Among sites near Sydney,visitor numbers to the Hermitage foreshore track near Vaucluse on Sydney Harbour more than doubled in the March-June period to 106,479,compared with 43,560 a year earlier,NPWS data shows.
Parks also recorded a similar jump in the number of visitors to Henry Head in the Kamay Botany Bay National Park. West Head,at the Ku-Ring-Gai Chase National Park,and Barrenjoey notched up gains of almost 60 per cent for June quarter.
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Environment Minister Matt Kean said the uptick in visits was proof nature was"good for the soul".
"While we go through this pandemic,it so important to have areas,close to where people live,where people can exercise and enjoy nature,"Mr Kean said.
"That is what our national parks provide."
Executive officer of the National Parks Association Gary Dunnett said visiting national parks was a simple way for people to get exercise"but also mental relief from getting out in nature".