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" f \ l VICTORIA Annual Report of the NATIONAL PARKS SERVICE for the Year ended 30 June 1982 Ordered by the Legislative Assembly to be printed MELBOURNE F D ATKINSON GOVERNMENT PRINTER 1982 No. 55 56287 /82-PL National Parks Service 240 Victoria Parade East Melbourne. Vie. 3002 The Honourable Evan Walker, M.L.C. Minister for Conservation Dear Mr. Minister In accordance with Section35(1) of the National Parks Act 1975 (No. 8702),Iherebysubmit a report on the activities of the National Parks Service for the year ended 30 June 1982. D. S. Saunders Director of National Parks 2 Contents Introduction 5 Parks and Other Areas Managed by the Service6 New Parks and Other New Areas 7 Finance and Staff 8 National Parks Advisory CouncilS Advisory Committees 8 Legislation and Regulations 10 Mineral Exploration 10 Staff Development, Training and Safety 11 Donations and Assistance from Volunteers 12 Fern Tree Gully National Park Centenary 13 Twenty Five Years of National Parks Administration 13 t Administration Division 14 Resources Division 22 Planning and Investigations Branch 22 Research Branch 22 Historical Services Branch 23 Interpretation Branch 24 Management Division 26 Park Management Branch 26 Operations Branch 27 Park Protection Branch 28 Vehicles and Plant 28 Appendices 1 Receipts and Expenditure 29 2 Organisation Chart 32 3 Advisory Committees 33 4 Land Under Control of National Parks Service 34 Map of National Parks Service Areas 20 & 21 Cover photograph: Near Mait's Rest, Otway National Park. 3 • Introduction During the year ended 30 June 1982 the park system managed by the National Parks Service continued to grow. Among the highlights of the year were: • Declaration of Otway National Park on 1 July 1981. • Declaration of Bogong National Park on 1 October 1981 • Declaration of Wonnangatta-Moroka National Park on 1 July 1982 • Opening of a new Information Centre and District Office at Dromana. • Launching of the Service's new display caravan. • Celebration of the centenary of Fern Tree Gully National Park and the twenty-fifth anniversary of the establishment of the National Parks Authority. • The magnificent support provided to the Service by private donors and volunteer workers throughout the year, at a time when the Service's resources of finance and manpower were being stretched to breaking point. As a result of the State Election in April1972, the Honourable Evan Walker was appointed as Minister for Conservation, replacing the Honourable W. Vasey Houghton. During his three years as our Minister, we greatly appreciated the support and encouragement which the Honourable Vasey Houghton gave to the National Parks Service. The trend towards increased responsibilities and decreased resources, as reported in last year's Annual Report, continued throughout 1981-82. New parks were established, but our Works and Services allocation was reduced. As a result, the maintenance work-force in parks was decreased by approximately thirty positions, and the level of expenditure on development and maintenance work, other than fire protection, was reduced. Obviously, the high standards of park management which have been a feature of Victoria's park system in recent years cannot be maintained under these circumstances. It is only through the dedicated efforts of all those employed in the National Parks Service that we have been able to continue to protect the parks and I provide a service to the public. D. S. Saunders Director of National Parks 56287/82-2 5 Parks and other areas Other Areas In addition to the parks listed and described in managed by the Service Schedule Two and Schedule Three of the National Details of all land managed by the National Parks Parks Act, the Service manages land as provided for Service are given in Appendix 4, and the location of in other sections of the Act. These include - the parks is shown on the map in the centre of this SECTION 12(1): The National Parks Advisory report. Council may act as a committee Under the National Parks Act 1975 there is provision of management of reserved Crown land under Section 14 of the for the National Parks Service to manage various types of land. Crown Land (Reserved) Act 1978. SECTION 19A: Management by the Director of National Parks land subject to a management In defining National Parks, the Act provides: agreement with the Victoria "that certain Crown land characterized by its Conservation Trust. predominantly unspoilt landscape, and its SECTION 19B: Management by the Director of flora, fauna or other features, should be reserved reserved Crown land under Sec and preserved and protected permanently for tion 18 of the Crown Land the benefit of the public." (Reserves) Act 1978. At 1 July 1982 the area reserved as National Parks SECTION 19C: Management by the Director of under Schedule Two of the National Parks Act was land subject to a management 685,808 ha, an increase of 188,000 