National Parks
Total Page:16
File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb
National Parks Act Annual Report 2009 Published by the Victorian Government Department of Sustainability and Environment, Melbourne October 2009 © The State of Victoria, Department of Sustainability and Environment 2009 This publication is copyright. No part may be reproduced by any process except in accordance with the provisions of the Copyright Act 1968 . Authorised by the Victorian Government, 8 Nicholson Street, East Melbourne 3002 Printed by Stream Solutions Printed on 100% recycled paper ISSN 1031-7899 For further information, contact the DSE Customer Service Centre on 136 186 or the Parks Victoria Information Centre on 13 1963. Disclaimer This publication may be of assistance to you but the State of Victoria and its employees do not guarantee that the publication is without flaw of any kind or is wholly appropriate for your particular purposes and therefore disclaims all liability for any error, loss or other consequence which may arise from you relying on any information in this publication. Accessibility If you would like to receive this publication in an accessible format, such as large print or audio, please telephone 136 186 or 1800 122 969 (TTY), or email [email protected]. This document is also available in PDF format on the Internet at <www.dse.vic.gov.au>. Notes UÊ i}Ã>ÌÊÀiviÀÀi`ÊÌÊÊÌ iÊÀi«ÀÌÊÃÊ6VÌÀ>Êi}Ã>Ì° UÊ The Act means the National Parks Act 1975 unless otherwise implied. UÊ Minister means the Minister responsible for administering the National Parks Act 1975 . During the year, this was Gavin Jennings ]ÊÃÌiÀÊvÀÊ ÛÀiÌÊ>`Ê >ÌiÊ >}i° UÊ Secretary means the Secretary to the Department of Sustainability and Environment. UÊ CMA means Catchment Management Authority. UÊ DSE means Department of Sustainability and Environment. UÊ DPI means Department of Primary Industries. Source of photographs: Georgia Kerr (cover, page 12), Christian Pearson (pages 1, 14 and 19), Parks Victoria (page 3), Julian Raudino (page 6), David Oldfield (page 15) and Thomas Parkes (Page 16). Cover: Fire recovery – Wilsons Promontory (August 2009) Foreword Fire recovery This annual report on the working of the National Parks Act The year also saw considerable progress made towards 1975 for the year ended 30 June 2009 is provided to the implementing key government election commitments to expand Minister for Environment and Climate Change, Gavin Jennings the parks system: ]ÊvÀÊÌ iÊ«ÕÀ«ÃiÊvÊÃiVÌÊÎxÊvÊÌ iÊVÌ° UÊ LLLiiÊ >Ì>Ê*>ÀÊÜ>ÃÊVÀi>Ìi`ÊÊv>ÀÊÃÕÌ ÜiÃÌÊ The overwhelming event of the year was the 2009 bushfires, Victoria particularly the devastating fires which started on Black UÊ Ì iÊ}ÛiÀiÌÊ>ÕVi`ÊÌÃÊ`iVÃÃÊÊÌ iÊ6VÌÀ>Ê Saturday. These resulted in a tragic loss of life and property Environmental Assessment Council River Red Gum Forests which was deeply felt through the community. The commitment Investigation Final Report of staff from the Department of Sustainability and Environment, These decisions include the creation of four new national Parks Victoria, Country Fire Authority and other Networked parks and three new other parks and the expansion of six Emergency Organisation partners to the fire effort was existing parks under the Act, and also the establishment exceptional, and this commitment continues into the fire of Traditional Owner majority boards of management recovery phase. for Barmah National Park and Nyah-Vinifera Park, a The fires had a significant impact on the parks system, burning Victorian first. nearly all of Kinglake National Park and Cathedral Range State UÊ Ì iÊ Üi>Ì Ê >`i`ÊL>VÊÌ iÊ+Õ>À>ÌiÊ-Ì>ÌÊvÀÊ Park and a significant part of the Yarra Ranges National Park. In inclusion in the Point Nepean National Park and legislation to addition, the Bunyip fire burnt a large part of Bunyip State Park, add the area to the park was introduced into Parliament and the fire at Wilsons Promontory burnt about half of that UÊ ÜÀÊ«ÀVii`i`ÊÊw>Ã}ÊÌ iÊiÜÊ«>ÀÊ>`ÊÀiÃiÀÛiÊ>Ài>ÃÊ national park. in East Gippsland. Parks Victoria was still able to deliver a significant program of I thank all those who were involved in delivering the parks park management services across the state, as reflected in the program over the past year: the many volunteers and many projects and activities described elsewhere in this report. organisations who assisted, but particularly the staff who have shown ongoing commitment and dedication in extremely challenging times. Greg Wilson Secretary to the Department of Sustainability and Environment 1 Contents Foreword 1 Representative parks system 3 Areas managed under the Act 3 Changes to the parks system 3 Future additions to the parks system 4 Management planning 4 Ê >Ì>ÊiÀÌ>}iÊÃÌÊ x Natural values management 6 Research 6 Environmental management 8 Fire management and fire recovery 12 Bushfires 12 Planned burning 13 Preparing for