Macquarie Pass Proposed Challenges for the Outdoor Industry

Outdoors NSW & ACT has lodged a formal submission to NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service (NPWS) in response to the Draft Plan of Management for the Budderoo–Macquarie Pass park complex.

While we welcome the opportunity to contribute, we are deeply concerned about the implications of the draft plan for adventure recreation, outdoor education and adventure tourism at Macquarie Pass and surrounding reserves.

This is a critical moment for the outdoor industry, educators, clubs and recreators to have their say.

Public submissions close at 5pm on Sunday 9 February.

Why Macquarie Pass is So Important

Macquarie Pass is a significant outdoor recreation and learning landscapes in NSW.

For decades it has supported:

• Bushwalking, canyoning, abseiling and rock climbing

• Outdoor education and senior school programs

• Training and professional development for outdoor leaders

• Adventure tourism experiences drawing visitors from Sydney, Canberra and regional NSW

Its escarpment terrain, rivers and waterfalls are not easily replaced by other locations. For many operators and educators, Macquarie Pass is a core operating environment.

What’s the Concern with the Draft Plan?

The draft Plan of Management proposes changes that would remove or severely restrict many adventure-based activities that have occurred at Macquarie Pass for generations.

These changes are being proposed without:

• Clear evidence that managed adventure activities are incompatible with conservation outcomes

• Meaningful engagement with the outdoor industry, education providers or long-standing user groups

  
  

The risk is not just the loss of access — but the loss of managed, responsible access, replaced by unmanaged use that is harder to control and more damaging to both people and place.

Our submission calls for a balanced, evidence-based approach that recognises adventure recreation and education as part of the solution, not the problem.

We have asked NPWS to:

• Reconsider blanket prohibitions on adventure activities

• Engage directly with industry, educators and user groups

• Use activity-specific management tools such as eco-pass licences

• Align ratios and safety expectations with the Australian Adventure Activity Standard

• Pause implementation until consultation feedback is genuinely considered

We also highlighted:

• The importance of Macquarie Pass for senior secondary education and “train the trainer” programs

• The role of licensed operators as on-ground stewards who model safe, respectful behaviour

• The economic and workforce impacts on a sector that supports approximately 42,000 jobs in NSW

• The need to continue to enable access for recreators (climbers, bushwalkers and canyoners) to this diverse escarpment.

  
  

Why Individual Submissions Matter

While peak body submissions are important, they are not enough on their own.

NPWS needs to hear directly from:

• Adventure tourism operators

• Outdoor educators and schools

• Guides, instructors and trainers

• Clubs and volunteer leaders

• Recreators who value challenging, meaningful outdoor experiences

Your submission does not need to be long or technical. What matters is explaining:

• How you use Macquarie Pass

• Why it matters to your work, programs or wellbeing

• What the proposed changes would mean in practice

Multiple voices telling consistent, real-world stories make a difference.

Have Your Say – Before It’s Too Late

Submissions close at:

🕔 5pm, Sunday 9 February

You can make a submission here:👉 https://www.environment.nsw.gov.au/node/56696

Even a short submission helps demonstrate the breadth and depth of concern across the outdoor community.

Outdoors NSW & ACT strongly supports conservation, cultural heritage protection and interpretation as well as visitor safety. We also believe these goals are best achieved through collaboration, smart management and investment — not closure.

Macquarie Pass is a world-class outdoor landscape. Its future should include responsible adventure, education and connection to nature — alongside the protection of its extraordinary environmental and cultural values.