Wilsons Promontory Marine National Park For more information contact the Parks Victoria Information Centre on 13 1963, or visit www.parkweb.vic.gov.au Wilsons Promontory Marine Park Management Plan May 2006 This Management Plan for Wilsons Promontory Marine National Park, Marine Park and Marine Reserve is approved for implementation. Its purpose is to direct all aspects of management in the park until the plan is reviewed. A Draft Management Plan for the park was published in November 2004. Nineteen submissions were received and have been considered in developing this approved Management Plan. For further information on this plan, please contact: Chief Ranger East Gippsland Parks Victoria PO Box 483 Bairnsdale VIC 3875 Phone: (03) 5152 0669 Copies This plan may be downloaded from the Parks Victoria website ‘www.parkweb.vic.gov.au’. Copies of the plan may be purchased for $8.80 (including GST) from: Parks Victoria Information Centre Level 10, 535 Bourke Street Melbourne VIC 3000 Phone: 13 1963 Parks Victoria Orbost Office 171 Nicholson Street Orbost VIC 3888 WILSONS PROMONTORY MARINE NATIONAL PARK AND WILSONS PROMONTORY MARINE PARK MANAGEMENT PLAN May 2006 Published in May 2006 by Parks Victoria Level 10, 535 Bourke Street, Melbourne, Victoria, 3000. Cover: Waterloo Bay, Wilsons Promontory Marine National Park (Photo: Mary Malloy). Parks Victoria 2006, Wilsons Promontory Marine National Park and Wilsons Promontory Marine Park Management Plan, Parks Victoria, Melbourne National Library of Australia Cataloguing-in-Publication entry Parks Victoria Wilsons Promontory Marine National Park and Wilsons Promontory Marine Park Management Plan. Bibliography. Includes index ISBN 0 7311 8346 0 1. Parks Victoria. 2. Marine parks and reserves - Victoria - Wilsons Promontory - Management. 3. Conservation of natural resources - Victoria – Wilsons Promontory. 4. Wilsons Promontory Marine National Park (Vic.) – Management. I. Title. 333.783099456. Acknowledgements Acknowledgement of Country. In their rich culture, Indigenous Australians are intrinsically connected to the continent – including the area now known as Victoria. Parks Victoria recognises that the park is part of Country of the Traditional Owners. Special thanks go to members of the South Gippsland Marine Protected Area Management Plan Advisory Group, which comprises representatives of the following organisations: Australian Marine Science Association, Bunurong Land Council Aboriginal Corporation, Central Gippsland Aboriginal Health and Housing Co-operative, Fisheries Victoria, Department of Sustainability and Environment, Gippsland Coastal Board, Gunai/Kurnai Council of Elders, Prom Country Regional Tourism Inc., Scuba Divers Federation of Victoria, Seafood Industry Victoria, South Gippsland Conservation Society, South Gippsland Shire Council, Victorian Boonerwrung Elders Land Council, VRFish, West Gippsland Catchment Management Authority and Yerrung Kurnai. Note: Technical terms used in this plan are explained in the Glossary at the end of the plan Disclaimers This plan is prepared without prejudice to any negotiations or litigated outcome of any native title determination applications covering land or water within the plan’s area. It is acknowledged that any future outcomes of native title determination applications may necessitate amendment of this plan; and the implementation of this plan may require further notifications under the procedures in Division 3 of Part 2 of the Native Title Act 1993 (Cwlth). The plan is also prepared without prejudice to any future negotiated outcomes between the Government/s and Victorian Indigenous communities. It is acknowledged that such negotiated outcomes may necessitate amendment of this plan. Every effort has been made to ensure that the information in this plan is accurate. Parks Victoria does not guarantee that the publication is without flaw of any kind and therefore disclaims all liability for any error, loss or other consequence, which may arise from you relying on any information in the publication. Text printed on 100% recycled paper to help save our natural environment. FOREWORD Wilsons Promontory Marine National Park, Today the planning area offers exceptional Marine Park and Marine Reserve make opportunities for diving, snorkelling, significant contributions to Victoria’s system swimming, boating and birdwatching in a of Marine National Parks and other marine remote and natural setting, attracting visitors protected areas. At 15 500 ha in area, Wilsons from throughout the state and elsewhere. It Promontory Marine National Park is Victoria’s forms an integral component of the Gippsland southernmost and largest Marine National tourism industry. Park. Implementation of this Approved Plan will The planning area contains