Parks Victoria Annual Report 2011–2012 I]^heV\ZVeeZVghWaVc`#DcXZXdckZgiZYidVc#Zeh[^aZ i]Zad\dWZXdbZhkZXidgVgi#I]^hXVci]ZcWZeaVXZYdc VXdadjgZYWVX`\gdjcY#I]ZhZ[^aZhVgZbV^canjhZYWn <gVe]^X9Zh^\cZgh#BV`ZhjgZi]^hiZmi^hgZbdkZY# PARKS VICTORIA ANNUAL REPORT 2011–2012 PAGE 3 Contents Chief Executive’s message 4 Chairman’s message 4 Risk management attestation 5 About Parks Victoria 6 Year in review 9 Report of operations Environment, land and water 12 Visitors and community 21 Commercial services 31 Culture and heritage 33 Fire and emergency management 37 Organisational performance 41 Financial performance 44 People and workplace 46 Governance and compliance 50 Financial report Annual financial statements 53 Appendix Disclosure statement 97 Through their rich culture, Aboriginal Traditional Owners Copyright © Parks Victoria 2012 Cover image: Flood recovery team have been intrinsically connected to this continent – Level 10, 535 Bourke Street, Melbourne, Australia. at Lysterfield Park including the area now known as Victoria and the State’s ISSN 1448 – 9082 Left: parks and reserves – for tens of thousands of years. Parks Flood recovery ISSN 1448 – 9090 (Online) at You Yangs Victoria recognises this connection and acknowledges the Regional Park Traditional Owners of these areas. Published on www.parks.vic.gov.au Parks Victoria manages many different sites such as piers, This publication is copyright. No part may be reproduced waterways, ports, bays, historic buildings, trails, urban by any process except in accordance with the provisions parks, small conservation reserves and large national of the Copyright Act 1968. parks. For the sake of brevity, these are collectively described in this document as ‘parks’ unless a specific type Photography credits: of site or park is mentioned. Front cover – David Richardson People seeking further information on Parks Victoria Inside front cover – Petri Miniotas or wishing to visit Parks Victoria parks should visit Inside back cover – Nathan McAvoy, www.parks.vic.gov.au or call 13 19 63. Macrophotographics.com Museum Victoria photographers – Patrick Honan, David Paul, Mark Norman, Ken Walker Other photographers – Graham Gales, Chris Smith PAGE 4 CEO AND CHAIRMAn’s mESSAGE Chief Executive’s message The 2011–12 year was a year of consolidation and recovery for Victoria’s parks and waterways. The return to wetter conditions to welcome visitors with Fairley, and thank outgoing across the state limited bushfires disabilities into our parks. We board members for the work through summer and allowed the also commenced the planning and commitment they have continued regeneration of flora process to build a new chairlift shown through their terms. and fauna. at Arthurs Seat and began works on Parks Victoria’s largest capital Works focused on our weed and project, the renewal of services Dr Bill Jackson pest response, ongoing recovery to the Quarantine Station at Chief Executive from the 2010 floods and the Point Nepean. 30 June 2012 improvement of visitor facilities and services. Of particular note I would like to acknowledge the were the significant advances appointment of a new Chair made to Parks Victoria’s capacity for the organisation, Andrew Chairman’s message On behalf of the Parks Victoria Board, I am pleased to provide you with the Annual Report for Parks Victoria for the year 2011–2012. It has been a period of transition by the organisation in managing Board and great support from for both the Board and for the these assets for future generations. our communities, I look forward organisation. Parks Victoria has to building on the achievements Throughout the Annual Report are emerged as a stronger institution of 2011–12 to create an even stories of achievement by our which is absolutely committed stronger and more resilient wonderful rangers and committed to excel in its role as manager of organisation. staff. Their work can be as diverse Victoria’s amazing parks network. as improving disability access Parks Victoria manages around at Wilsons Promontory, reducing Andrew Fairley 18% of our state. It is an estate pest animal impacts in the Alps, Chairman of vital environmental, economic creating fuel breaks across urban 30 June 2012 and social importance to all parks, or working with indigenous Victorians. It includes iconic communities along the Murray tourism assets, national parks, River to protect Red Gum forests. many regional assets and vital I want to acknowledge the work waterways. This Annual Report of the leadership and staff of provides a window into the breadth Parks Victoria during what has of Parks Victoria’s work and the been a difficult and challenging care taken and challenges faced year. With a new, revitalised PARKS VICTORIA ANNUAL REPORT 2011–2012 PAGE 5 Risk management