emergencies 13 Fire recovery 13 Traditional Owner partnerships and cultural heritage management 14 Traditional Owner partnerships 14 Indigenous cultural heritage 14 Non-Indigenous cultural heritage 14 Community involvement 15 Volunteers 15 Community grants 15 Visitor and tourism services 16 Information, interpretation and education 16 Enhancing visitor facilities 17 Tour operators 18 Visits to parks 18 Supporting park management 19 Park management 19 Ê i}Ã>ÌÊ £ Authorities granted under the Act 20 Enforcement 22 Interstate cooperation 22 Advisory bodies 23 Appendixes 25 1 – Areas managed under the National Parks Act 25 2 – Pest plant control projects 31 3 – Pest animal control projects 33 Ê {ÊqÊV>ÌÃÊvÊ«>ÀÃÊ>`ÊÌ iÀÊ>Ài>ÃÊ Î{ 2 Representative parks system Cobboboonee National Park Areas managed under the Act Changes to the parks system As at 30 June 2009, there were 133 areas with a total area of Cobboboonee National Park 3.32 million hectares managed under various provisions of the The park system was enhanced with the creation of National Parks Act. Appendix 1 lists the areas and Appendix 4 Cobboboonee National Park (18 510 ha) on 9 November shows their location. 2008. The park is located in the Cobboboonee Forest north- The 133 areas comprised: ÜiÃÌÊvÊ*ÀÌ>`Ê>`Ê>LÕÌÃÊÜiÀÊii}Ê >Ì>Ê*>ÀÊ>`Ê Cobboboonee Forest Park. UÊ ££ÇÊ>Ài>ÃÊΰΣxÊÊ >®ÊVÌ>i`ÊÊÃV i`ÕiÃÊÌÊÌ iÊVÌ – 41 national parks (Schedule Two) The new national park includes most of the Surry River – 3 wilderness parks (Schedule Two A) VÀÀ`ÀÊ>ÃÊÜiÊ>ÃÊÌ iÊ i>`Ü>ÌiÀÃÊvÊÌ iÊÌâÀÞÊ,ÛiÀ°ÊÌÊ – 27 state parks (Schedule Two B) protects significant areas of lowland forest and many wetlands and endangered and vulnerable vegetation types as well as – 5 coastal parks, 3 historic parks, 1 nature conservation threatened species, including large forest owls, small marsupials reserve, 4 regional parks and Haining Farm and a skink. The park offers a range of recreation opportunities, (Schedule Three) including a section of the Great South West Walk, camping, – 3 marine and coastal parks, 2 marine parks, 1 marine picnicking, horse riding and vehicle touring, complementing the reserve, 1 national heritage park and 1 nature conservation opportunities in the adjoining Cobboboonee Forest Park. reserve (Schedule Four) – 13 marine national parks (Schedule Seven) Park additions – 11 marine sanctuaries (Schedule Eight) Also on 9 November 2009, there were additions totalling UÊ £ÈÊÃV i`Õi`Ê>Ài>ÃÊ{{{ÎÊ >®ÊÌÊÜ V Ê«>ÀÌVÕ>ÀÊ 326 hectares to seven parks under the Act: Great Otway, provisions of the Act apply. }>iÊ>`ÊÜiÀÊii}Ê>Ì>Ê«>ÀÃ]ÊiÞÊ*>Ã]Ê>}Ê Ghiran and Warrandyte state parks and Castlemaine Diggings The Act also defines: National Heritage Park (see Table 1). UÊ £ÊÜ`iÀiÃÃÊâiÃÊ-V i`ÕiÊÛi®ÊÜÌ ÊÇÊ>Ì>Ê«>ÀÃÊ (see Appendix 1) Park excisions UÊ ÓÓÊÀiÌiÊ>`Ê>ÌÕÀ>Ê>Ài>ÃÊ-V i`ÕiÊ-Ý®ÊÜÌ Ê£ÓÊ>Ì>Ê An area of about 0.5 ha comprising an access track was excised parks (see Appendix 1) from Great Otway National Park to provide legal access, and UÊ {Ê`iÃ}>Ìi`ÊÜ>ÌiÀÊÃÕ««ÞÊV>ÌV iÌÊ>Ài>ÃÊÜÌ ÊÀi>ÌÊ two roads were excised from Yarra Ranges National Park. Otway, Kinglake and Yarra Ranges national parks. 3 Table 1 – Park additions Addition Park (ha) Summary description Nature of addition Great Otway NP 0.3 Small area at Johanna camping ground (west of Purchased land Cape Otway) to provide access to the beach Kinglake NP 74 Two blocks of undisturbed bushland contiguous Donated land, land purchased with existing park (59 ha) with the assistance of a donation Frontage of Watsons Creek and nearby road Crown land reserve reserve (15 ha) ÜiÀÊii}Ê * 16 Three small areas abutting existing park Crown land supporting heathy or herb-rich woodlands Holey Plains SP 178 Ben Winch Swamp, a significant wetland Purchased land containing two nationally endangered plant species >}Ê À>Ê-* 42 Area containing threatened woodland and forest Purchased land vegetation types Warrandyte SP 6 Three small blocks at Pound Bend Purchased land Road reserves no longer required Road reserves Castlemaine Diggings NHP 10 Part of the historically significant Welsh Village Purchased or otherwise acquired and several small allotments along Happy Valley land Road to consolidate the park in that location NHP National Heritage Park NP National Park SP State Park Future additions to the parks system the Environment, Heritage and the Arts, the Hon Peter Garrett AM MP, signed an historic agreement which transferred the River Red Gum parks ä iVÌ>ÀiÊ+Õ>À>ÌiÊ-Ì>ÌÊL>VÊÌÊ6VÌÀ>°Ê/ iÊ >Ì>Ê On 30 December 2008, the government announced its Parks Amendment (Point Nepean) Bill 2009 to add virtually all response to the Victorian Environmental Assessment Council vÊÌ iÊ+Õ>À>ÌiÊ-Ì>ÌÊ>`ÊÌ iÊ>`}ÊÌiÀÌ`>ÊâiÊÌÊ River Red Gum Forests Investigation Final Report . Its formal Point Nepean National Park was introduced into Parliament the response was tabled in parliament on 9 March 2009.