Queensland boasts some of Australia’s most iconic national parks, including five World Heritage sites. The park system includes the lagoons of Rinyirru National Park (Lakefield) on Cape York and the deep gorges of Boodjamulla National Park (Lawn Hill) in the state’s far north-west.
National parks provide a vital haven for native wildlife and are highly valued by Queenslanders as a place to spend time in the outdoors with family and friends. A 2012 State Government survey found that the parks receive 51 million domestic visits per year, with 67 percent of Queenslanders reporting that they had visited a national park in the past year. The state’s national parks are a powerful drawcard for tourists from across Australia and around the world. Domestic and international visitors to Queensland’s national parks are estimated to contribute more than AU $4.4billion to the state economy each year.
In 2017, Galaxy Research found that support for Queensland’s national parks remains very strong with 84 percent of respondents indicating that more land should be protected in national parks and reserves, with three quarters stating that 20 percent or more of Queensland should be protected.
Expanding and better managing Queensland’s national parks will create new tourism and employment opportunities for regional communities and help to safeguard the state’s native wildlife.