Community Recognition Notice, 25 November 2021, Legislative Assembly, NSW Parliament

On behalf of the Sydney electorate I congratulate the Colong Foundation for the Wilderness for the successful addition of the Gardens of Stone as a new state conservation area and eco-tourism and adventure destination. 

This announcement comes after many years of campaigning for wilderness protection in NSW. The Colong Foundation and Keith Muir have worked across many parties and groups over many years to achieve this goal, and I have numerous inner city constituents who know the value of wilderness and the vital role of natural places for our and the planet's health. They should be proud. A measure of the length of this campaign is that Clover Moore, my predecessor as Member for Sydney reported visiting the Gardens of Stone in 1994 for the campaign and calling for the region to be declared a National Park, and was still asking questions in Parliament about protecting the area from underground mining impacts in 2010. I thank the Colong Foundation and the many other environment groups and individuals who have worked hard for many years to achieve protection for this unique area.