Establishing the Great Koala National Park
The NSW Government has announced the proposed boundary for the Great Koala National Park (GKNP), alongside a comprehensive plan to support workers, industry, and local communities.
A temporary moratorium on timber harvesting in the 176,000 hectares of designated state forests is now in place. This moratorium does not affect operations outside the designated area or on private land. Private Native Forestry is still permitted with appropriate approvals.
During this time timber harvesting is not permitted in native forests in the assessment area but land management activities required under the Forestry Act 2012 are still allowed within the assessment area.
Support for impacted businesses
Some mills and harvest and haulage operators have been impacted by this decision.
The NSW Government is working directly with impacted mills that are affected by the reduction in timber supply resulting from the moratorium.
Business continuity payments will be made to ensure workers continue to be paid while Government works with those impacted mills.
Impacted workers will continue to receive their current wage while negotiations with the businesses about the future are ongoing.
Forestry Industry Worker Support Program
The Forestry Industry Worker Support Program will provide comprehensive financial assistance to employees of Wood Supply Agreement holders and to employees of harvesting operators contracted by the Forestry Corporation of NSW directly impacted by the Great Koala National Park moratorium.
The Worker Support Package, includes:
- Top-up redundancy payments – employees will receive four weeks of base pay (inclusive of employer redundancy payment) per year of employment with an impacted timber mill or harvesting operator, capped at $150,000.
- Additional support for employees over 45 years of age - a further three weeks of pay for every year of service after the age of 45 (up to a cap of $50,000), to be calculated separately from the top up redundancy payment
- Education and training payments - of up to $9,000 for retraining and upskilling.
- Relocation payments - of up to $45,000 for affected workers who move more than 50 kilometres for new employment.
- Free access to mental health support, and financial and legal guidance - TELUS Health are the contracted organisation to assist affected workers and their immediate families. Contact TELUS Health on 1800 835 871 and reference "GKNP Moratorium Industry Support Program" or visit one.telushealth.com and enter username: "gknp" and password "wellbeing".
Great Koala National Park Worker Support Package fact sheet (PDF, 76.08 KB)
For more information on eligibility, please refer to the program guidelines (PDF, 539.78 KB).
Find out more about Forestry Industry Worker Support Program
Forestry Industry Supply Chain Support Program
The Forestry Industry Supply Chain Support Program is providing up to $100,000 to downstream businesses that have contracts with sawmills or contractors impacted by the moratorium.
Funding will help downstream businesses that relied on hardwood or wood by-products sourced from an impacted sawmill to cover the incremental cost difference of sourcing similar products from a new supplier, including increased freight costs Up to $100,000 is available per eligible approved business.
Program funding is limited, and applications will be considered in order of date received.
For more information on eligibility, please refer to the program guidelines (PDF, 536.51 KB).
Find out more about Forestry Industry Supply Chain Support Program
Wellbeing and financial support
- The TELUS Health Employee Assistance Program offers free, confidential and 24/7 mental health, financial and legal counselling services to affected employees and their immediate family. Contact TELUS Health on 1800 835 871 and reference "GKNP Moratorium Industry Support Program" or visit the TELUS Health website and enter username: "gknp" and password "wellbeing".
- The Rural Financial Counselling Service can provide support to impacted forestry industry businesses.
Training support
Training Services
Affected workers considering alternative employment can access training support and advice through Training Services staff. Training Services can support access to a range of training products through their network of accredited training providers. This may include full qualifications or part qualifications (micro credentials / short courses) to fill identified skills gaps and support transition to new employment.
For more information, visit the Training Services website or call 13 28 11, or contact your local Training Services Officers:
- Jackie Martinson at Jacqueline.Martinson1@det.nsw.edu.au
- Gerard Geerligs at Gerard.Geerligs1@det.nsw.edu.au
TAFE NSW
TAFE NSW offers career counselling services to transition into new roles or industries for those wanting to study with TAFE NSW. To arrange an appointment, please contact counsellingandcareerdevelopmentsupport@tafensw.edu.au or call 131 601 (option 5 and then 2) Monday to Friday 8.30am to 4.30 pm.
