Spanning 801,150 square kilometres, with 2,137-kilometres of sparkling coastline to the east, vast desert plains in the west and the dramatic backbone of the Great Dividing Range arching along its eastern edge, NSW is home to some pretty dramatic landscapes. Last year, another pocket of the state gained National Park status – with a 37,422-hectare park deep in the outback being purchased by the NSW Government and protected from development. This week, the stretch of land has been given a name – Cuttaburra is officially the youngest National Park in NSW.
Where is Cuttaburra National Park?
The new national park is located deep in the NSW outback, 150 kilometres north-west of Bourke, which means getting there from Sydney isn’t easy. While a lot of NSW National Parks are loved for their hiking trails and outdoors activities, this one is more of a nature conservation area. That's not to say that nature-loving visitors won't be welcome when the park opens its gates.
What to see at Cuttaburra National Park
The recently re-claimed land – formerly Comeroo, Muttawary and Maranoa stations (known collectively as Comeroo Station) – has been subject to some incredible conservation efforts over the past few months, with a report released back in June revealing that the park is home to 12 threatened species: including honeyeaters, pink cockatoos and the ridiculously adorable stripe-faced dunnarts. Though catching sight of some of the smaller creatures might prove tricky, bird-watching in the area is abundant, with 109 different species of birds calling the park home. Formed of shrublands, sand dunes, woodlands, ephemeral wetlands and alluvial floodplains, the park is a super diverse environment to explore.
How do you get to Cuttaburra National Park?
The park itself is remotely located, deep within the Aussie outback, approximately 11 hours west of Sydney by car. The easiest route there from Sydney would involve a short flight to Bourke, and a two-hour drive to the park. While you’re in the area, you can check out Brindingabba National Park, which is just 25 kilometres from Cuttaburra, and is home to a campground, so you can stay the night before heading home. The park isn't open to visitors yet, with conservation work still the main focus – but it's due to start welcoming visitors soon.
You can learn more about the conservation work going on at Australia’s newest National Park over here.
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