Its economy is powered by mining but Western Australia is laying claim to being a "conservation superpower" with the expansion of national parks.
An additional 6.5 million hectares of land and water has been protected since 2019, surpassing a state government target, Environment Minister Reece Whitby says.
The state Labor government had aimed to protect five million hectares through national parks, marine parks and nature reserves over five years.
“This is beautiful land across Western Australia, land which is iconic, which has enormous environmental and cultural significance, that is going to be protected for future generations,” Mr Whitby told reporters on Thursday.
“We're talking about a 28 per cent increase in the conservation estate in the last five years.”
Included in the plan was the expansion of Kalbarri National Park in the state's north, which is now jointly managed with traditional owners and the government, and the vast Fitzroy River National Park in the Kimberley region.
Expanded borders on national and marine parks had protected in excess of 600 animals and plants and protected critical habitat for endangered species, Mr Whitby said.
It has also created 277 full time jobs, mostly for traditional owner groups through Aboriginal ranger programs, he said.
“Western Australia has a reputation of being a resources superpower. With the plan for our parks now complete, we can consider Western Australia to be a conservation superpower as well,” he said.
Pew Charitable Trusts WA manager Mitch Hart said it was a historic day.
“The scale of this expansion is impressive and will help ensure WA’s nature is resilient in the face of threats like bushfires and climate change – we’re talking about an expansion equivalent to the size of Tasmania,” Mr Hart said.
“The creation of more than 50 new national parks and protected areas will see more protection for local biodiversity, including threatened species such as the black-flanked rock wallaby, Shark Bay mouse and iconic bilby.”
As Australia moves towards fulfilling its global promise of protecting 30 per cent of land and sea by 2030, the rest of the country will be looking west to see how it can be done, Mr Hart said.
"This really is a good news story for the animals and land that needs our protecting.
"I don't think you can look at these as offset projects, it is a standalone commitment to protect places and build ongoing relationships with traditional owners."
Environs Kimberley also welcomed the "major achievement", saying they hoped to see more national parks in the Kimberley and significant funding increases to manage them with traditional owners.
The expansion of the parks comes after WA recorded a four per cent increase in greenhouse gas emissions, according to annual data.
The report compiled in 2024 from the Department of Climate Change, Energy, Environment and Water showed in 2020/21, mining and exports drove emissions from fossil fuel extraction up over almost a decade in the west.
Long-term growth in population and vehicle fleets resulted in increased transport emissions of 39 per cent from 2004-05 to 2020-21.
