimal park revenue. Placing commercial developments in parks also undercuts tourism services in neighbouring towns, where tourists would otherwise spend money.

What you can do:

Writing to your local paper and relevant NSW Parliamentarians is probably the most important thing you can do to ensure that your views are heard (see contact details below). For more detailed information go to the submissions page.

Suggested points to write about:

You could object to

Exhibition of commercial leases in the Gardens of Stone State Conservation Area with 5 lines of information that did not give the public a fair chance to comment on these leases,

The NSW Government plans to build four exclusive accommodation developments of up to 10 resort buildings each in remote and intact areas of the Gardens of Stone State Conservation Area.

The Lost City theme park with its ziplines and via ferrata climbs that blight and monopolise the use of Lithgow’s most scenic pagoda landscape.

You could support

Cancellation of the current lease processes in the Gardens of Stone State Conservation Area.

A public inquiry into why leases in this conservation reserve can be exhibited with virtually no information.

Improved, low-key facilities for visitors and better promotion to encourage more public use, off-park accommodation and other services which will support local economies whilst avoiding more impacts to the Gardens of Stone.

Nature-focused management that protects the Gardens of Stone's scenic pagoda landscapes, and its native plants and animals, and complete protection of its nationally endangered upland swamps.

Contacts:

Blue Mountains Gazette
letter to the editor

Lithgow Mercury
letter to the editor

Sydney Morning Herald
letters@smh.com.au 

The Hon James Griffin
Minister for Environment and Heritage
Parliament House
Macquarie Street
Sydney NSW 2000
Link to webform letter contact for Minister Griffin 

The Hon Penny Sharpe MLC
Shadow Minister for the Environment
Parliament House
Macquarie Street
SYDNEY NSW 2000
penny.sharpe@parliament.nsw.gov.au