Cassowaries have come out the big winners as a new national park is created and a further seven expanded in north and far north Queensland.
Acting Climate Change and Sustainability Minister Annastacia Palaszczuk today joined the Member for Barron River Steve Wettenhall at Barron Gorge National Park to announce more than 7,650 hectares worth of new national parks areas in the north.
Among them is the new Macalister Range National Park, part of the Wet Tropics Heritage Area about 25 kilometres North West of Cairns, covering more than 5,000 hectares of important cassowary habitat.
"This is good news for an iconic Australian bird and the many people who have been working hard to ensure its survival," Ms Palaszczuk said.
"Another four of the new protected areas also serve as vital habitat corridors and ecosystems for cassowaries and other rare, native species."
Ms Palaszczuk said the announcement was the latest in the Bligh Government's series of national park expansions in Queensland.
"Creating new national park is the greatest possible protection we can give our most valuable natural environment and we've just added the equivalent of 10,720 soccer pitches to Queensland's protected area," she said.
Mr Wettenhall said the creation of the Macalister Range National Park was a huge win for the iconic cassowary.
"I'm delighted that more of this unique bird's habitat has been locked up forever. There's still a lot that needs to be done to protect the cassowary but this announcement is a huge boost," he said.
"This protection is a very important piece in the puzzle of a series of State Government initiatives to secure the future of the cassowary."
Ms Palaszczuk said the latest gazettal meant more land of high biodiversity value was protected for future generations.
"It gives some of our vulnerable species a better chance of survival against the impacts of climate change," she said.
"In addition to Macalister Range National Park, cassowary habitat will also be protected by the addition of five hectares to Barron Gorge National Park and half a hectare to Kuranda National Park near Cairns, and 13 hectares to Japoon National Park near Mission Beach.
Member for Mulgrave Curtis Pitt welcomed another important dedication in the Wet Tropics with the addition of almost 1,500 hectares to Girringun National Park near Ingham.
"This will improve park boundary management and will help protect the endangered mahogany glider — most of the added land is mahogany glider habitat. Girringun also contains essential cassowary habitat," Mr Pitt said.
Ms Palaszczuk said the area covered by national park in Queensland was now over eight million hectares and Queensland had the largest national park area of any Australian state or territory.
"National parks are an essential part of our strategy to manage growth in Queensland," she said.
The new parks will contribute towards the Bligh Government's 2020 target of achieving 12.9 million hectares (7.5 per cent of the state) of national park.
The new and expanded national parks include: