Victoria Proclaims Three New National Parks to Protect Gliders, Owls and Swift Parrots
The Australian state of Victoria has formally proclaimed the Wombat-Lerderderg, Mount Buangor and Pyrenees national parks, part of more than 78,000 hectares of public land now managed by Parks Victoria. The forests are home to species including the southern greater glider, powerful owl and swift parrot.
EnvironmentGNGV Editorial Team4 min readLast reviewed October 12, 2026
Three forests in central western Victoria now carry Australia's highest level of protection. On 5 October, the Victorian Government announced that it had formally proclaimed three new national parks, part of more than 78,000 hectares of public land now in the care of Parks Victoria.
The largest is Wombat-Lerderderg National Park, covering 44,000 hectares between Daylesford and Bacchus Marsh. It brings together the existing Lerderderg State Park and parts of the Wombat State Forest. Mount Buangor National Park, near Beaufort, covers more than 5,300 hectares and combines Mount Buangor State Park with parts of the Mount Cole State Forest. The 15,000-hectare Pyrenees National Park, north-west of Avoca, joins existing conservation reserves with parts of the St Arnaud-Pyrenees State Forest.
The changes go further than the three national parks. The package also creates five new regional parks, at Barkstead, Blackwood, Fingerpost, Spargo Creek and the Pyrenees, expands the Bendigo and Hepburn regional parks, adds three new conservation parks at Hepburn, Cobaw and Mirboo North, and includes almost 30 nature and bushland reserves.
The government says the parks will protect habitat for threatened and iconic wildlife, including the powerful owl, the barking owl, the swift parrot and the southern greater glider, a large gliding marsupial that depends on old forest trees. People will still be able to enjoy the bush: bushwalking, camping, horse riding, four-wheel driving, dog walking and fishing continue in designated areas, and seasonal deer hunting will continue in designated parts of the Wombat-Lerderderg and Pyrenees parks.
"We're protecting the best of Victoria's bush and keeping it open for everyone to enjoy," said Jaclyn Symes, the state's Minister for Environment, adding that more visitors would support local jobs and businesses. For Mary-Anne Thomas, the Member for Macedon, the result is personal: "Wombat-Lerderderg is a special part of our region – now it's protected for generations to come."
Why it matters
National park status gives the strongest legal protection to forests that shelter threatened species such as the southern greater glider and swift parrot, while keeping them open to visitors.
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What you can do
If you visit, stick to marked tracks and follow Parks Victoria's guidance to protect wildlife; read the full announcement on the Premier of Victoria's website.
