National Parks Act Annual Report 2013 Authorised and published by the Victorian Government Department of Environment and Primary Industries, 8 Nicholson Street, East Melbourne September 2013 © The State of Victoria, Department of Environment and Primary Industries 2013 This publication is copyright. No part may be reproduced by any process except in accordance with the provisions of the Copyright Act 1968. Printed by Finsbury Green ISSN 1839-437X ISSN 1839-4388 (online) Accessibility If you would like to receive this publication in an accessible format, please telephone the DEPI Customer Service Centre on 136 186, email [email protected], or via the National Relay Service on 133 677 or www.relayservice.com.au. This document is also available on the internet at www.depi.vic.gov.au 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. Further information For further information, please contact the DEPI Customer Service Centre on 136 186 or the Parks Victoria Information Centre on 131 963. Notes • The Minister responsible for administering the National Parks Act 1975 during the year was the Hon Ryan Smith MP, Minister for Environment and Climate Change. • In this report: - the legislation referred to is Victorian legislation unless otherwise indicated - the Act means the National Parks Act 1975 - CMA means Catchment Management Authority - DEPI means the Department of Environment and Primary Industries and includes a reference to the former Department of Sustainability and Environment (DSE) and, as relevant, the former Department of Primary Industries - PV means Parks Victoria - the Minister means the Minister for Environment and Climate Change - the Secretary means the Secretary to the Department of Environment and Primary Industries and includes a reference to the former Secretary to DSE. Cover: Kara Kara National Park (photo: Parks Victoria) Foreword This annual report on the working of the National Parks Act A particular focus in 2012–13 was implementing the 1975 (the Act) for the year ended 30 June 2013 is provided government’s commitment to encouraging more people to to the Minister for Environment and Climate Change, the visit and enjoy our world-class natural tourism attractions Hon Ryan Smith MP, for the purpose of section 35 of while maintaining important environmental safeguards: the Act. • the Minister released guidelines for tourism investment of The Act establishes the statutory basis for the protection, significance in national parks, following the government’s use and management of an outstanding system of national response to the Victorian Competition and Efficiency and other parks covering more than 3.45 million hectares. Commission’s inquiry into Victorian tourism The Secretary is responsible under the Act for ensuring • legislation was introduced into Parliament to provide for that the parks and other areas to which the Act applies are leases of up to 99 years for sensible and sensitive tourism controlled and managed in accordance with the Act. Parks proposals in various areas managed under the Act Victoria is responsible for managing those areas on the • the government announced a $7 million investment in Secretary’s behalf in partnership with DEPI. the Mount Buffalo Chalet to refurbish the original building Highlights relating to the parks system during the year included: and provide a day visitor centre and potentially a café and to make the site ready for future investment as the • the expansion of the parks system on 1 September 2012 opportunity arises by nearly 10 000 hectares with the creation of Lake Tyers State Park and additions to several existing parks • significant works to upgrade essential services were undertaken at the Quarantine Station in Point Nepean • the considerable work undertaken to gain a better National Park, and an expression of interest process understanding of our parks, to monitor them and to commenced for appropriate private sector investment in manage their natural and cultural values, including a large the Quarantine Station program to combat the threats posed by invasive plants and animals • there was investment in visitor facilities in parks elsewhere (several supported by funding from the Victorian Bushfire • the three major fires which affected nearly 70 000 Recovery Fund) to enable visitors to better enjoy the hectares in the Alpine, Grampians and Lower Glenelg park experience. national parks, as well as the considerable work to implement the statewide program of planned burning on I would also like to highlight the extent of collaborative public land, including parks management and community involvement in a wide range of park management activities during the year. • the work undertaken to recover from the impacts of the floods of previous years Finally, I thank all those staff and volunteers involved in the parks program over the year for their ongoing commitment • the signing of the Dja Dja