BBC487|032009BBC477|012009 http://www.defence.gov.au/environment Defence Environmental Internet Site Environment Officer Ranger Fleet BaseWest Fire Station Fleet BaseWest Switchboard EMERGENCY (ECCB119) CONTACTS management to supporttheADF’s capability to defend and the Secretary andChief oftheDefence Force asa component ofDefence’s Environmental Policy) (Defence’s Environmental Vision,endorsed by “Defence willbealeader in sustainable environmental its nationalinterests”. 9553 2289 0410 694070 9553 2432 9553 2408 9553 2528 9553 3333 9553 2222 this natural environment. supervision of children, is alsorequired in but individualresponsibility, including warning. Advisorysigns have beeninstalled can collapse without as large sections under over-hangs edges orexplore Do notapproach cliff are dangerous. the islandcoast limestone around headlands of Crumbling Hazardous coastal landforms and close to thecoast. during summerbystaying onmajortracks Boating visitors can avoid bushfire risk unique stands ofpineandteatree forest. Frequent fires willdestroy theisland’s fires only started bylightningstrikes. and wildlife. Priorto European settlement, potentially threatening lives, naval assets presents ahigh bushfire riskinthesummer, The densevegetation ofGarden Island free of charge at designated picnic sites. is strictly prohibited. Gas BBQs are provided Lighting of fires, including open flamed BBQs, Bushfire Dangers for theunwary and food scraps. spread byinappropriately disposed rubbish Salmonella. Diseasemay beintroduced and are currently free ofdiseases suchas your waste whenyou leave. Tammars In allotherareas, please take away Association. Aquatic and Fishing Island Garden the by for paid and council local the by serviced are Bays Rubbish binsatPigTrough andHerring – for healthy wildlife Waste management public visitors. or signage,are prohibited to unauthorised Island, obviousbytheirsurrounding fences Similarly, operational precincts onGarden access. public Careening and Wharf are Bay restricted to NavalWaters surrounding Armaments the Forreasons, safety security and Closed No-go areas over halftheAustralian fleet. families, andmost recently port services to holiday escape for generations ofPerth ships, fortifications duringWorld War II, and careening for sailandthensteam trading replenishment providing ship development, Australia’s of Western in manystages been involved Island has years, Garden following 175+ Over the limestone-sided well remains from thisera. to establish themainlandsettlement. A several monthswhile makingpreparations River colonists camped atCliffHeadfor of Captain Fremantle andthefirst Swan Stirling (now Governor), thesupportcrews settlement (ie without convicts). establish the colony, Australia’s first free livestock as supplies for his return in 1829 to by Captain Stirling in 1827. He left a garden and French explorers, the first land-fall was made time lore. Although mapped by Dutch and mainland butfeatured inaboriginaldream- Indigenous community oftheadjacent Garden Island wasnotvisited bythe An islandsteeped inhistory with carefully controlled expansion. has truly lived upto itsmotto of“Go Forward” Dato TwoCareeningshipwrecksBay, in Gun(Challenger)• J Battery, Entrance Point. Point (Captain Stirling’s• Cliff settlement) whole• The island Commonwealth Heritage List: Garden Islandhasthree entriesonthe Heritage listings commissioning inJuly 1978,HMAS the new IndianOcean naval base. Since its wharves, workshops andaccommodation for was completed to enable construction of In 1973a4.2kmcauseway to themainland shacks were scattered along the east coast.Careening Bay serviced by ferries. Cottagesholiday and destination with a main camp at Between wars, Garden Island was a popular secret ‘ZForce’ submarines. and Careening Baywashomebasefor thetop fortification network, the Fremantle coastal the islandaspartof were established on WWII, four batteries purposes in1915.In Island for Defence purchased Garden The Commonwealth A Defence basesince 1915 (for natural heritage values) , are on the Register of the National Estate. Day Dawn Day Stirling and

