Foley promises to protect koalas

The NSW opposition leader is promising to create Australia's first koala national park on the state's mid north coast covering an area of more than 300,000 hectares.

As he heads to the March election, Luke Foley said his party has a clear plan to protect koalas.

Labor has announced it will work with the Wilderness Society to help nature conservation in NSW.

The Great Koala National Park proposal would take in 315,000 hectares of hinterland forest between Macksville and Woolgoolga, north of Coffs Harbour, combining 176,000 hectares of state forest with 140,000 hectares of existing protected areas.

The park will provide a lifeline to the population of about 4500 koalas that live in the region.

"Local conservationists and scientists have been drawing attention to the plight of the koala in the north coast hinterland for years," Wilderness Society National Forest Campaign Manager Warrick Jordan.