National Parks Act Annual Report 2003 Published by the Victorian Government Department of Sustainability and Environment October 2003 Also published on
Wilsons Promontory Marine National Park and Wilsons Promontory Islands Remote and Natural Area
This annual report on the working of the National Parks Act nearly 20 per cent of the parks system. The response to the 1975 for the year ended 30 June 2003 is provided to the Victorian Alpine Fires was the largest emergency response in the Minister for Environment, the Hon. John Thwaites MP, under state’s history, involving several thousand individuals from many section 35 of the Act. organisations, including from interstate and overseas. Then, even before the fires were contained, a major bushfire recovery Victoria’s parks system is one of Victoria’s greatest assets. It program commenced. plays a vital role in helping to achieve the government’s vision of protecting our precious environment for this and future The fires impacted on the availability of staff for normal park generations and ensuring a more sustainable Victoria. management programs and also required a significant redirection of resources into the fire recovery program. The 2002–03 year included major achievements and major Nevertheless, Parks Victoria was still able to deliver a substantial challenges. In the first half there were some long awaited program of park management services across the parks system, additions to the parks system. In the second half the largest including the implementation of the 11 new or expanded fires in more than 60 years burnt substantial areas of some of box-ironbark parks and the 24 new marine national parks and our most treasured parks. Despite these challenges, a marine sanctuaries. Examples of the range of activities and considerable program of park management activities was still achievements are included in this report. able to be achieved. I would like to thank all those who contributed to the The expansion of parks in the box-ironbark region of north enhancement, protection and management of the parks system central Victoria on 30 October 2002 was the first of two major during this challenging year. The commitment and efforts of the additions to the parks system during the year. The new park many individuals and organisations who contributed to the fire areas, involving 11 new or expanded parks, will significantly fighting efforts and the fire recovery program, as well as those enhance conservation in a highly modified part of the state who maintained core services and kept other programs going where there are many threatened species and where urgent throughout the year, were outstanding. action is required to protect, restore and enhance the remaining natural values.
Then, on 16 November, after many years of investigation, consultation and debate, a world-class representative system of 13 highly protected marine national parks and 11 marine sanctuaries was created. Protecting 5.3 per cent of Victorian Professor Lyndsay Neilson marine waters, they highlight the diversity of Victoria’s marine Secretary to the environment and fill a major gap in the state’s representative Department of Sustainability and Environment parks system. Like the box-ironbark initiative, this was a major achievement for all involved and is a splendid legacy for future generations.
These events were soon overtaken by Victoria’s most severe fire season for many years. Of particular note were the Big Desert Fire in December 2002 and the Victorian Alpine Fires in early 2003 which burnt approximately 580 000 hectares of parks, or
1 Contents
Foreword 1
Representative system 3 Areas managed under the Act 3 Changes to the parks system 3 Mornington Peninsula and Western Port Biosphere Reserve 4
Natural values management 5 Planning 5 Research 6 Environmental management 7
Wildfire 10 The fire season 10 Main fires affecting parks 10 Prescribed burning 12 Bushfire inquiries 12
Cultural values management 13 Indigenous program 13 Non-Indigenous program 13
Community involvement 14 Volunteers 14 Community Grants Program 14
Visitor and tourism services 15 Information, interpretation and education 15 Enhancing park visits 16 Visits to parks 17 Licensed tour operators 17
Supporting park management 18 Park management arrangements 18 Finance 18 Staff 18 Legislation 19 Agreements and other authorities 20 Enforcement 21 Interstate cooperation 21 Advisory bodies 22
Appendixes 23 1 Land managed under the National Parks Act 23 2 Pest plant control projects 27 3 Pest animal control projects 29 4 Locations of parks and other areas 30
2 Representative system
Broken-Boosey State Park