Wurrung Clans native title to the long-term protection and management of these settlement agreement on 28 March 2013, which, in magnificent places. particular, provides for the granting of Aboriginal title over and joint management of lands in four parks in north central Victoria • the tenth anniversary, in November 2012, of the creation Adam Fennessy of Victoria’s system of marine national parks and marine Secretary to the sanctuaries. Department of Environment and Primary Industries National Parks Act Annual Report 2013 1 Contents Foreword 1 A representative parks system 3 Areas managed under the Act 3 Changes to the parks system 3 Management planning 3 Managing natural and cultural values 5 Natural values management 5 Natural values monitoring 9 Natural values research 10 Post settlement cultural heritage 11 Managing fire and flood 13 Fire 13 Flood recovery 13 Encouraging visitors and tourism 14 Enhancing visitor enjoyment and tourism 14 Visits to parks 14 Information, interpretation and education 14 Partnering with Traditional Owners and the community 16 Traditional Owner partnerships 16 Involving the community 16 Supporting park management 18 Management 18 Legislation 18 Authorities granted under the Act 19 Enforcement 21 Interstate cooperation 21 Advisory bodies 22 Appendix 1 – Areas managed under the National Parks Act 23 Appendix 2 – Invasive plant control 29 Appendix 3 – Invasive animal control 31 Appendix 4 – Location of parks and other areas 32 2 National Parks Act Annual Report 2013 A representative parks system Areas managed under the Act The additions to existing parks are summarised in Table 1. Most of the additions were areas of former freehold land As at 30 June 2013, there were 139 areas with a total with significant conservation values that were acquired or area of more than 3.45 million hectares managed under donated for inclusion in various parks. Some also included various provisions of the Act. Appendix 1 lists the areas and redundant sections of adjoining government road. Appendix 4 shows their location. The 139 areas comprised: Management planning • 124 areas (3 450 755 ha) listed on schedules to the Act As at 30 June 2013, there were approved management - 45 national parks (Schedule Two) plans covering all or parts of 42 national parks, 3 wilderness parks, 25 state parks, 17 other parks and reserves, 13 - 3 wilderness parks (Schedule Two A) marine national parks and 11 marine sanctuaries. - 26 state parks (Schedule Two B) During 2012–13, work progressed on several large planning - 5 coastal parks, 3 historic parks, 1 nature projects involving multiple parks: conservation reserve, 8 regional parks and Haining Farm (Schedule Three) • the draft management plan for the Greater Alpine national parks (which covers the Alpine, Baw Baw, Errinundra, - 3 marine and coastal parks, 2 marine parks, 1 marine Mount Buffalo and Snowy River national parks, Avon reserve, 1 national heritage park and 1 nature Wilderness Park and Tara Range Park as well as several conservation reserve (Schedule Four) areas not under the Act) was further developed pending - 13 marine national parks (Schedule Seven) input from the new Alpine Advisory Committee - 11 marine sanctuaries (Schedule Eight) • the draft management plan for parks and reserves in • 15 non-scheduled areas (4442 ha) to which particular Victoria’s far south-west (including the Cobboboonee, provisions of the Act apply. Lower Glenelg, Mount Eccles and Mount Richmond The Act also defines the following areas within particular national parks, Cape Nelson, Dergholm and Mount national parks: Napier state parks, Discovery Bay Coastal Park and Discovery Bay Marine National Park as well as several • 19 wilderness zones (Schedule Five) within 7 national areas not under the Act) was finalised for public parks (see Appendix 1) consultation • 22 remote and natural areas (Schedule Six) within 12 • preparatory work was carried out ahead of management national parks (see Appendix 1) planning commencing for a range of parks and other • 4 designated water supply catchment areas within the areas in the River Red Gum area (including Barmah, Great Otway, Kinglake and Yarra Ranges national parks. Gunbower, Lower Goulburn, Murray-Sunset (part) and Warby-Ovens national parks, Leaghur State Park and Changes to the parks system Gadsen Bend, Kings Billabong, Murray-Kulkyne and On 1 September 2012, nearly 10 000 hectares were added Nyah-Vinifera parks). to the parks system. In particular, Lake Tyers State Park (8645 ha) was created and 1125 hectares were added to 10 parks under the Act. Lake Tyers State Park, most of which was formerly Lake Tyers Forest Park, includes the coastal forests surrounding Lake Tyers as well as Mt Nowa Nowa and the scenic Boggy Creek gorge immediately north of Nowa Nowa township. It also contains warm temperate rainforest and significant faunal values and has high Aboriginal cultural significance.