Rob Stokes med rel: GOOGLE IT – NSW NATIONAL PARK STREET VIEW

Environment Minister Rob Stokes today launched Google Street View imagery of some of the most picturesque and visited national parks in NSW, while more than 5000 world environment leaders gather in Sydney.

Mr Stokes said the NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service is the first organisation in Australia to be part of the Google program, which sees organisations borrow the Trekker technology to collect imagery of hard to reach places and help map the world.

“NPWS have captured 360-degree imagery of 25 parks from Kosciuszko to Cape Byron, covering over 400 kilometres of walking tracks and 700 kilometres of roads and trails,” Mr Stokes said.

“This new service means people can scope out walks before they travel, or get a glimpse of places they would otherwise find inaccessible.

“People who have been unable to make it to the bottom of that gorge or the top of that ridge can now see all the sites our national parks have to offer.

“In conjunction with the NSW National Parks website, this imagery will give people another great way to plan their park visits, check walking tracks for suitability and learn about the area beforehand.

“We have a lot to be proud of in NSW with some of the most beautiful and remote places on the planet.

“These maps will ensure people who may not have the ability to walk in some of these popular locations will still have the opportunity to experience our vast natural beauty from their lounge rooms on the other side of the world.”