Areas managed under the Act Box-ironbark parks As at 30 June 2003 there were 134 areas with a total area of On 30 October 2002, the National Parks (Box-Ironbark and approximately 3.2 million hectares managed under various Other Parks) Act 2002 amended the Act to expand the parks provisions of the National Parks Act (the Act). Appendix 1 lists system in the box-ironbark region by nearly 68 000 ha. This the areas and Appendix 4 shows their location. The areas resulted from the government’s decisions on the Environment comprised: Conservation Council’s Box-Ironbark Forests and Woodlands Investigation Final Report (2001). • 118 areas on the main schedules to the Act – 39 national parks, 3 wilderness parks, 30 state parks, 13 marine national Five new or expanded national parks (Chiltern-Mt Pilot, Greater parks, 11 marine sanctuaries, 11 marine and/or coastal Bendigo, Heathcote-Graytown, St Arnaud Range and Terrick parks or reserves, 1 national heritage park, 4 regional parks, Terrick), five new or expanded state parks (Broken-Boosey, 3 historic parks, 2 nature conservation reserves and Haining Kooyoora, Paddys Ranges, Reef Hills and Warby Range) and Farm Castlemaine Diggings National Heritage Park (a new category of park) were created. • 16 non-scheduled areas to which particular provisions of the Act apply. The parks are largely representative of the natural diversity across the box-ironbark region, including the dry forests and The Act also defines 19 wilderness zones and 22 remote and woodlands of the inland hills of the Great Dividing Range, the natural areas within 13 national parks (Appendix 1) and 2 woodlands and grasslands of the northern plains and the designated water supply catchment areas (those parts of distinctive mallee communities of the Whipstick. They also Melbourne’s water supply catchments and their buffers within contain numerous historic and cultural values and, being easily Kinglake and Yarra Ranges National Parks). accessible, provide many opportunities for visitors to enjoy this Changes to the parks system distinctive part of Victoria’s natural and cultural heritage. There were very significant additions to the parks system during Several existing parks were included in the new parks, the year totalling nearly 124 000 hectares. The expansion of as shown in Table 1. parks in the box-ironbark region of north central Victoria and the creation of a representative system of highly protected Table 1 – Existing parks included in new box-ironbark parks marine national parks and marine sanctuaries along the New park Existing park Victorian coast filled major gaps in the state’s representative Chiltern-Mt Pilot NP Chiltern Box-Ironbark NP parks system. Smaller additions were made to Mitchell River and Beechworth HP (part) Wilsons Promontory national parks. Further details of the Greater Bendigo NP Kamarooka SP relevant legislation are included in the Legislation section of this Whipstick SP report. St Arnaud Range NP Kara Kara SP Reef Hills SP Reef Hills Park
3 There were also several excisions from existing parks: sections of Parts of several existing national and other parks and reserves several roads from Chiltern Box-Ironbark National Park, were incorporated into some of the marine national parks and Kamarooka, Kooyoora and Whipstick state parks and marine sanctuaries. Beechworth Park; three shooting ranges from Reef Hills Park; and land more than 100 metres below the surface from Deep Mornington Peninsula and Western Port Lead Flora and Fauna Reserve (which was renamed Deep Lead Biosphere Reserve Nature Conservation Reserve (No. 1)). In November 2002, the Mornington Peninsula and Western Port Biosphere Reserve was designated by UNESCO, the first new Mitchell River and Wilsons Promontory national parks biosphere reserve in Australia since 1981. The biosphere reserve The amendments to the Act on 30 October 2002 also includes in its core area Mornington Peninsula and French Island resulted in: national parks, Arthurs Seat State Park, Churchill Island, French • the addition of 2160 hectares to Mitchell River National Park Island and Yaringa marine national parks and Mushroom Reef in the vicinity of the Mitchell and Wentworth rivers. This Marine Sanctuary. includes the formerly proposed dam site at Angusvale and ‘Mitchelldale’, which contains significant grassy woodland vegetation and was purchased with assistance from the Commonwealth Government • the addition of the two lighthouse reserves at South East Point (30 ha) and Citadel Island (19 ha) to Wilsons Promontory National Park. For the first time, the whole of Wilsons Promontory and all of the adjacent islands are included in the national park • the designation of a new Southern Wilsons Promontory Remote and Natural Area (14 400 ha) and the inclusion of Citadel Island (19 ha) in the Wilsons Promontory Islands Remote and Natural Area.
