Magazine of National Parks Association of Queensland Paradise Adrift Commercial developments in national parks PLUS Scientists urge rethink on Australia’s Marine Park Plans ALSO FEATURED Daintree National Park Barron Gorge NP lower section Issue 17 October-November 2017 Bridled Nailtail Wallaby 1 Contents From the President ������������������������� 3 Barron Gorge National Park lower FROM THE PRESIDENT Paradise adrift ������������������������������� 4 section, via Speewah ������������������� 10 Bridled Nailtail Wallaby ������������������ 12 Sceintists urge rethink on Australia’s Marine Park plans �������������������������� 6 The National Park Experience �������� 13 Daintree National Park �������������������� 8 Spotlight: Ranger of the Month ������ 14 What’s On / Vale �������������������������� 15 Editorial team Advertising enquiries Jeannie Rice and Marika Strand� Please email admin@npaq�org�au or phone (07) 3367 0878� Graeme Bartrim Contributor guidelines Advertising policy President, National Parks Association of Queensland (NPAQ) NPAQ invites contributions to Protected Advertisements are required to align with articles� Please email admin@npaq�org�au for a relevant NPAQ policies� NPAQ reserves the The National Parks Association schedule of future editions� right to refuse any advertisement at any time� Advertisement in Protected does not imply of Queensland has an impressive Contributors, please include contact details NPAQ’s endorsement of products or services� history and has achieved much for its and brief personal summary� Articles can be members, supporters and for state submitted via email or hard copy� Digital photos Copyright and disclaimer conservation� should be minimum 300dpi� NPAQ retains copyright of Protected� Articles With the recent changing of Cover image may be quoted provided that appropriate councillors it is timely to recognise acknowledgement occurs in the reproduction the significant contributions made by Cape Tribulation section, Daintree National and use of material� Park� Michelle Prior, Tony O’Brien, Graham Photo: Marika Strand Articles in Protected do not necessarily reflect Riddell, Athol Lester and Richard NPAQ’s opinion or position� Proudfoot� Their passion for national parks and hard work in consolidating the Association and focusing on About NPAQ its objectives is obvious and much Mission statement appreciated� The National Parks Association of Queensland (NPAQ) For those councillors continuing and promotes the preservation, expansion and good to those members taking up positions management of national parks in Queensland� for the first time, your commitment is Council Staff valued� Clockwise from top: Rex Creek at Mossman Gorge, Daintree National Park; Cape Tribulation, Daintree National Park. President Graeme Bartrim Business Development Officer Marika Strand National parks are a comparatively PHOTOS: MARIKA STRAND Vice Presidents Yvonne Parsons Conservation Officer Laura Hahn new concept having a history of 145 Geoff Miller Project & Office Administrator Jeannie Rice years� The United States Congress parks were recognized as eloquently Land use conflicts are common and Hon Treasurer Neil Williams established the first national park in stated in the Act that created the US political and economic decisions are Hon Secretary Debra Marwedel 1872 at Yellowstone� National Parks Service in 1916: “... often heavily influenced by perceived Asst Hon Secretary Jacqueline Rose’Meyer Contact details Locally, Royal National Park was purpose is to conserve the scenery short term benefits (as Michelle Prior Councillors David Ball Office Unit 10/36 Finchley St, Milton established in NSW in 1879, at Belair of the natural and historic objects and stated in the last issue of Protected, Suzanne Cooper Post PO Box 1040, Milton QLD 4064 in South Australia in 1891, and at the wildlife therein and to provide for the state budget for national parks Julie Hainsworth Phone (07) 3367 0878 Wilson’s Promontory in Victoria in the enjoyment of the same in such focused heavily on enhancing tourist Daniel Kelly Web www�npaq�org�au 1898 - all prior to Australia’s federation� a manner and by such means as access with not much consideration Denis McMullen Email admin@npaq�org�au will leave them unimpaired for the Queensland’s first national park was remaining for protecting/enhancing Alexsis Wilson ABN 60 206 792 095 dedicated at Witches Falls in 1908� enjoyment of future generations”� long term natural values of parks)� The vision of those who worked for Since these times there have been Want to get involved with NPAQ? It seems that we are in a period and supported these early national other periods of focus on and growth NPAQ welcomes people from all walks of life and offers a variety of ways to be involved: where