ha since 1 July agreement with a public author 1981. The new national parks established were ity. Bogong National Park and Wonnangatta-Moroka SECTION 19D: Management by the Director of National Park. land subject to an agreement with the Commonwealth or another State. Other Parks SECTION 32AA: Management by the Director of The Act provides: "Glenample" Homestead, leased "that certain areas of Crown land with land by the Crown. scape or other features of particular interest or suitability for the enjoyment, recreation and At 30 June, land was being managed under Sections education of the public or in matters apper 19A, 19B and 32AA. The management of Lang taining to the countryside should be reserved warrin Reserve was also being undertaken by permanently and made available for the benefit arrangement with the Commonwealth prior to the of the public and in particular that there should enactment of Section 19D. The total area of such be so reserved and made available land was 1,605 ha. (a) areas with scenic, historical, archaeological, In addition, the Service occupied a number of areas biological, geological or other features of of land or of floor space for offices, depots, work scientific interest that are worthy of pre shops, other management purposes and for staff servation but, whether by reason of the residences outside parks, under various arrange limited size of the areas or the limited ments made by the Minister for Conservation. significance of the features, are not suitable Significant tracts of land which are being managed for reservation as national parks; by the Service for conservation and/or recreation (b) areas that demonstrate man's effect on his under one of the above provisions include Pirianda environment whether through his agri Garden, Langwarrin Reserve, Nyerimilang, Gelli cultural or pastoral pursuits or otherwise; brand Hill and Glenample Homestead. (c) areas in or adjacent to urban areas of Other areas which came under the Service's control natural beauty or interest or otherwise during the year included: Long Forest Flora Reserve, suitable for recreational use; Dahlsen Land (Gippsland Lakes), Victoria's First (d) areas of natural beauty or interest primarily Settlement Site (Sorrento), Flora Reserve (Morning for recreational and educational use but ton Peninsula) and the Chinese Gardens (Walhalla). parts of which may be used for primary industry, hunting, shooting, fishing or other uses appropriate to the areas; and (e) areas in their natural state for scientific study or reference." New Parks At 1 July 1982 the area reserved as Other Parks Bogong National Park - Declared 1 October under Schedule Three of the National Parks Act 1981 totalled 298,080 ha, an increase of 3,600 ha since 1 This very important area of 81,000 ha contains the July 1981. This increase was to Wabonga Plateau most extensive and spectacular alpine scenery in State Park. the State. 6 It encompasses Victoria's highest peaks: Mounts Dahlsen (Osprey) Land- Gippsland Lakes Bogong, Feathertop, Nelse North, Fainter South, In 1981 a very generous gift of approximately Nelse and Loch. 335 ha of land on the Boole Poole Peninsula was The park's vegetation includes large areas of mature made to the State Government. The donors were and fire-regrowth Alpine Ash, heathlands, herb Mr. J.C. Dahlsen, Mr. J.G. Bate, Dr. C. W.E. Wilson, fields and moss beds, and supports a number of and Dr. H.R. Milner, all of Melbourne. The purpose significant animal species-forexample, Mountain of the gift is to ensure that the area is preserved for Pigmy Possums and Alpine Water Skinks- and a future generations in its present unspoiled state. distinctive alpine insect fauna. Victoria's First Settlement Site at Sorrento Bogong National Park provides outstanding oppor The first official settlement in Victoria, from October tunities for many forms of outdoor recreation, 1803 until early in 1804, was near the present site of particularly cross-country skiing, bushwalking and Sorrento. In June 1981 the Government agreed to motor touring. match funds to be raised by a public appeal to The ski resorts of Falls Creek and Mount Hotham purchase the site. An Appeal Committee was are not included in the park. formed to raise funds, with Sir John Holland as President, and sponsors of the appeal included the Wonnangatta-Moroka National Park National Trust, the Shire of Flinders, the Royal -Declared 1 ,July 1982 Historical Society of Victoria, the Nepean Historical Located in the headwaters of the Howqua, King, Society and the Sorrento-Portsea-Blairgowrie Catherine, Wonnangatta, Moroka, Caledonia and Conservation Group. Macalister rivers, this park of 107,000 ha contains Substantial funds were raised and the Government the alpine summit of Mount Howitt and the dis· took possession of the site on 23 April1982. tinctive peaks of Mounts Cobbler, Speculation, and A report on this site, Victoria's First Official Settlement, Kent.