Houtman Abrolhos Islands National Park draft management plan 2021 Department of Biodiversity, Conservation and Attractions Conservation and Parks Commission Department of Biodiversity, Conservation and Attractions 17 Dick Perry Avenue KENSINGTON WA 6151 Phone: (08) 9219 9000 Fax: (08) 9334 0498 dbca.wa.gov.au © State of Western Australia 2021 2021 This work is copyright. You may download, display, print and reproduce this material in unaltered form (retaining this notice) for your personal, non-commercial use or use within your organisation. Apart from any use as permitted under the Copyright Act 1968, all other rights are reserved. Requests and enquiries concerning reproduction and rights should be addressed to Department of Biodiversity, Conservation and Attractions (DBCA). ISBN 978-1-925978-16-2 (online) ISBN 978-1-925978-15-5 (print) This management plan was prepared by the Conservation and Parks Commission through the agency of the Department of Biodiversity, Conservation and Attractions. Questions regarding this management plan should be directed to: Aboriginal Engagement, Planning and Lands Branch Department of Biodiversity, Conservation and Attractions Locked Bag 104 Bentley Delivery Centre WA 6983 Phone: (08) 9219 9000 The recommended reference for this publication is: Department of Biodiversity, Conservation and Attractions (2021) Houtman Abrolhos Islands National Park draft management plan, 2021. Department of Biodiversity, Conservation and Attractions, Perth. This document is available in alternative formats on request. Front cover photos Main: Pelsaert Island. Photo – Rory Chapple/DBCA Top left: Lesser noddy (Anous tenuirostris melanops). Photo – Anthony Desmond/DBCA Top right: Australian sealion (Neophoca cinerea). Photo – Clare Atkins/DBCA Header photo: Morley and Wooded islands. Photo – Nathan Greenhill/DBCA Houtman Abrolhos Islands National Park draft management plan 2021 Conservation and Parks Commission Department of Biodiversity, Conservation and Attractions VISION In collaboration with other State Government agencies and the community, protect the exceptional natural, cultural heritage and community values of the park. Provide world-class sustainable visitor experiences and tourism opportunities while retaining the unique Abrolhos sense of place. Suomi Island in the Easter Group. Photo – Clare Atkins/DBCA ii EXECUTIVE SUMMARY The Houtman Abrolhos Islands (the ‘Abrolhos Islands’) is an archipelago of 2101 islands, islets and rocks about 60 kilometres west of Geraldton, in the Midwest Region of Western Australia. The area covered by the Houtman Abrolhos Islands National Park draft management plan 2021 (the plan/this plan) comprises 189 islands (184 unoccupied islands and parts of five occupied islands) of the archipelago which make up Houtman Abrolhos Islands National Park (the park). The park was created on 25 July 2019 commemorating the 400-year anniversary of Dutch navigator Frederick de Houtman’s sighting and naming of the islands and surrounding waters and coral reef of the Houtman Abrolhos (the Abrolhos). Despite their low-lying and, in parts, desolate landscape, the Abrolhos Islands have a rich biodiversity and cultural heritage, which attracts a small, but increasing number of visitors. This plan aims to protect the values of the park, providing a summary of management direction and operations proposed to be undertaken. Objectives, strategies, and key performance indicators (KPIs) are used to highlight management priorities, with a focus on: managing the natural values managing cultural heritage values managing visitor use and community values managing resource use and research and monitoring. These are used by the Conservation and Parks Commission to assess implementation of the plan by the Department of Biodiversity, Conservation and Attractions (the department). The park is one of a suite of tenures that make up the Abrolhos. The surrounding State waters and islands adjacent to the park are managed by Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development (DPIRD). The Western Australian Museum (WA Museum) has legislative responsibility for the protection of maritime archaeological sites located in the park. Other State Government agencies and local government also have jurisdiction at the Abrolhos. Therefore, through this plan, the department is committed to collaborating with other relevant agencies to ensure a complementary and whole-of-government approach to managing the Abrolhos, which is enabled through a hierarchy of different planning documents, prepared by each agency. The Houtman Abrolhos Islands Strategic Direction 2020-24 (Strategic Direction) provides the overarching vision, direction, and key initiatives for the Abrolhos and sets out the framework that will guide the collaborative management of the lands and waters of the Abrolhos by DBCA, DPIRD, WA Museum and other relevant State Government agencies. This plan is one of several plans that sit under the Strategic Direction (see Figure 1. Abrolhos planning framework). 