Department of Employment and Workplace Relations (DEWR)
DEWR offers a range of re-employment and support services for retrenched employees and their families. For more information, visit the Department of Employment and Workplace Relations website.
Other support
The NSW Government is currently developing a Community Grants package.
The package will support initiatives that grow the region’s domestic and international tourism opportunities and support local businesses to develop and expand, with a focus on manufacturing.
Further details will be shared on this plan soon.
Forestry Corp NSW’s role
During the moratorium Forestry Corp NSW will continue to be responsible for forest management activities, such as maintenance, roading and visitor access within the GKNP assessment area. Forestry Corp NSW will be able to remove timber that was felled prior to the commencement of the moratorium.
State forests outside of the Great Koala National Park assessment area will continue to be managed as normal. Within these areas timber harvesting is permitted.
Private Native Forestry is unaffected
The NSW Government’s decision to create the Great Koala National Park does not apply to private land and does not impact on private landholders. Private Native Forestry is permitted with the appropriate approvals from NSW Local Land Services.
Frequently Asked Questions
Great Koala National Park harvesting moratorium
The NSW Government has announced the proposed boundary for the Great Koala National Park (GKNP).
A moratorium on timber harvesting in the 176,000 hectares of designated state forests is now in place while key elements of this transition are finalised.
The moratorium is in effect from Monday 8 September 2025 for up to 12 months while the details of transitioning state forests to national parks are investigated and negotiated.
The moratorium will reduce the volume of timber able to be supplied to processors in the region.
The NSW Government is working directly with businesses and workers that are affected by the moratorium on harvesting.
No. The moratorium relates only to native state forest in the Great Koala National Park assessment area. It does not affect Private Native Forestry or plantations.
State forest outside the assessment area will continue under normal management arrangements. Harvesting operations in NSW State forests are regulated under the Integrated Forestry Operations Approvals (IFOA) under the NSW Forestry Policy Framework. These rules set stringent standards that ensure timber production is sustainable.
Impacted businesses will receive financial assistance to ensure they can continue to pay their workers and to assist them to access other supports during an initial ten-week transition period. The purpose of business continuity payments is to ensure that workers continue to receive their salaries while the NSW Government works with impacted businesses to fairly determine longer compensation payments for business and their workers.
Impacted workers and their families have free access to financial planning services, and mental health support.
The NSW Government has also announced the Forestry Industry Supply Chain Support Program.
This program aims to provide short-term targeted financial support to eligible businesses that have a contract or agreement with a sawmill or contractor that has been affected by the moratorium.
All payments to workers will be managed through impacted businesses and are a requirement of the business support package.
The NSW Government is undertaking detailed work with impacted mills to deliver an informed funding package to ensure timber mills are supported through the transition.
The NSW Government is providing a Worker Support Package to employees on the NSW North Coast who work for Wood Supply Agreement holders impacted by the Great Koala National Park moratorium and for employees of harvesting operators contracted by the Forestry Corporation of NSW.
No. Existing wood supply agreements with all other mills will be honoured.
The NSW Government recognises that there will be businesses other than impacted mills and harvest and haulage operators, who will be affected by this decision. We will work with the impacted mills to identify businesses downstream in the supply chain that affected by this decision, and will work with those downstream businesses and provide support as appropriate. We are committed to supporting industry through this period of change.
The NSW Government has announced the Forestry Industry Supply Chain Support Program.
This program is providing short-term, targeted financial support to eligible businesses that have contracts with sawmills or contractors impacted by the moratorium.
For more information on eligibility or to apply, visit www.raa.nsw.gov.au/grants
Worker Support Package
The Worker Support Package will provide comprehensive financial assistance to employees of Wood Supply Agreement holders and to employees of harvesting operators contracted by the Forestry Corporation of NSW directly impacted by the Great Koala National Park moratorium.
The Worker Support Package, includes:
- Top-up redundancy payments – employees will receive four weeks of base pay (inclusive of employer redundancy payment) per year of employment with an impacted timber mill or harvesting operator, capped at $150,000.
- Additional support for employees over 45 years of age - a further three weeks of pay for every year of service after the age of 45 (up to a cap of $50,000), to be calculated separately from the top up redundancy payment.