Marine national parks and marine sanctuaries On 16 November 2002, the National Parks (Marine National Parks and Marine Sanctuaries) Act 2002 amended the Act to create a world-class system of 13 highly protected marine national parks and 11 smaller marine sanctuaries. They cover 53 776 hectares or 5.3 per cent of Victoria’s marine waters. This is the first time that such a representative system has been established by a jurisdiction anywhere in the world.
The marine national parks and marine sanctuaries are representative of the state’s diverse marine environments and are located along the coast from Discovery Bay to Cape Howe and in Port Phillip Bay, Western Port and Corner Inlet (see Appendix 4). They not only protect samples of Victoria’s marine ecosystems but also provide excellent opportunities for visitors to enjoy, appreciate and learn about Victoria’s distinctive marine heritage.
The parks and sanctuaries contain rocky reefs and sandy beaches, spectacular limestone canyons and plunging granite slopes, intertidal mudflats and tidal channels, waters exposed to the full force of the Southern Ocean and the more sheltered waters of the bays and inlets. There is also a wealth of biodiversity, including towering kelp forests, seagrass meadows, mangroves and saltmarsh, and an extraordinary variety of fish, corals, sponges and other animals of many colours and shapes, from tiny organisms to large sea mammals such as visiting whales, dolphins and seals.
4 Natural values management
Alpine National Park
Planning interim management statement was developed to assist staff in managing the new parks and sanctuaries until the approved Management plans management plans are prepared. As at 30 June 2003 there were 69 approved management plans covering 36 national parks, 3 wilderness parks, 30 state parks A recreation framework was commenced with the assistance of and 13 other parks. a community advisory group to provide a basis for managing various recreation activities on public land across the box- During the year the Minister released approved plans for four ironbark region, including parks, prior to the preparation of parks: Grampians and Yarra Ranges national parks, Cape Liptrap management plans. Coastal Park and Langwarrin Flora and Fauna Reserve. The final plan for Long Forest Nature Conservation Reserve was Strategic management plans were completed for the following submitted for approval, to be released in 2003–04. Ramsar wetlands (wetlands included in the List of Wetlands of International Importance under the international Ramsar Work progressed on draft plans for Baw Baw and Dandenong Convention) which include parks or parts of parks under Ranges national parks and Warrandyte State Park (to replace the Act: existing plans) and for Cape Conran Coastal Park. Finalisation of • Gippsland Lakes (The Lakes National Park and Gippsland the plan for the Discovery Bay parks (Mount Richmond National Lakes Coastal Park) Park, Cape Nelson State Park and Discovery Bay Coastal Park) continued, with further consultation with Indigenous and other • Hattah-Kulkyne (Hattah-Kulkyne National Park) community groups. Finalisation of the plan for Nyerimilang Park • Lake Albacutya (Lake Albacutya Park) was deferred. • Port Phillip Bay (Western Shoreline) and Bellarine Peninsula A three-year program was finalised to develop management (Port Phillip Heads Marine National Park (Swan Bay) and Point plans for the 12 parks in the box-ironbark region and the 24 Cooke Marine Sanctuary) new marine national parks and marine sanctuaries. Finalisation • Western Port (French Island National Park and French Island, of the draft plans for Terrick Terrick National Park and Yaringa and Churchill Island marine national parks). Beechworth Historic Park and further development of the draft The final plan for the Barmah Forest Ramsar site (which includes plan for Reef Hills State Park were rescheduled within the Barmah State Park) was finalised for approval. broader box-ironbark parks planning program. Planning for seven of the new marine national parks and marine sanctuaries Community consultation commenced and four local advisory groups were established to The involvement of Indigenous communities in protected assist in the planning process. area planning was further progressed. The new Grampians Other plans and strategies National Park Management Plan incorporates Indigenous recognition and aspirations throughout. Its preparation involved A draft management strategy was prepared with the assistance extensive consultation and participation in workshops by the of a reference group to provide a strategic framework for the three Indigenous groups Wotjobaluk, Kirrae Wurrung and management of the new marine national parks and marine Gournditch-Mara and also Brambuk Incorporated. It is intended sanctuaries. It was released for public comment in September that future park management plans will be prepared employing 2002 and finalised for release in 2003–04. In addition, an a similar process.