1 The total island count for the Houtman Abrolhos is based on the land area that has been assigned a cadastral land parcel by Landgate and is accurate as of June 2020. The department acknowledges that total island counts have varied over time and that a range of figures have been reported in the literature. At the time of writing, DBCA identified a further five islands, islets and rocks with no cadaster assigned and has recommended to Landgate that these be reassessed. The total count of islands, islets and rocks may change over the life of the plan as sea level changes and swell, tides and wave actions result in some islands becoming permanently covered by sea water or new islands emerging. iii Managing natural values The park supports a range of significant native fauna. It provides habitat for the largest and most species-rich populations of seabirds in Western Australia including the vulnerable Australian lesser noddy (Anous tenuirostris melanops) and Australian fairy tern (Sternula nereis nereis). The park is also important for internationally significant migratory shorebirds, including four critically endangered species. The vulnerable Australian sea lion (Neophoca cinerea) uses many of the islands for haulout and breeding and the endangered Abrolhos painted button-quail (Turnix varius scintillans) is endemic to the Wallabi Group. Tammar wallabies (Notamacropus eugenii derbianus) are one of only two terrestrial mammals in the park and several priority flora species and significant vegetation communities also exist. Protection of these values, through the management of weeds and pest animals is a key focus for this plan. Maintaining the cat and rat-free status of the park and minimising the impacts of the house mouse and weeds, using a range of biosecurity measures, will be important. Based on these significant values, the management plan identifies value rich islands with particularly important natural values and the management direction that will ensure the protection of these, especially in relation to visitor access and improving visitor awareness of their importance. Managing cultural heritage values The park contains significant maritime cultural heritage values, being the location of several shipwreck survivor camps associated with internationally significant shipwrecks. These include the National Heritage Listed areas associated with the Batavia (1629). Other important cultural heritage includes remnants of the guano mining industry, commercial fishing heritage and sites associated with the tourism industry and defence. The key direction for managing cultural heritage in the park is the protection of the National Heritage listed values on Beacon Island and interpreting these for visitors. This plan outlines strategies to ensure The National Heritage Listed Beacon Island, the location of Batavia shipwreck survivor camp. Photo – Nathan Greenhill/DBCA. iv that the department meets its obligations associated with the protection of these significant maritime cultural heritage values. The plan identifies value rich islands with important cultural heritage values and the management direction that will ensure the protection of these, especially in relation to visitor access and improving visitor awareness of their importance. Managing visitor use and community values The Abrolhos Islands provide a unique visitor experience. Visitors are attracted to its rugged character, remoteness, and the significant natural and cultural heritage values. Current visitation is low because the park is only accessible via recreational boat, charter flight or commercial tour (either on a boat or aircraft). People visit the park for nature appreciation (bird watching and photography), to discover maritime heritage values (Batavia shipwreck survivor camps) and to access adjacent waters for marine activities (swimming, fishing, snorkelling, and surfing). The focus of visitor management in the park will be to enhance these experiences, and to minimise the impacts of visitation to the natural and cultural values. A key Government intent in the creation of the park is the encouragement of investment in tourism development and opportunities at the Abrolhos and the plan outlines a framework for how these will be established and managed in the park. Licensed and accredited commercial operators will provide visitors the opportunity to experience the environments, wildlife, and maritime heritage, of the park. DBCA recognises the importance of creating tourism opportunities and development