Uluru-Kata Tjuta National Park MANAGEMENT PLAN 2010–2020
Total Page:16
File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb
Uluru-Kata Tjuta Board of Management Uluru-Kata Tjuta National Park MANAGEMENT PLAN 2010–2020 Tjukurpa Katutja Ngarantja Uluru and Kata Tjuta viewed from Talinguru Nyakunytjaku © Director of National Parks 2010 ISBN: 978 0 9807460 1 3 This work is copyright. Apart from any use permitted under the Copyright Act 1968, no part may be reproduced by any process without prior written permission from the Director of National Parks. Requests and inquiries concerning reproduction and rights should be addressed to: Director of National Parks GPO Box 787 Canberra ACT 2601 Director of National Parks Australian business number: 13051 694 963 This management plan provides the general public and park users with information about how it is proposed the park will be managed for the next 10 years. A copy of the plan is available online at environment.gov.au/parks/publications/index.html or by contacting the Community Information Unit, Department of the Environment, Water, Heritage and the Arts, by emailing [email protected] or calling 1800 803 772. Credits Designer – Papercut Editor – Elizabeth Hutchings Editing Indexer – Barry Howarth Artworks – © Malya Teamay and © Jennifer Taylor Photographs – Michael Nelson Maps – Environmental Resources Information Network Printed by Goanna Print using vegetable based inks on paper manufactured by an ISO 14001 certified mill using 55% recycled fibre (25% post consumer and 30% pre consumer) and FSC Certified pulp, which ensures that all virgin pulp is derived from well-managed forests and controlled sources. Front Cover: ‘Tjukurpa of Uluru’ © Malya Teamay: The painting depicts the important stories of Uluru. Uluru is represented in the centre of the painting by concentric circles. The different shades of colour surrounding Uluru show the different land and vegetation, which is all Tjukurpa, crossed by these ancestral beings on their journeys to Uluru. The ancestral beings (Tjukuritja) represented in this painting are: Kuniya the Python Woman with her eggs; Liru, the poisonous snake; Kurpany, the doglike creature represented by the pawprints; and Mala the rufous hare-wallaby represented by the wallaby tracks. The footprints and spears represent the warriors of the Warmala revenge party. Board of Management Vision The Uluru–Kata Tjuta landscape is and will always be a significant place of knowledge and learning. All the plants, animals, rocks, and waterholes contain important information about life and living here now and for all time. Anangu grandparents and grandchildren will always gain their knowledge from this landscape. They will live in it in the proper way. This is Tjukurpa. The special natural and cultural features of this area, which have placed it on the World Heritage List, will be protected. Its importance as a sacred place and a national symbol will be reflected in a high standard of management. This will be achieved through joint management of Uluru–Kata Tjuta National Park where Anangu and Piranpa will work together as equals, exchanging knowledge about our different cultural values and processes and their application. Together we will apply Anangu Tjukurpa and practice and relevant Piranpa knowledge to: • keep Tjukurpa strong • look after the health of country and community • help Uluru–Kata Tjuta National Park to become known as a place of learning, knowledge, and understanding about culture, country and custom • ensure a strong future for Anangu in the management of the park and ensure Anangu benefit from the existence of the park • protect World Heritage natural and cultural environments of the park in harmony with Australian social and economic aspirations. We would like all visitors and people with an interest in this place to learn about this land from those who have its knowledge. We would like you to respect this knowledge, behave in a proper way, enjoy your visit, and return safely to your homes and families to share the knowledge you have gained. Uluru–Kata Tjuta Board of Management Board of Management Vision i Foreword The Aboriginal traditional owners of Uluru–Kata Tjuta National Park (Nguraritja) have looked after, and in turn been looked after by, the land for over one thousand generations. Aboriginal use of the land over that time is reflected throughout the Uluru–Kata Tjuta landscape, which is recognised as a World Heritage area of outstanding universal value. Many places in the park are of enormous spiritual and cultural importance to Nguraritja. The park also contains features such as Uluru and Kata Tjuta which have become major symbols of Australia. Joint management brings together cultural and scientific knowledge and experience, different governance processes, and interweaves two law systems – Piranpa law and Tjukurpa. Working together means learning from each other, respecting each other’s cultures and finding innovative ways to bring together different