5 Planning processes were also reviewed in consultation with a Examples of the diverse projects covered by the permits include: range of community and other stakeholder groups with the aim • the collection of log-dwelling invertebrates in Baw Baw and of improving community engagement with park planning and Yarra Ranges national parks and Mount Samaria State Park management. In preparation for a review of the Alpine National • the documenting of historical changes in the distribution and Park Management Plan, community consultation was abundance of a fire-sensitive dominant tree, Black Cypress- undertaken on the existing plan and the process for reviewing pine, in Chiltern-Mt Pilot National Park the plan. This included surveys and meetings with a range of • archaeological surveys in Otway National Park parks users, interested groups and other stakeholders. • studies of the Australasian Gannet at Popes Eye in Port Phillip Research Heads Marine National Park.
Research permits Research Partners Program Research, study or investigation carried out in a park under the Parks Victoria’s Research Partners Program, which supports National Parks Act requires a permit under the Act, sometimes research that assists the management of targeted environmental in conjunction with a permit under the Flora and Fauna issues within parks, completed its fourth year. The partners in Guarantee Act 1988, Reference Areas Act 1978 or Wildlife the program are the Arthur Rylah Institute for Environmental Act 1975. Research, Deakin University, University of Ballarat and University During the year there were 264 permits issued (124 new of Melbourne. The third Annual Research Partners Program permits and 140 renewed permits), a significant increase from Conference was held at the Grampians National Park in last year. Of these, 236 enabled projects to be carried out in 67 November 2002. parks (a permit may cover more than one park and more than Several new research projects relating to areas under the Act one project). The other 28 enabled work to be carried out in all were conducted under this program. Projects providing parks if necessary. There were 22 research permits issued in important information for park management included: relation to specific marine national parks or marine sanctuaries. • a statewide assessment of the risk of Cinnamon Fungus Figure 1 shows the number of permits issued in respect of those (Phytophthora cinnamomi) to parks. This examined its current parks for which more than five were issued (excluding ‘all distribution, identified susceptible flora species and their parks’ permits). The majority of the permits related to botany distribution, and analysed major environmental factors that (78), ecology (98) and zoology (136). Others related to limit its distribution (such as climate, topography and agriculture, anthropology, archaeology, biology, conservation, disturbance). The project included the development of education, engineering, fisheries, flora and fauna survey, guidelines aimed at minimising the risk of introducing or genetics, geography, geology, horticulture, management, spreading the fungus into or through parks palaeontology and soils. Nearly half of the researchers were from tertiary institutions.
