Director of National Parks Annual Report 2012–13 © Director of National Parks 2013

Annual ReportAnnual 2012–13 Managing the Australian Government’s protected areas protected Government’s Managing the Australian Director of National Parks Parks of National Director

ISSN 1443-1238

This work is copyright. Apart from any use as permitted under the Copyright Act 1968, no part may be reproduced by any process, re-used or redistributed without prior written permission from the Director of National Parks. Any permitted reproduction must acknowledge the source of any such material reproduced and include a copy of the original copyright notice. Requests and enquiries concerning reproduction and copyright should be addressed to: The Director of National Parks, PO Box 787, Canberra ACT 2601.

Director of National Parks Australian business number: 13 051 694 963

Credits

Front cover Maps – Environmental Resources Information Network Acacia alata photographed at the Australian National Botanic Gardens Designer – Papercut – David Woltschenko Editor – Byron Smith for Embellish Creative Sunrise at Booderee National Park, looking out to Bowen Island Indexer – Barry Howarth Little kingfisher, Kakadu National Park –Louise Denton Printed by – Union Offset Co. Pty Ltd Red crab, Christmas Island National Park Kakadu ranger Samantha Deegan with baby northern quoll Background image: sea urchin – Margarita Goumas

Map data sources Collaborative Australian Protected Area Database, (CAPAD 2010), Commonwealth Marine Reserves:© Commonwealth of Australia, Department of the Environment, 2013

State and Territory Borders, Australian Waters: © Commonwealth of Australia, Geoscience Australia

Caveat: All data presumed to be correct as received from data providers. No responsibility is taken by the Commonwealth for errors or omissions. The Commonwealth does not accept responsibility in respect to any information given in relation to, or as a consequence of anything contained herein.

Projection: Albers Equal Area Datum: GDA 1994 Director of National Parks Annual Report 2012–13

Managing the Australian Government’s protected areas Figure 1: Locations of Commonwealth parks and reserves which are the responsibility of the Director of National Parks in 2012–13 3 E stralia, 201 ! ! ! 43 alth of Au mmo nwe 24 Co © 35 12 36 28 ! 14 30 ! B 16 19 48 ! ! ! 13 21 29 ! 7 50 A 8 ! 52 ! 2 ! 20 59 Km 56 26 55 51 41 ! 2,000 40 ! 5 58 57 3 39 34 ! D G 25 31 N 53 1,000 44 17 46 11 00 9 ! 18 ! ! 33 6 54 ! 05 49 4 37 ! ! ! 47 42 15 32 23 38 45 1 22 y) 10 ve uthorit ve rk A rk Pa C Pa ! estrial Reser rr Te ers t ealth ealth Marine Reser eat Barrier Reef Marine Wa w w F ! ! ustralian ommon ommon 27 A C (Managed by Gr C Great Barrier Reef Marine

ii Director of National Parks | Annual Report 2012–13 Reserve Name Map Reserve Name Map Label Label Terrestrial Reserve Jervis 30 Australian National Botanic Gardens A Joseph Bonaparte Gulf 31 Booderee National Park B Jurien 32 Christmas Island National Park C Kimberley 33 Kakadu National Park D Limmen 34 Norfolk Island National Park and Botanic Garden E Lord Howe 35 Pulu Keeling National Park F Macquarie Island 36 Uluru–Kata Tjuta National Park G Mermaid Reef 37 Marine Reserve Montebello 38 Abrolhos 1 Murat 39 Apollo 2 Murray 40 Arafura 3 Nelson 41 Argo-Rowley Terrace 4 Ningaloo 42 Arnhem 5 Norfolk 43 Ashmore Reef 6 Oceanic Shoals 44 Beagle 7 Perth Canyon 45 Boags 8 Roebuck 46 Bremer 9 Shark Bay 47 Carnarvon Canyon 10 Solitary Islands 48 Cartier Island 11 South-west Corner 49 Central Eastern 12 South Tasman Rise 50 Cod Grounds 13 Southern Kangaroo Island 51 Coral Sea 14 Tasman Fracture 52 Dampier 15 Twilight 53 East Gippsland 16 Two Rocks 54 Eastern Recherche 17 Wessel 55 Eighty Mile Beach 18 West Cape York 56 Flinders 19 Western Eyre 57 Franklin 20 Western Kangaroo Island 58 Freycinet 21 Zeehan 59 Gascoyne 22 Geographe 23 Gifford 24 Great Australian Bight 25 Gulf of Carpentaria 26 Heard Island and McDonald Islands 27 Hunter 28 Huon 29

Director of National Parks | Annual Report 2012–13 iii Our mission

To assist the Minister and the Minister’s department in the conservation and appreciation of Australia’s biological diversity and associated cultural heritage through leadership and cooperation in the management of Australia’s protected areas, building knowledge of Australia’s biodiversity and working with Indigenous Australians.