ways of seeing and interpreting the landscape and its people. Nguraritja and Parks Australia share decision-making for the management of Uluru–Kata Tjuta National Park. This plan will set out how this cultural landscape and iconic national park will be managed for the next 10 years. It embraces the challenges, builds on lessons learnt, and above all recognises the good will of the joint management partners to continue the journey together. Uluru–Kata Tjuta Board of Management Acknowledgments The Director of National Parks and the Uluru–Kata Tjuta Board of Management are grateful to the many individuals and organisations who contributed to this management plan. In particular they acknowledge Anangu, Parks Australia staff, the Central Land Council, and the Northern Territory and Australian Government agencies that provided information and assistance or submitted comments that contributed to the development of this management plan. ii Uluru-Kata Tjuta National Park Management Plan 2010–2020 Contents Board of Management Vision i Foreword ii Acknowledgments ii A description of Uluru–Kata Tjuta National Park 1 Introduction 2 The values of the park 2 Cultural values 2 Natural values 11 History of the park 12 Establishment of the park 14 Joint management 14 National and international significance 15 Management Plan for Uluru–Kata Tjuta National Park 19 Part 1 Introduction 20 1. Background 20 1.1 Previous management plans 20 1.2 Structure of this management plan 20 1.3 Planning process 21 2. Introductory provisions 22 2.1 Short title 22 2.2 Commencement and termination 22 2.3 Interpretation (including acronyms) 22 2.4 Legislative context 25 2.5 Purpose, content and matters to be taken into account in a management plan 29 2.6 IUCN category and zoning 30 2.7 Lease agreement 30 2.8 International agreements 32 Contents iii Part 2 How the park will be managed 34 3. IUCN category 34 3.1 Assigning the park to an IUCN category 34 4. Joint management 36 4.1 Making decisions and working together 36 4.2 Nguraritja interests 43 4.3 Anangu employment, education and training 46 5. Looking after culture and country 50 5.1 A cultural landscape 50 5.2 Cultural heritage places and material 54 5.3 The physical landscape 58 5.4 Climate change 60 5.5 Surface water and groundwater 62 5.6 Native plants and animals 65 5.7 Weeds and introduced plants 71 5.8 Introduced and domestic animals 73 5.9 Fire management 77 6. Visitor management and park use 81 6.1 Tourism directions and recreational opportunities 81 6.2 Access and site management 84 6.3 Visitor activities and experiences 89 6.4 Visitor information, education and interpretation 93 6.5 Promoting and marketing the park 96 6.6 Filming, photography and audio recording 97 6.7 Commercial operations 101 6.8 Visitor safety 104 7. Stakeholders and partnerships 106 7.1 Mutitjulu Community 106 7.2 Neighbours, stakeholders and partnerships 112 iv Uluru-Kata Tjuta National Park Management Plan 2010–2020 8. Business management 114 8.1 Capital works and infrastructure 114 8.2 Compliance and enforcement 117 8.3 Incident management 119 8.4 Research, monitoring and knowledge management 121 8.5 Assessment of proposals 126 8.6 Subleases, licences and associated occupancy issues 131 8.7 Resource use in park operations 132 8.8 New activities not otherwise specified in this plan 134 8.9 Management plan implementation and evaluation 135 Appendices A Provisions of Lease between Uluru–Kata Tjuta Aboriginal Land Trust 138 and the Director of National Parks B World Heritage attributes of Uluru–Kata Tjuta National Park 150 C National Heritage values of Uluru–Kata Tjuta National Park 153 D Commonwealth Heritage values of Uluru–Kata Tjuta National Park 155 E Key result area outcomes relevant to Uluru–Kata Tjuta National Park 159 F EPBC Act listed threatened species of the Uluru–Kata Tjuta National Park region 161 G EPBC Act listed migratory species occurring in Uluru–Kata Tjuta National Park 163 H Management principle schedules in the EPBC Regulations relevant 166 to Uluru–Kata Tjuta National Park I Pitjantjatjara/Yankunytjatjara words used in the English text of this plan 175 Maps 1 Approximate present day extent of Western Desert language speakers 9 2 Location of Uluru–Kata Tjuta National Park and distances from major cities 9 3 Aboriginal communities and their proximity to the park 10 4 Some Anangu place names at Uluru 57 5 Access to Uluru–Kata Tjuta National Park – regional map 87 6 Public vehicle access within Uluru–Kata Tjuta National Park 88 Tables 1 Guide to decision-making 42 2 Impact assessment procedures 128 3 Environmental impact assessment matters and considerations 129 Bibliography 177 Index 178 Contents v The ‘Working Together’ painting © Jennifer Taylor: The central circle represents Uluru-Kata Tjuta National Park. The twelve seated figures are the members of the Board of Management: four pairs of male and female Anangu (the brown) and four Piranpa (the white). They have surrounded the park with a yuu, a traditional windbreak.