Protecting Deongwar: A High-Value Conservation Priority

Deongwar State Forest is a critical conservation area in Queensland, located between Esk and Crows Nest on the Esk-Hampton Road. This 4,871-hectare intact native forest is home to 146 protected species, including the koala, greater glider, glossy-black cockatoo, and powerful owl. Over 55% of its area is mapped as koala habitat, and 100% is identified as greater glider habitat, making its protection essential for Queensland’s biodiversity.

Beyond its ecological significance, Deongwar holds deep cultural importance as a traditional men’s initiation meeting place for the Dungibara, Jinibara, Kabi Kabi, and Ugarapul peoples. Its extensive rocky creek systems, blackbutt woodlands, and rainforest remnants create a critical wildlife corridor, linking nearby National Parks and nature reserves to provide refuge during extreme conditions such as bushfires.

Despite these high conservation values, Deongwar is still being logged, and recent intense bushfires have highlighted the urgent need for protection. A 2021 Queensland Conservation Council report recommended Deongwar for priority transition to a National Park, aligning with the Queensland Government’s 2019 commitment to protect 20,000 hectares of State Forest by 2024.

The Save Deongwar Campaign, supported by DDEC and other conservation groups, is calling on the Queensland Government to:

✅ Immediately transition Deongwar to a conservation estate
✅ Increase funding for protected area management—Queensland currently invests only $16 per hectare, well below other states ($23–$58 per hectare)
✅ End logging in Deongwar to allow this young forest to recover and continue sequestering carbon for generations

Now is the time to protect this irreplaceable forest—for its wildlife, cultural significance, and role in fighting climate change.