attestation PAGE 6 About Parks Victoria Parks Victoria is committed to protecting, improving and enhancing Victoria’s parks and waterways for current and future generations. Who we are and Innovation, Department Vision and purpose of Primary Industries, catchment Parks Victoria delivers on-ground Parks Victoria is committed management authorities, services across the state to ensure to conserving the natural and water authorities and other that Victoria’s parks and waterways cultural values of the areas government agencies. In remain healthy and resilient. This we manage. recognition of Aboriginal includes conserving park and heritage and connection to Our vision is for an outstanding waterway ecosystems, protecting Country, we work in partnership park and waterway system cultural heritage, continuously with traditional owners in the protected and enhanced, developing opportunities for joint management of parks. At for people, forever. community involvement in parks a community level we work with and preparing, responding and Parks Victoria exists to: volunteer organisations, private recovering from fire, floods land owners, research institutes • Conserve, protect, and and other emergencies. and the broader community to enhance natural and With a comprehensive network deliver works on the ground and cultural values of protected areas stretching promote environmental values. • Provide quality experiences, from Red Gum forests of Parks Victoria is a statutory services and information the Murray River, through authority, established under to its customers the mountains of the Great the Parks Victoria Act 1998. Dividing Range to the marine • Provide excellence and The responsible Minister for environments of the Southern innovation in park the reporting period was the Ocean, Victoria’s parks are diverse management Hon Ryan Smith MP, Minister landscapes which continue • Contribute to the for Environment and to change and evolve. Parks environmental, social Climate Change. Victoria’s mission is to effectively and economic wellbeing manage these parks for all Under the Parks Victoria of Victorians. Victorians within the context Act 1998, Parks Victoria’s of the broader social, economic responsibilities are to provide and environmental landscape. services to the State and its agencies for the management We work with the Department of parks, reserves and other land of Sustainability and Environment under the control of the State. and the Department of Transport to deliver agreed services. We also work closely with Tourism Victoria, Department of Business PARKS VICTORIA ANNUAL REPORT 2011–2012 PAGE 7 What we manage • More than 2,700 natural • 516 viewing lookouts features and conservation Parks Victoria manages a diverse • 55 playgrounds reserves parks estate covering more than • 15,000 kilometres of roads four million hectares, or about • More than 11,000 formally 18 per cent, of Victoria. This area registered Aboriginal cultural • 1,267 pedestrian and includes national parks, marine heritage places vehicular bridges national parks and sanctuaries, • More than 2,500 non- • 3,700km of walking tracks urban parks, wilderness areas Indigenous historic places. and around 70 per cent of • 100 sporting facilities, Victoria’s coastline. We are the The parks and waterways attract e.g. golf courses, ovals local port manager for Port 85.9 million visits each year. Of and wickets these visits, 33.1 million are to Phillip Bay, Western Port and • 250 piers and jetties Port Campbell and the waterway national and state parks, 13.3 manager for the Yarra and million are to major metropolitan • 81 water access points, Maribyrnong rivers. parks and 39.5 million are to e.g. boat ramps, rowing piers and jetties around the bays. launches and slippings Parks Victoria’s management responsibilities include: Creating, managing and • 942 navigation aids. maintaining safe, relevant • 45 national parks and functional visitor sites Organisational structure • 25 state parks is a critical task for Parks Victoria. Parks Victoria’s Chief Executive Parks Victoria manages an asset • 13 marine national parks is appointed by the Board portfolio of more than 27,000 following consultation with • 11 marine sanctuaries assets. Assets managed include: the Minister. The Board reviews • 3 wilderness parks • 45 visitor centre buildings the performance of the Chief Executive on an annual basis. • 30 metropolitan parks • 687 shelters During the reporting period, • 60 other parks (including • 855 toilets Parks Victoria’s Chief Executive regional and reservoir parks) was Dr Bill Jackson. Parks Victoria Board (Andrew Fairley, Chairman) Audit Risk & Compliance Committee (Ken King, Committee Chair) Bill Jackson Chief Executive Office of the Chief Executive and Board Secretary