Morton Wilderness Extension

MortonWilderness is the present name which covers the assessed but not declared wilderness areas in large areas of vacant crown land and some State Forest around the northern and north-eastern end of Morton National Park. Parts of Wingello and Meryla State Forests near Moss Vale are included. This sandstone and cliff country has little to no timber value, and yet is a significant wilderness area and extension to Morton National Park. MortonWilderness is primarily covered by vacant crown land.

MortonWilderness covers 14,743 ha, including 3,093 ha of state forest and 11,650 ha of vacant crown land.

Some of the conservation values of MortonWilderness are listed below:

Morton Wilderness is the identified extension to the Ettrema Wilderness in Morton National Park. Much of it was identified as Provisionally Identified Wilderness under the Interim Assessment Process - it fits the Commonwealth assessment as National Wilderness Inventory level 12 or over Wilderness.

Morton Wilderness is almost entirely on Vacant Crown Land, and so would have no effect on the forestry sector. The small area on State Forest tenure is not open to logging, after the local mill closed for resource reasons.

All areas of State Forest in Morton Wilderness were deferred in recognition of their JANIS scientific values, in the Interim Assessment Process.

Morton Wilderness, in the eastern Yalwal section, contains the Danjera and Hell Hole Creeks, which fill the important water supply of Danjera Dam at Yalwal.

MortonWilderness in the eastern Yalwal section is an area of cliffs, plateaus, and heath forests of great aesthetic value and rugged nature normally associated with National Park, such as the Blue Mountains and Budawang National Parks.