biological help protect and conserve the planning area’s communities with distinct biogeographic natural and cultural values, help make the patterns, including shallow subtidal reefs, deep planning area more widely known and subtidal reefs, intertidal rocky shores, sandy appreciated, and ensure visitors enjoy it and beaches, seagrass, subtidal soft substrates and respect its importance for both current and expansive areas of open water. Sixty-eight future generations. species of marine flora and fauna are believed The Government recognises the value and to be at their eastern or western distributional importance of raising community and agency limits within the planning area. participation to achieve integrated The planning area also provides important management of the coastal zone. In doing so, I habitat for several threatened shorebird welcome collaborative initiatives to species, including species listed under management of the planning area, particularly international migratory bird agreements. with Indigenous communities, local Furthermore, Kanowna Island is an important community groups and individuals, and key breeding site for a significant colony of over government agencies. 9000 Australian Fur Seals. I am pleased to take the opportunity to thank The planning area has long been part of the those many individuals and organisations who sacred Country of Yiruk for the Gunai / Kurnai contributed to this plan by responding to Indigenous people and Wamoom for the requests for information or views. In Boonwurrung Indigenous people. Seascapes of particular, I thank representatives of the South the park and the surrounding waters and Gippsland Marine Protected Area Management landscapes of Wilsons Promontory are Plan Advisory Group for their valuable traditionally and culturally significant to contribution to the development of the plan. I relevant Indigenous communities. also wish to thank those individuals, groups and organisations who made submissions on The history of the planning area since the Draft Plan and I look forward to the European settlement is also rich in diversity, community’s ongoing support for the involving maritime exploration, commercial management of Wilsons Promontory Marine exploitation, coastal trading and navigation. National Park, Marine Park and Marine Evidence of many of these activities is present Reserve. today in the form of documented history, historic shipwrecks and other maritime infrastructure. JOHN THWAITES MP Minister for Environment Wilsons Promontory Marine National Park and Marine Park iii APPROVED MANAGEMENT PLAN This Management Plan has been prepared The plan provides the basis for the future under section 17D of the National Parks Act management of Wilsons Promontory Marine 1975 (Vic.) and is approved for National Park, Wilsons Promontory Marine implementation. Park and Wilsons Promontory Marine Reserve. It was finalised following consideration of the 19 submissions received on the Draft Management Plan. PROF LYNDSAY NEILSON MARK STONE Secretary to the Chief Executive Department of Sustainability and Environment Parks Victoria iv Wilsons Promontory Marine National Park and Marine Park INTRODUCTION TO THE MARINE ENVIRONMENT Victorians are custodians of some of the most insects — the most abundant invertebrates on remarkable, diverse and culturally important land — are almost absent. The dominant marine environments on Earth. These include vertebrates are fish, although mammals and deep open water, shallow embayments, rocky reptiles also inhabit the marine environment reefs, canyons, seagrass meadows, tidal and many birds inhabit both realms. sandflats and mudflats, and estuaries, and they Although they are very different physically support more than 12 000 known species. and biologically, the land, atmosphere and Around 90% of these marine species are found marine environments are interconnected. only in the waters of southern Australia. Water and gases are transferred between Broadly speaking, Victoria has responsibility oceans and the atmosphere. There are animals for the waters which extend off-shore to three with both marine and freshwater life stages, nautical miles and cover around 70 000 square and some species breed in estuaries where kilometres. Marine National Parks and Marine fresh water from the land mixes with oceanic Sanctuaries make up about 5% of this area, but salt water. Fresh water and sediments from protect a range of significant species and catchments far inland are dispersed into coastal important habitats, as well as maritime waters, bringing with them nutrients needed to artefacts and evidence of past Indigenous maintain inshore marine ecosystems but also occupation and use. pollution from human activities. The vast three-dimensional marine The