NPA Bulletin National Parks Association ACT Vol 19 No 3 March 1982 Registered by Australia Post - Publication No
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NPA Bulletin National Parks Association ACT Vol 19 No 3 March 1982 Registered by Australia Post - Publication No. NBH0857 President's Foreword A number of important issues grasses, the run off into streams of affecting the Gudgenby Nature Reserve have pesticides and fertilisers, and the spread surfaced in recent months. I am sure that of feral animals. members will remember that Gudgenby was proclaimed in 1978, the culmination of It is important also for the future nearly 20 years' effort by the NPA. The management of the Reserve that all forms future of the Reserve now appears of pastoral activity be ultimately threatened by several new developments. removed; only then can" a management plan for the whole area, which concentrates on The first concerns the grazing leases preserving its natural values, be within the Reserve. When Gudgenby was implemented, In addition, the failure to proclaimed a number of grazing leases, resolve the problems of grazing leases has both freehold and leasehold, remained a direct impact on planned extensions to within the Reserve. A glance at the map the Reserve. Areas such as Honeysuckle of the Reserve produced oy the Department Creek, which form part of the State 2 of the Capital Territory will reveal the extensions, also contain a number of extent of these leases. When Gudgenby was grazing leases. Until a firm policy of roclaimed, the stated intention of the resumption of leases is adopted, the Stage g epartment of the Capital Territory was to 2 extensions may remain only on paper. progressively acquire the freehold areas (by purchase) as finances permitted and to A second problem which has arisen resume the leasehold areas as the existing concerns the future use of the two leases expired. Since 1978 neither of satellite tracking sites within the these intentions has been realised. Lack Reserve. The Honeysuckle Creek tracking of finance has prevented the freehold station has already been closed and the acquisitions and when the first lease was Orroral Valley station may also close due to expire early in 1981, instead of within three years. The Association can the area reverting to the Reserve, an get no definite answers to its questions extension of the lease was granted. on the future use of these sites, yet this information is vital for future planning The failure to adhere to the original in the Reserve. It is imperative that the intentions regarding these holdings has future use of the buildings and serious implications for the future of the facilities, after satellite tracking Reserve. The valleys within the Reserve operations cease, is compatible with the have nearly all been subject to intensive managemen t of the Reserve as a natural grazing for over 100 years. This has area. Plans to use the Honeysuckle Creek inevitably produced many changes to the site as a field study centre have been natural flora and fauna, some intended, drawn up but implementation must await some unintended. In many cases the decisions by the Government. natural woodland has been entirely removed and replaced with introduced grasses. The Association has made and Such land management policies, though continues to make representations on these sensible for pastoral development, do not topics. I may add that we have also had fit well within a nature reserve where the support of other local conservation natural values should predominate. Apart roups, including the Conservation from affecting the integrity of the ouncil, and we are grateful for this Reserve as a natural area, pastoral land support. I look to members to continue management can have an adverse impact on the struggle, both individually and surrounding natural areas by the through your support of the Association uncontrolled spread of exotic weeds and and its aims. together on the Council of the Queensland Stand-in NPA some years earlier. As a result NPA activities and outings had been i nterwoven 1 drove to Canberra on a pleasant throughout my 19 years in Canberra and 1 spring day. My objective was to attend was look ing forward to a relaxed evening the 21st Annual Meeting of the renewing acquaintances. Association. I had time to think as I THE COVER is a special and was drove down (the now much shorter distance) photographed and designed by one of our from Sydney, it seemed hard to believe it members. The scene is the trig, station was 21 years since I first went to on Mt Kelly with the Brindabella Range in Canberra. I had arrived mid-1960 and soon the background and was taken on one of after Roy Tait had me enrolled as a member the Association's regular back-packing of the fledgling NPA, Roy and I had served weekends. Having arrived I rang round a few and, when established, Nancy was appointed friends only to discover Canberra winter to its advisory committee. We also ills had laid low both our President objected to the locating of the original Neville Esau and Bob Story the speaker for television towers on Black Mountain - It the evening. Not long after, that great was one of the areas we were seeking to persuader Ian Currie rang and asked me to have reserved. Had we been successful step in for Bob. I realised I was then, the present tower would probably not probably one of the very few present stand on the same spot. Alas in those members who had been closely associated days the public conscience on conservation with the very early administration and issues had not yet stirred. Eventually, activities of the Association. Reluctantly Black Mountain was given the status of a I agreed. reserve. By this time, largely due to Nancy's phenomenal capacity to win the There went my relaxed evening. I co-operation of people who didn't knew my memory, unfortunately, did not necessarily agree with her or the compare with Bob1s for recall and Association1s point of view, we had precision of detail and I wondered if I established good working relations with would be able to do justice to all those the then Department of Capital early workers, particularly Dr Nancy Territories. We met at intervals with Burbidge. I had arranged to have a representatives of the Department to Chinese meal with the travelling companion discuss existing reserves, " outstandin of my China trip before we both proceeded proposals, the proposed National Park, an3 to the meeting and I was in two places at conservation Issues of mutual concern and once, reminiscing over China and trying to there were many lively and interesting recall my early Canberra experiences. If sessions. I was at all distraught my companion kindly didn't comment. I also recalled early Association outings when they attracted so many At the meeting it was exciting to see at tenders that the programme had to be so many familiar faces from the early expanded and new walks leaders found to years. Keith Green and Jan Kiek, like me, cope. I remembered fronting up to my had returned for the event and it was good first Parliamentary Committee which was on to hear greetings from Betty Temple-Watts wildlife conservation, on that occasion I and others not able to be present. Ian was backstop to Nancy. The second took the chair in Neville1s absence and occasion was the Parliamentary Committee the meeting proceeded smoothly as usual, hearing on the proposed Black Mountain under the efficient guidance of our tower. This time I was spokesman with retiring Secretary, Sheila Kruse. The Chris Watson as backstop and Bill Adams business of the meeting having been giving us great support. disposed of» it was my turn.. Once started, the memories came thick I recalled there was so much to be and fast and I apologise now for lack of done in the conservation field in those any seemly balance or order in my early days. The first programme of the reminiscences and can only hope they added Association was to investigate the something extra to the contents of the Territory for suitable reserve areas and a "Bulletin Extra". national park. Nancy, who had lived in Canberra for many years, already knew the The meeting proceeded with a break best areas. A committee comprising Nancy, for Fiona Brand to cut the delicious Fiona and Sandy Brand, Bob Story, Ed b ir thday cake (t hanks t o Nan Dunn and Slater and myself prepared the first Betty Gill) and a toast to the proposal for the Gudgenby National Park. Association. The new Secretary Judy Payne We walked up and down Yankee Hat, Mt - a former Queensland NPA member also - Termant and even Mt Kelly» in and out of was ceremoniously Installed in office and the many valleys, not to mention the we all wish her well with her new swamps, in the southern part of the ACT responsibilities. Sheila was stepping down to join the quieter ranks 01 the until we were thoroughly familiar with Committee members, leaving a j ob I had them. (What a host of walking trips this persuaded her to take on II years ago soon area subsequently provided, and still does after she came to Canberra. What a I am sure.) The original submission of wonderful job she did, thank you Sheila, 1963 was revised and the area proposed A series of slides of early outings, extended a few years later and has been guaranteed to evoke nostalgia, followed by followed up on and off ever since. supper concluded the meeting. Hopefully one day its status will be formalized and we will see Gudgenby gazetted with National Park ranking. Canberra's bitter winter weather returned the following day and I returned We pressed on with other submissions, thankfully to Sydney's warmer climate.