- Education and training payments - of up to $9,000 for retraining and upskilling.
- Relocation payments - of up to $45,000 for affected workers who move more than 50 kilometres for new employment.
- Free access to mental health support, and financial and legal guidance - TELUS Health are the contracted organisation to assist affected workers and their immediate families. Contact TELUS Health on 1800 835 871 and reference "GKNP Moratorium Industry Support Program" or visit one.telushealth.com and enter username: "gknp" and password "wellbeing".
Eligible employees are those employed on the North Coast of NSW on a full time, part time or casual basis who were employed on 7 September 2025 (date of the moratorium announcement) and made redundant within 18 months of that date, being 7 March 2027.
Redundancy payments and entitlements will be provided to workers by their employer in accordance with their employment contracts or enterprise agreements. The NSW Government’s redundancy top-up payment will also be provided via the employer. Part time and casual employees will be eligible for the redundancy payments at a pro-rata value.
Training and relocation reimbursement will be provided upon application to the Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development. Further information on the application process and requirements will be available soon.
Funding may have tax implications, and employees are advised to seek independent tax advice.
Please email forestryindustrysupport@dpird.nsw.gov.au or call 1800 678 593 Option 2, Monday – Friday from 8.30am – 4.30pm or visit nsw.gov.au/greatkoalanationalpark
The NSW Government will develop a $6 million Community Grants package.
The package will support initiatives that grow the region’s domestic and international tourism opportunities and support local businesses to develop and expand, with a focus on manufacturing.
Further details will be shared on this plan soon.
Forestry Industry Supply Chain Support Program
The Forestry Industry Supply Chain Support Program is providing short-term, targeted financial support to eligible businesses that have contracts with sawmills or contractors impacted by the moratorium.
Funding is available to cover the extra costs if a business needs to purchase the same or similar hardwood or by-products from a new supplier, including any freight costs related to sourcing substitute products.
Up to $100,000 is available per eligible approved business.
Program funding is limited, and applications will be considered in order of date received.
For more information on eligibility or to apply, visit www.raa.nsw.gov.au/grants
It is estimated that the reduction in timber supply will result in impacts of up to 300 jobs in the industry. The number of workers who will be impacted will be finalised over the next 12 months.
More than 100 new staff will be required at NPWS to deliver fire management, feral animal and weed control, ecological rehabilitation and visitor management.
The NSW Government is working to contain the number of businesses impacted and minimise job losses due to the reduction in wood supply volume due to the moratorium.
No. The NSW Government’s decision to create the Great Koala National Park does not impact the arrangements for harvesting timber on private land.
Private Native Forestry is permitted with the appropriate approvals from Local Land Services.
The NSW Government is assessing about 176,000 hectares of state forest as part of the Great Koala National Park process. More information, visit https://www.nsw.gov.au/environment-land-and-water/great-koala-national-park
Impacted workers and their families will be provided with immediate access to free support services, including financial and legal guidance, training and wellbeing support. This includes:
- 24/7 confidential financial and legal guidance, and wellbeing support through the TELUS Health Employee Assistance Program. . Contact TELUS Health on 1800 835 871 and reference "GKNP Moratorium Industry Support Program" or visit one.telushealth.com and enter username: "gknp" and password "wellbeing".
- The Rural Financial Counselling Service can provide support to impacted forestry industry businesses. For more information, visit rfcsnr.org.au
- Training and re-employment support from Training Services.
Training support:
Affected workers considering alternative employment can access training support and advice through Training Services staff.
Training Services can support access to a range of training products through their network of accredited training providers. This may include full qualifications or part qualifications (micro credentials/short courses) to fill identified skills gaps and support transition to new employment.
For more information, visit training.nsw.gov.au, call 13 28 11, or contact your local Training Services Officers:
- Jackie Martinson at Jacqueline.Martinson1@det.nsw.edu.au
- Gerard Geerligs at Gerard.Geerligs1@det.nsw.edu.au
More Information
- Visit nsw.gov.au/greatkoalanationalpark
Email forestryindustrysupport@dpird.nsw.gov.au Call: 1800 678 593 Option 2, Monday – Friday from 8.30am – 4.30pm