short term thinking dominates parks is impressive� in the national park estate with vision • Have fun in the bush – come • Step up – become a National • Connect with us – Facebook, our decisions� The 24-hour news These declarations were made at and much hard work applied� along on a bush walk or Parks Conservation member Instagram and Twitter cycle, 3-4 year election cycles, annual other activity or a National Parks Protector • Stay in touch – read regular a time when human numbers were Today, there is fierce competition budgets and annual reports govern • Get your hands dirty – • Donate – support our work updates on our website much smaller then now (the US for land resources as evidenced by a our thinking� We need a return to long participate in on-ground • Volunteer on exciting projects • Share a bush adventure with approximately 76 million and Australia tenure/leasehold map of Queensland� conservation efforts term thinking for future generations and • Subscribe to Protected and children – download NPAQ’s 4 million around 1900), and human Most of the state is overlain by one • Join us – become a member Neck of the Woods via email Kids in National Parks guide maintaining the diversity of species induced changes to the landscape and at times overlapping resource or were much less significant than today� with whom we share the planet� SUPPORT NPAQ AND HELP MAKE A DIFFERENCE other tenures which convey resource BECOME A MEMBER, DONATE OR VOLUNTEER The long term values of national rights� www.npaq.org.au/get-involved www.facebook.com/NPAQld @nationalparksassocqld @NPA_Qld 2 Connect and Protect 3 PARADISE ADRIFT Commercial developments in national parks Michelle Prior Immediate Past President, National Parks Association of Queensland (NPAQ) To most people, the gazettal of by - allowing excision of parts of Great expansion and reconstruction in 1995, national park land implies protection Barrier Reef island national parks for following the Global Financial Crash forever, something safeguarded and private tourism development� This (GFC) in 2008, Cyclone Ului in 2010 cherished� Not as a land bank for places private interests above the public and Cyclone Yasi on 2011, Club Med private developers, something to be interest, and potentially contravenes resort closed in 2012 – citing a post chipped away, a lease here and a lease the management principles for national GFC tourism downturn and cyclone there, followed by a revocation� parks set out in the Nature Conservation damage among the causes� Act 1992� A proposal for Lindeman Island by Tourism resorts in Queensland are an White Horse Australia Lindeman Pty, Whilst being well aware of the value uncertain proposition� In 1997, Dunk, currently before the Coordinator- of tourism to the Queensland economy, Bedarra and Brampton Island resorts General, includes: and the dire state of several defunct were sold well below the asking price� island resorts, NPAQ calls for smarter, In 1998, Lindeman, Daydream, South • redevelopment and expansion of the sustainable long term thinking and Molle and Hook Islands were amongst existing resort to include a 5-star planning that showcases the Great a string of Queensland tourist resorts Beach Resort, 6 star Spa Resort, a Barrier Reef island national parks� There sold for a fraction of development cost 5 star Eco Resort and Tourist Villa has been a lengthy history of economic – reflecting uncertainty in the tourism Precincts; failure, extensive damage from market and a hangover of poor business • facilities including a conference cyclones, high cost of construction and decisions in the 1980s� In 2011, centre, beach club, restaurants and operation on island resorts highlighted cyclone damaged Dunk and Bedarra lounges; by the current existence of several Islands were sold at a low price� In • a central village precinct comprising derelict resorts on Great Barrier Reef 2012, Lindeman Island was again sold restaurants, bar, night club, islands� for a lower than expected price� conference facility buildings, arrival Increasing the development footprint In 2016, only 13 out of 24 resorts on centre, shops, sport and recreation on a national park island in the Great leasehold land in the Great Barrier Reef centre and a staff village; Barrier Reef requires very careful were open� Nine of the remaining 11 The lease expires in October 2019, and revocation from the national park estate� consideration, strategic planning, were planning redevelopment, and the is subject to a further 30 years� • expansion of the current services If approved, the current Lindeman References stringent approval conditions and other two were subject to negotiation for area; Queenslanders do not take kindly Island resort expansion proposal would effective compliance enforcement