Achievements

The National Parks Association of Queensland is the State’s most enduring non-governmental environmental organisation, having been founded in1930 by ex-forester and engineer Romeo Lahey, out of a concern that logging on the Lamington Plateau was destroying its natural values. 

Helping secure 70% of Queensland’s National Parks

The Association sprang into action to lobby governments to set aside high-conservation value areas as National Parks, and about 70% of existing National Parks in Queensland were either gazetted or extended following recommendations made to the State Government by NPAQ. The list includes iconic parks such as Girraween, Springbrook, Glass House Mountains, Hinchinbrook, Eungella, and Munga-Thirri (Simpson Desert), as well as World Heritage Areas such as the upper sections of the Daintree. Many National Parks in existence today result directly from the persistence and tenacity of NPAQ and its members.

Initiating Marine National Parks

In 1967, NPAQ started work advocating for Marine National Parks. By June 1968, it had submitted requests to the Commonwealth Government and the Queensland Government for the enactment of laws providing for Marine National Parks. It also urged both governments to establish three Marine National Parks based on the Great Barrier Reef – Northern, Central and Southern. In 1979, agreement was reached on the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park – Capricorn Section, a section remarkably close to the southern section of the map NPAQ lodged with governments in 1968. (This was published in NPA News in April 1969). Both State and Federal governments enacted laws establishing Marine National Parks – Queensland in 1971 and the Commonwealth some years later.

Recent achievements:

  • 2024: Secured $250,000 in funding from the Department of the Environment, Tourism, Science and Innovation to pilot the Parks Connect suite of programs in partnership with the Queensland Parks and Wildlife Service, including Junior Ranger, Cadet Ranger, Volunteer Ranger, Campground Host and Park of the Month program.

  • 2020: Private development leases, if approved in a national park, will require a “cash” bond and independent assurance. 

  • 2020: The scale of accommodation being proposed has been reduced to a relatively small scale, modest and removable. 

  • 2019: gained Environment Minister’s support for NPAQ’s Yabba Links National Park Proposal (potential for 20,000 hectare new national park)

  • 2019: Helped prevent exclusive access of a marine national park to a commercial operator (avoided setting a very concerning precedent) at Cape Hillsborough Beach

  • 2018: NPAQ successful campaign against revocation of part of Lindeman Islands National Park

  • 2018: Coordinated formation of Protected Area Alliance: 23 eNGOs signed joint statement

  • 2017–2018: Produced highly successful Kids in National Parks booklets for South East Queensland and Tropical North Queensland

  • 2016: Helped partially restore the cardinal principle and mandatory park management planning and consultation to the Nature Conservation Act 1992 (Qld)

  • 2015: Helped prevent a zipline in Kondalilla Falls National Park

  • 2013: NPAQ successful campaign preventing extension of stock grazing in National Parks

*Also check out a Timeline of NPAQ’s achievements over the years, and a short history of NPAQ’s Legacy.