National Parks Association of the ACT

02/11/2026

When using Horse Park Drive, in Canberra’s Gungahlin district, have you ever wondered about ‘Horse Park’? Well, the historic ACT homestead is still preserved on an operating property in the middle of the suburb of Jacka.

A small group of NPA members set out from Bonner on Sunday morning following an undulating 6 km course around Horse Park. It was green and scenic with all-round views of Canberra and surrounding mountains. After 3 hours they concluded with a long chatty brunch back at a local café.
Photos by Brian S

29/10/2026

Our first Rosenberg’s Goanna hatchling patrols are off to a great start. The patrols are held each spring when the hatchlings emerge from termite mounds where the eggs are incubated.

Many of the volunteers who’ve signed on to the patrols to locate and record the hatchlings are new to the activity, but we got the tasks done in good time with no significant problems.

Rosenberg’s Goanna numbers are declining in the ACT, putting this apex predator at risk. One aspect of our research aims to establish whether the ACT goannas are a separate species or sub-species and in need of protection under federal legislation.

You can keep up to date with our goanna project by signing up to receive Goanna News at https://tinyurl.com/goanna-news.

24/10/2026

It seems we’ll have to wait a few more months before we can visit the popular Gibraltar Falls in Namadgi National Park again. The falls were closed in February 2023 after two young men fell to their deaths in separate incidents.

Region reports that the reopening date has been pushed back by several months as construction continues to make the site safer for everyone.

Works to improve safety around the falls were meant to be completed by mid-2026, but delays because of wet weather have meant the campground and Gibraltar Falls are now not expected to open until early 2027.

An ACT Government spokesperson, reported by Region, said the works were about making the precinct both safer and more accessible for everyone to enjoy. See https://tinyurl.com/5aber38r

Gibraltar Falls' reopening date has been pushed back by several months as construction continues to make the site safer for…

23/10/2026

The final hurdles to establishing the Great Koala National Park have been cleared with the NSW parliament passing legislation today to create the park (https://tinyurl.com/y5hwm44z).

Under the Bill, more than 178,000 ha of forest on the mid-north coast will be protected along with the critical habitat for an estimated 12,000 koalas and over 100 other threatened species.

Our colleagues at NPA NSW describe today as a historic day for national parks in NSW after more than a decade of hard-fought campaigning to create the Great Koala National Park.

22/10/2026

Our Rosenberg’s Goanna researchers were astonished last Sunday to spot a Lace Monitor in the Naas Valley. They have tagged well over 100 Rosenberg’s Goannas there but we suspect this is the first time anyone has ever reported a Lace Monitor.

Lace Monitors are common on the South Coast and were once the commonest goannas in the ACT as well. Then they almost disappeared half a century ago. Now Rosenberg’s Goannas are many times more common here but several sightings of Lace Monitors in the last 10 years prompt questions about whether the species can make a natural recovery.
Video by Liz P

20/10/2026

This surprising photo shows a Rosenberg’s Goanna swallowing a Cunningham’s Skink. Previous images taken for our Rosenberg’s Goanna project have shown the goannas with other species of large lizards, such as the Blue Tongued Skink and Shingleback Skink, feeding on a bait in a camera trap or both sharing a burrow, and showing no sign of predation.

The goanna pictured here is called Rex and is one of the last six goannas in the Mount Ainslie and Mount Majura nature reserves. He has been known to the project since 2015. Rex is the largest Rosenberg’s Goanna the team has measured, weighing 3.5 kg.

You find out more about our goanna project at https://www.npaact.org.au/goanna
Photo by Don F.

14/10/2026

Increased illness and mortality are being reported in flying-fox populations across NSW and the ACT, particularly in Grey-headed Flying-foxes. Smaller numbers of Black Flying-foxes and Rainbow Lorikeets are also affected.

Wildlife rehabilitators report that since late September there has been a marked increase in animals presenting for care. Investigations are ongoing, but food shortages leading to starvation are currently considered the most likely cause. The shortages are potentially linked to recent weather conditions, climate change, and habitat loss affecting the availability of flowering trees and nectar..

If you find an injured, sick or orphaned flying-fox you should not touch or handle the animal but contact ACT Wildlife on 0432 300 033. If the animal is located within Commonwealth Park, contact the National Capital Authority on 02 6271 2888.

Pet owners should try to prevent direct contact between pets and bats, such as keeping pets confined at night. If a pet has interacted with a bat, seek prompt advice from a veterinary practitioner.

If you are bitten, scratched or have other significant contact with a bat, seek urgent medical attention.

If you see unusual illness or deaths in wildlife, you can report to:
• ACT Government Veterinary Services at [email protected]
• Your Wildlife Health Australia coordinator https://tinyurl.com/4vh3e7mm
• The 24-hour Emergency Animal Disease Hotline on
1800 675 888
• Complete the Flying-fox Mass Mortality and Morbidity Event Report Form https://tinyurl.com/5n75f69y

See Wildlife Health Australia at wildlifehealthaustralia.com.au for further information and resources relating to bat health.

Photo: Greyheaded Flying-foxes by Rene Riegal on Unsplash

#𝗯𝗮𝘁𝘀

08/10/2026

Our new merch promoting our long-running citizen science Rosenberg’s Goanna project was a real attention grabber at the recent Haig Park Spring Sustainability Markets in Canberra.

Commissioned by NPA ACT, the enamel pins featuring the increasingly rare goanna in the ACT were designed and produced by independent, Canberra-based creative brand Bearlymade (https://www.bearlymade.com.au/).

Bearlymade and NPA’s joint stand at the annual spring event was used to good effect to explain our work to establish whether the goanna is a distinct species or sub-species deserving of greater protection under federal law.

We also took the opportunity to promote our popular field guides on ACT birds and trees, frogs and reptiles, orchids and butterflies. The books are available through selected ACT bookstores. See https://www.npaact.org.au/publications.

06/10/2026

A hardy group of six Canberra Bushwalking Club and NPA ACT walkers toiled up the steep Stockyard Spur in Namadgi National Park on Sunday on a quest for the great views from the top of the ACT’s second highest peak, Mount Gingera. The group was rewarded with great 360-degree views and lunch next to an iconic and much-photographed ancient Snow Gum.

The weather was ideal, cool with some cloud cover, for the 1000+ m ascent and descent through beautiful Snow Gum forest. A classic Canberra walk, enjoyed with fun companions!

Photos by Yangping

05/10/2026

A fantastic day for nature and for Victorians!

From today, Victoria officially has three new national parks in the central west forests (https://tinyurl.com/bdfzxxb5). They are Victoria’s first substantial new national parks in 15 years.

Wombat Forestcare, working in partnership with the Wilderness Society, Victorian National Park Association (VNPA) and other conservation groups campaigned for more than 20 years to make the parks - - Mount Buangor National Park, Pyrenees National Park Wombat–Lerderderg National Park - a reality.

‘’Today we get to see the protection these forests deserve,’ VNPA executive director Matt Ruchel said (https://tinyurl.com/4f6kkc9b).’

The new parks covering an area of 65,000 ha protect hundreds of rare and threatened plants, animals and fungi, including platypuses, Greater Gliders, goannas, Mount Cole Grevilleas, Brush-tailed Phascogales, Mountain Skinks and Powerful Owls.

Photo by Gayle Osborne, VNPA Flickr (https://www.flickr.com/photos/vnpaflickr/)