Volume 55 Number 3 September 2018 National Parks Association of the Australian Capital Territory Inc. High extinction rates Feral animals in National Parks NPA’s activities in the Your voice is needed Developing a new Gudgenby Valley on several issues KNP walk NPA Bulletin Volume 55 Number 3 September 2018 Articles by contributors may not necessarily reflect association opinion or objectives. CONTENTS Editorial: Kosciuszko wild horse debate intensifies ................2 NPA ACT/NSW visit to Ginninderry .....................................11 Kevin McCue Bogong....................................................................................11 From the committee Gerry Jacobson Feral ‘Heritage’ horses!?.....................................................3 Concerning environmental laws .............................................12 Esther Gallant Anniversary of World Heritage listing of Fraser Island .........12 President’s report on activities during 2017–18 .................3 Jim Gasteen – a remarkable man, a remarkable life...............12 Esther Gallant Kevin McCue and Sonja Lenz Treasurer’s report 2017–18.................................................5 NPA outings program, September – December 2018 ......13–16 Chris Emery The Cedros–Alpamayo Circuit, Peru ......................................17 Report of the Environment Subcommittee .........................5 Philip Gatenby Rod Griffiths Environment Day dinner.........................................................19 Bobeyan graves...................................................................5 Bushwalk reports Quentin Moran Gudgenby Valley..............................................................20 Annual General Meeting 16 August 2018 Brian Slee Meeting report ....................................................................6 Isaacs Ridge, Mount Mugga Mugga................................20 New Treasurer and committee member– Brian Slee Hannah Conway ..........................................................6 Tolwong Chimneys ..........................................................21 Honorary Life Membership for Chris Emery .....................7 Philip Gatenby A day out for the Conservator..................................................7 Lake Burley Griffin – East Basin.....................................22 Concerned about feral horses? Here’s Brian Slee something you can do!........................................................8 New multiday walk in the Snowies.........................................22 Linda Groom PARKWATCH ..........................................................................23 Proposed field trip to Namadgi wetlands..................................8 Compiled by Hazel Rath Di Thompson NPA notices.............................................................................26 Celebrating GBRG’s 20th anniversary .....................................9 Hazel Rath Meetings and speaker information..........................................27 NPA ACT work parties update ...............................................10 NPA information and contacts.................................................27 Martin Chalk Art week at Gudgenby Cottage...............................................11 Stand Against Extinction, see page 26. Kosciuszko wild horse debate intensifies In April 2018, concerns over This may be the first ever time that a programmes. environmental damage by feral horses in government has legislated for the This includes Kosciuszko National Park (KNP) led the protection of an invasive species within a wild pigs, dogs, NSW Government’s Threatened Species national park, and conservationists say it deer and horses; Scientific Committee to table a establishes a worrying precedent. • Conduct a scientific recommendation that feral horses be The Labor Opposition in the NSW assessment and count of the horse listed as a ‘key threatening process’, Parliament did not support the Bill. On population in consultation with key alongside things like climate change, 29 May 2018, during its consideration, stakeholders; invasive weeds and exotic fungi. Shadow Environment Minister Penny • Ensure wild horses are acknowledged In direct contradiction, the NSW Sharpe MLC tabled a paper detailing a for their cultural value by retaining a Legislative Assembly passed the six-point plan to save KNP and manage smaller population in the park where Kosciuszko Wild Horse Heritage Act the wild horse population. It would be degradation is less critical, and manage 2018 on 15 June. This Act aims to implemented if and when Labor returned the horse population guided by the enshrine the ‘heritage’ value of to government. extensive work that produced the 2016 ‘sustainable’ wild horse populations Labor committed to: Draft Wild Horse Management Plan. within parts of KNP and to protect that • Restore resources to the National Parks The passing of the Act has heritage. The Bill for the Act had been and Wildlife Service cut by the Liberal– galvanised widespread opposition and introduced just a few weeks before, on National Government to protect the action among conservation groups. 22 May, by Deputy Premier John park’s pristine environment and Various aspects of the issue and Barilaro whose electorate of Monaro threatened species; responses to it are covered generally and includes the park. He said that locals had • Minimise the impacts of pest species in specific articles in this issue of the been calling for years for the changes he (both plants and animals) through NPA Bulletin. was promoting. adequately funded and effective control Kevin McCue 2 NPA BULLETIN − SEPTEMBER 2018 From the committee Feral ‘Heritage’ horses!? space at no cost. A dedicated website has In the face of the absurd NSW other feral been set up at savekosci.org by Linda legislation protecting feral horses in herbivore Groom. Kosciuszko National Park (KNP), we numbers The NPA ACT management must act strongly and decisively. A increase committee has pledged significant ‘grand coalition’ of regional unchecked immediate support. Further NPA ACT environmental groups has formed as a in KNP and support will be provided as a match to result of a July meeting in Canberra the land is members’ contributions to the campaign. organised by NPA NSW and hosted by denuded, espec- To receive the match, contributions NPA ACT. There were representatives ially during drought, large-hooved should be directed to NPA ACT and from NPA ACT, NPA NSW, Canberra animals WILL enter NNP seeking food. designated for the feral horse campaign. Bushwalkers (CBC), ACT Waterwatch, Their entry into the Cotter catchment More information will be provided in our Invasive Species Council (ISC), could severely reduce the quality and monthly Burning Issues newsletter as the Conservation Council ACT (ConsACT) quantity of our water supply by campaign progresses. and NSW Nature Conservancy. Also destruction of the head-water bogs and Should we be worried in the ACT? A represented were graziers, fishing and fens that hold and purify the water. resounding YES! Our own Namadgi Indigenous tourism interests. Several (This has already happened at the National Park (NNP) shares a long and NPA ACT members participated in source of the Murray River.) Both this tortuous border with KNP. As horse and various capacities – some as potential damage and the increasing representatives of other groups. cost of removing feral horses will be a Proposals for action were put burden on the ACT taxpayer. Aside forward (see accompanying articles by from this self-interest aspect, KNP will Di Thompson and Linda Groom). ISC continue to suffer environmental CEO Andrew Cox is acting as the degradation and species extinction as a coalition organiser and proposes hiring result of heavy grazing in fragile alpine two staff members to manage the ecosystems. Thus, in the long term we campaign. One will be based in the ISC could see both our own NNP and our office in Sydney and the other in equally loved KNP severely degraded. ConsACT’s office in Canberra. Of We must act now! course this all requires a budget. ISC Esther Gallant and NPA NSW have already made President, NPA ACT sizable financial contributions, and both ISC and ConsACT are providing desk Horse trampling at a water source, KNP. President’s report on activities during 2017–18 As usual, 2017–18 was a very busy year Camp at Goongerah, Victoria. The camp investigation is now under-way with for NPA ACT with some things way is sponsored by the Victorian National another grant from NPA and an NPA beyond our control making it even more Parks Association. Two UC students application for ACT Government hectic. However, in the end it was a very attended and their report published in the research funds. A very successful exciting year and satisfying to see how June Bulletin simply oozes enthusiasm. initiative! much we have been able to accomplish We will offer up to 10 students the same More recently we have joined the to protect our precious environment. kind of support to attend the 2019 event. Canberra Field Naturalists in supporting Support for environmental Also, we are renewing our offer of an Australian Platypus Conservancy science students complimentary membership to citizen-science project to determine the environmental science students at ANU distribution of Rakali (native water rat) We have seen very gratifying results and UC. already from our support of researchers in the ACT. This interesting animal is and students of environmental sciences. Support for research one of our little known and possibly