National Parks Act Annual Report 2014 © the State of Victoria Department of Environment and Primary Industries 2014
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National Parks Act Annual Report 2014 © The State of Victoria Department of Environment and Primary Industries 2014 This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 Australia licence. You are free to re-use the work under that licence, on the condition that you credit the State of Victoria as author. The licence does not apply to any images, photographs or branding, including the Victorian Coat of Arms, the Victorian Government logo and the Department of Environment and Primary Industries logo. To view a copy of this licence, visit http://creativecommons.org/ licenses/by/3.0/au/deed.en Printed by Impact Digital – Brunswick ISSN 1839-437X ISSN 1839-4388 (online) Accessibility If you would like to receive this publication in an alternative format, please telephone the DEPI Customer Service Centre on 136186, email customer. [email protected] or via the National Relay Service on 133 677 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 – DEPI means the Department of Environment and Primary Industries – the EPBC Act means the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 (Cwlth) – the Minister means the Minister for Environment and Climate Change – the Secretary means the Secretary to the Department of Environment and Primary Industries. Cover: Murray-Sunset National Park (photo: Parks Victoria/Darren Seiler) Foreword This annual report on the working of the National Parks Act A significant highlight was the commencement of the 1975 (the Act) for the year ended 30 June 2014 is provided Traditional Owner Land Management Agreement between the to the Minister for Environment and Climate Change, the Hon Dja Dja Wurrung Clans Aboriginal Corporation and the State Ryan Smith MP, for the purpose of section 35 of the Act. and the start of the process to appoint a Traditional Owner land management board for several parks in north central The Act establishes the statutory basis for the protection, Victoria. This further advances the involvement of Traditional use and management of an outstanding system of national Owners in the management of parks across the state. and other parks covering more than 3.45 million hectares. Considerable progress was made on several significant The Secretary is responsible under the Act for ensuring initiatives to implement the government’s commitment to that the parks and other areas to which the Act applies are encouraging more people to visit and enjoy our world-class controlled and managed in accordance with the Act. Parks natural tourism attractions while maintaining important Victoria is responsible for managing those areas on the environmental safeguards: Secretary’s behalf in partnership with DEPI. • legislation was passed to provide for the granting of long- Notable events during the year included: term leases for sensible and sensitive tourism investment • the major bushfires which started in mid January 2014 in various areas under the Act and affected parks in the Mallee, the northern Grampians • the expressions of interest process for appropriate private and East Gippsland, and the considerable effort made to sector investment in the future of the Quarantine Station in control them Point Nepean National Park was completed • the completion of the major flood and storm recovery • permits were obtained from Heritage Victoria to enable the programs in the Grampians and Wilsons Promontory redevelopment of the Mount Buffalo Chalet to commence national parks and parks in north-eastern Victoria • draft or preliminary master plans for the Grampians Peaks • a large program of works to control invasive plants and Trail and the Shipwreck Coast were released for public animals building on the work of previous years comment. • the delivery of environmental water to several key sites in As in previous years, I want to highlight the extent of parks in northern Victoria collaborative management and community involvement in • the many research and monitoring programs aimed at a wide range of park management activities and to thank supporting better park management those staff and volunteers who have contributed to the • the release of draft management plans for the Greater protection and management of our parks during the year. Alpine national parks and parks in the south-west for public comment. Adam Fennessy Secretary to the Department of Environment and Primary Industries National Parks Act Annual Report 2014 1 Contents Foreword 1 A representative parks system 3 Areas managed under the Act 3 Changes to the parks system 3 Management and other planning 3 Managing natural and cultural values 5 Managing natural values 5 Monitoring natural values 9 Researching natural values 10 Managing post settlement cultural heritage 12 Managing fire and flood 13 Managing fire 13 Managing fire and flood recovery 14 Encouraging visitors and tourism 15 Enhancing visitor enjoyment and tourism 15 Informing, interpreting and educating 15 Partnering with Traditional Owners 17 Partnering with the community 18 Supporting park management 19 Management 19 Legislation 19 Authorities granted under the Act 20 Enforcement 21 Interstate cooperation 21 Advisory bodies 21 Appendixes 22 1 Areas managed under the National Parks Act 22 2 Location of parks and other areas 28 2 National Parks Act Annual Report 2014 A representative parks system Areas managed under the Act On 18 December 2013 a total area of nearly 384 hectares was added to nine parks and a small area was excised As at 30 June 2014 there were 139 areas with a total from one park. The additions were mostly areas of former area of more than 3.45 million hectares managed under freehold land with significant conservation values that had various provisions of the Act. Appendix 1 lists the areas and been acquired or which had been surrendered to off-set Appendix 2 shows their location. the clearing of native vegetation elsewhere. Some of the The 139 areas comprised: additions were sections of redundant government road. Corrections were also made to the plans of Dandenong • 124 areas listed on various schedules to the Act Ranges and Yarra Ranges national parks. – 45 national parks (Schedule Two) The excisions were as follows: – 3 wilderness parks (Schedule Two A) • 1 August 2013 – Alpine National Park (10 ha) – an area on – 26 state parks (Schedule Two B) the northern foreshore of Rocky Valley Dam near the dam – 5 coastal parks, 3 historic parks, 1 nature conservation wall (9.6 ha) and an area at Sun Valley comprising part of reserve, 8 regional parks and Haining Farm (Schedule Falls Creek’s snow-grooming facilities (0.4 ha) Three) • 18 December 2013 – Mount Buffalo National Park – 3 marine and coastal parks, 2 marine parks, 1 (0.73 ha) – an area containing an existing access track marine reserve, 1 national heritage park and 1 nature on the eastern edge of park near Buckland River, excised conservation reserve (Schedule Four) to provide legal access to a freehold property. – 13 marine national parks (Schedule Seven) – 11 marine sanctuaries (Schedule Eight) Management and other planning • 15 non-scheduled areas to which particular provisions As at 30 June 2014 there were approved management of the Act apply. plans covering all or parts of 43 national parks, 3 wilderness The Act also defines the following areas within particular parks, 25 state parks, 17 other parks and reserves, 13 national parks: marine national parks and 11 marine sanctuaries. • 19 wilderness zones (Schedule Five) within 7 national During the year: parks (see Appendix 1) • the approved management plan for Kara Kara National • 22 remote and natural areas (Schedule Six) within 12 Park was released national parks (see Appendix 1) • a precinct plan for the Pink Lakes area of Murray-Sunset • 4 designated water supply catchment areas within the National Park was finalised Great Otway, Kinglake and Yarra Ranges national parks. • a review of the master plan for the campgrounds, cabins and day visitor sites in Cape Conran Coastal Park was Changes to the parks system finalised. A total area of 395 hectares was added to the parks system during the year and nearly 11 hectares were excised. The additions are summarised in Table 1 and the excisions are described below. On 1 August 2013 two areas totalling 10 hectares were excised from the Alpine National Park and added to Falls Creek Alpine Resort. This was accompanied by the addition to the park of an area of 11.9 hectares excised from the resort. National Parks Act Annual Report 2014 3 Table 1 – Changes to parks Addition Date / park (ha) Summary description 1 August 2013 Alpine NP 11.9 Area of snow gum woodland on northern slopes of Mt McKay. 18 December 2013 Brisbane Ranges NP 22 Forest and woodland west of Balliang including endangered creekline herb- rich woodland and threatened fauna. Dandenong Ranges NP 0.12 Area adjoining existing park near Mt Evelyn. Great Otway NP 64 Two areas: • 12 ha near Aireys Inlet containing high quality heathy woodland and rare and threatened species • 52 ha of high quality native vegetation east of Carlisle River.