Our values and approaches

As part of the Environment portfolio, Parks Australia is committed to professionalism as a major public service institution serving the Australian Government and Minister in accordance with the values of the Australian Public Service and specific departmental values including: • caring for the environment • respecting and responding to the values of Indigenous landowners and other partners • engaging with and responding to stakeholders • providing leadership and being active team contributors • committing to learning and development • committing to excellence in operations • accepting responsibility and being accountable • acting with integrity and achieving results.

We achieve our objectives by: • basing our work on the best available information and analysis • working in partnerships to improve environmental, cultural and heritage outcomes • communicating and influencing effectively • valuing and investing in our people to develop their capabilities • effectively managing risks • developing and delivering high-quality policies and programs • managing change in a strategic and flexible manner • monitoring and managing performance to ensure cost-effective outcomes.

A pelican on Booderee National Park’s Bowen Island. The island is a sanctuary for nesting seabirds including little penguins.

iv Director of National Parks | Annual Report 2012–13 Our mission

Our values and approaches

A pelican on Booderee National Park’s Bowen Island. The island is a sanctuary for nesting seabirds including little penguins.

Director of National Parks | Annual Report 2012–13 v Managing the Australian Government’s protected areas

An organisational snapshot

The Director of National Parks is the statutory agency responsible for the Australian Government’s terrestrial and marine protected area estates. The Director is assisted by Parks Australia, a division of the environment department, in managing terrestrial and marine reserves. The department’s Australian Antarctic Division is responsible for one marine reserve. In 2012–13 the Director of National Parks: • managed seven terrestrial reserves comprising six national parks and the Australian National Botanic Gardens • managed 59 marine reserves and one conservation zone • managed Calperum and Taylorville Stations through a contract with Austland Services Pty Ltd • employed 260 full-time equivalent staff around Australia • recorded a total price output of $72.0 million.

Major highlights for 2012–13

• Proclamation of the world’s biggest network of marine reserves which now protects more than 2.8 million square kilometres of ocean environment. The declaration of the new marine reserves represents a major achievement for the long-term conservation and sustainable use of Australia’s oceans. The final management plans for the marine reserve network were tabled in Parliament in March 2013. • Koongarra was incorporated into Kakadu National Park in February 2013 ending the prospect of uranium mining in this area. This decision supports the wishes of Djok traditional owner Jeffrey Lee to secure protection of his country for future generations. • Three new premier ecotourism destinations—the Wet Tropics, Tasmania’s Island Heritage and Sydney Harbour—were added to Australia’s iconic National Landscapes collection. • Uluru–Kata Tjuta National Park won the Qantas Australian Tourism Award for best major tourism attraction. This award recognises the park as a world-class tourism destination based on efforts to protect threatened species and keep alive traditional cultural ties to the country.

vi Director of National Parks | Annual Report 2012–13 Contents

Our mission v Our values and approaches v Managing the Australian Government’s protected areas vi

1 Director’s review 1 The Director’s overview of the year

2 Corporate overview and financial summary 11 The Director’s legal basis and responsibilities Income, expenditure and system information at a glance Information on the work undertaken by the agency

3 Organisational structure 39 Key management Membership of statutory boards Our staff

4 Planning, reporting and performance 49 Planning, operating and reporting frameworks and strategies How the agency performed during 2012–13

5 Management and accountability 81 Key corporate governance arrangements including compliance and enforcement and agency safety statistics

6 Financial Statements 93 Audited 2012–13 financial statements

7 Appendices 125 A Agency resourcing statement 2012–13 126 B Portfolio Budget Statements reporting 2012–13 127 C Ecologically sustainable development and environmental performance 140 D Compliance index 149 Index 150

Director of National Parks | Annual Report 2012–13 vii 1 Director's review

 Many of Australia's beautiful and diverse flora are growing in the Australian National Botanic Gardens. Photo: David Woltschenko