Royal National Park
The national park was founded in 1879 by Sir John Robertson, then premier of New South Wales, making it the second oldest national park in the world after Yellowstone National Park in the United States. Sir John Robertson cared for and supported him all the rest of his life. After coal was discovered on the terrain, it was founded out of economic interests to keep competition away from the gates of Sydney. Its original name was The National Park . In 1955 it was renamed after a visit from Queen Elizabeth II. The park is repeatedly ravaged by bushfires, which contribute to the constant change and regeneration of the vegetation. Plants like the native Waratah are adapted to the environmental factor fire and need the fires to bloom in subsequent years.