Environmental Guidelines for Visitors toGarden Island Where theRoyal Australian Navy Fleet BaseWest & HMAS STIRLING and nature live inharmony Garden Island FLEET BASE WEST The jewel in Navy’s crown Managing Defence activities Sewage on boats – don’t Environmental vision Fleet Base West, encompassing HMAS Stirling, Defence must comply with Commonwealth is one of the largest industrial sites in Western legislation such as the Environment swim in it “FLEET BASE WEST and its people Australia and the RAN’s largest base in Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Untreated sewage will manage Garden Island and its Australia, being ‘home’ to over half the fleet. Act 1999 and International treaties such as from toilet waste surrounding waters by striving to protection of migratory seabirds. Defence is Fleet Base West’s primary role is to enable holding tanks on sustainably manage and conserve also committed, marine vessels the environment whilst supporting deployment of ships, submarines and through its ‘Good Clearance Diving Team 4. The 3000 plus should not be the ADF operational capabilities”. Neighbour’ discharged within personnel at FBW include personnel of a large policy, to achieve number of support ‘lodger units’ which provide Public access - where compatible 500m of land or within 100m of a stationary wherever vessel or a person in the water. services in logistics, maintenance, training, practicable the Responsibility for Garden Island is owned by the research and development and administration/ intent of Western Seawater samples from Garden Island’s environmental management Commonwealth. By-laws controlling public amenities. Australian law and popular beaches are regularly analysed The Base Support Manager (BSM, access are established under the Public Defence facilities take up less than 30% to meet community to ensure that the water remains fit for Defence Support Group WA), supported by Areas provisions of the Defence Act (1903). of Garden Island’s 1200 hectares. The expectations for recreational purposes. Commanding Officer HMAS Stirling, provides The Control of Naval Waters Act (1918) remainder of this beautiful 12km long, and managing its land leadership and has ultimate responsibility for and Regulations establish powers for the up to 1.5km wide, island is carefully managed and sea values. Fishing environmental protection. Superintendent of Garden Island Naval to conserve an environment little altered Waters (Commanding Officer HMAS Stirling) Recreational fishing since documented by early Dutch explorers. The BSM is supported by a Defence Quality and improvement to ensure the capacity for the Navy to must comply with WA Surrounding Garden Island are approximately Environment Officer who is responsible for undertake its operations, and include powers An Environmental Management System was licensing and bag and 2500 hectares of ‘Naval Waters’ for which the day-to-day environmental management and responsibilities for public safety. Other developed for FBW/HMAS Stirling in 2005. size limits. For further the Navy also has responsibilities to protect of the site. aspects, such as fisheries and protection of information, contact marine values. The FBW/HMAS Stirling OH&S, native fauna and flora, are primarily State Defence is one of the largest land External stakeholder management input the Department Environmental and Sustainability Committee responsibilities and are therefore subject to managers in Australia, entrusted with the is primarily achieved via regular liaison of Fisheries assists FBW’s 80 plus ‘lodger units’ to relevant State legislation. stewardship of over 3 million hectares with the WA Department of Environment (www.fish.wa.gov.au). identify and manage their own environmental of land, as well as significant sea and and Conservation for land-based issues. When HMAS Stirling was established, the responsibilities, and provides a forum for Spear fishing and gidgees are weapons and air space. Defence is very conscious of The Cockburn Sound Management Council, WA government negotiated an agreement working together to minimise impacts from therefore prohibited on Garden Island and the potential impacts from its activities. of which Defence is a member, provides that allowed for limited access, primarily general activities on the island. within Naval Waters. It is adopting ecologically sustainable management input on marine issues. by private boat, to areas outside restricted development principles and making them zones. The State provides support through A Public Area Ranger, seconded from an everyday part of its business. regular liaison and input into management the Department of Environment and decisions and secondment to Defence of the This brochure contains information on the Conservation, manages public access and environmental guidelines and responsibilities for Ranger. visitors to FBW and Garden Island. associated environmental issues.