Figure 1 – Research permits
20 18 16 14 12 10 8 6 Number of permits 4 2 0 Park Alpine NP Otway NP Grampians NP Little Desert NP Snowy River NP Yarra Ranges NP Yarra Croajingolong NP Croajingolong Lower Glenelg NP Chiltern-Mt Pilot NP Port Phillip Heads MNP Dandenong Ranges NP Wilsons NP Promontory 6 • the fox adaptive experimental management program, which • contributions to programs involving the reintroduction of has investigated the relative success of different intensities Grampians Pin-cushion into the Grampians National Park, and timing of fox control programs in Coopracambra, Legless Lizard into Organ Pipes National Park and Eastern Grampians, Hattah-Kulkyne, Little Desert and Wilsons Barred Bandicoot into Woodlands Historic Park Promontory national parks and Discovery Bay Coastal Park • participation in the statewide recovery program for the Brush- over the last two years. Results to date are showing that tailed Phascogale at various sites including St Arnaud Range continual operations over large areas are more likely to National Park suppress fox numbers than seasonal or short-term operations • the continuation of fox and cat trapping in Yarra Ranges over small areas National Park to enhance the protection of Leadbeater’s • assessments of kangaroo populations and/or their impact on Possum vegetation condition at Hattah-Kulkyne and Mornington • the continuation of the recovery program for the critically Peninsula (Greens Bush) national parks and Reef Hills State endangered Helmeted Honeyeater in Bunyip State Park (a Park. The vegetation condition of Greens Bush was variable as project which includes the Helmeted Honeyeater Recovery a result of past uses, edge effects, disturbance and browsing Team, Parks Victoria, DSE and Healesville Sanctuary). The by native animals. At Reef Hills State Park, although kangaroo program this year included the maintenance of aviaries, numbers were found to be relatively stable, vegetation threat assessment and monitoring. condition was variable with poor regeneration of trees and shrubs overall Ecological management of fire • an assessment of the impacts of fragmentation by roads and The increased emphasis on ecological burning in previous years tracks on park values, this year focusing on the impacts on continued. Parks Victoria and DSE continued to collate threatened ecological vegetation classes. information and produce strategies and guidelines to improve the understanding of the relationship between fire and Environmental management biodiversity and to progress the use of fire for ecological The environmental management program is categorised into the management on public land in Victoria. Projects included: following eight program areas: • the preparation of ecological burn plans for Brisbane Ranges, • threatened species management Grampians, Kinglake, Lake Eildon, Little Desert and Lower Glenelg national parks in line with the Interim Guidelines and • ecological management of fire Procedures for Ecological Burning on Public Land in Victoria • native animal management • ecological burns at Croajingolong, Grampians and Little • catchment and water protection Desert national parks, Holey Plains State Park and Cape • pest plant management Conran Coastal Park • pest animal management • the preparation of a practitioners manual to raise staff skills • grazing management and understanding and to support an increase in the amount • marine protection. of ecological burning undertaken in parks • the collation of ‘vital attribute information’ for use in Information on the values of and risks to the parks system accordance with the Interim Guidelines and Procedures for contained in the State of the Parks 2000 report provided a basis Ecological Burning on Public Land in Victoria. for setting strategic priorities. The program was reduced in the second half of the year as a result of the redirection of Native animal management resources to the fires and the fire recovery program (see the Programs to control kangaroo and koala populations continued Wildfire section of this report). Examples of projects undertaken in several parks where there is a demonstrable long-term impact within each of the eight program areas are given below. on park values caused by over-abundant populations. Programs
Threatened species management were undertaken in accordance with an established ecological rationale developed with the support of key stakeholders, Several projects designed to increase the viability of threatened including the Kangaroo and Koala technical advisory species in areas managed under the Act were undertaken committees. during the year. An analysis of the level of risk to threatened species assisted in determining priorities. Projects included: Projects included: • the protection of Hooded Plovers in Mornington Peninsula, • the ongoing management of kangaroo populations in Hattah- Otway, Port Campbell and Wilsons Promontory national Kulkyne, Murray-Sunset and Wyperfeld national parks to parks, Cape Conran and Discovery Bay coastal parks, achieve vegetation condition objectives. These projects take a incorporating fox control and population monitoring and landscape approach to improving the vegetation condition of assisted by friends groups these Mallee parks and involve integrating revegetation, pest animal control and native animal management
7 • the continuation of the program to manage overbrowsing of • the treatment of more than 3000 hectares in Hattah-Kulkyne, Manna Gum woodlands by koalas in Mount Eccles National Little Desert, and Terrick Terrick national parks and Mount Park until post-release monitoring showed an unacceptable Arapiles-Tooan State Park to control Bridal Creeper level of mortality after surgical sterilisation and relocation. • major programs to control Ragwort in Mitchell River and Port It was found that survival of individual koalas was highly Campbell national parks and Holey Plains State Park variable and influenced by a number of factors. Other • the mapping and control of Serrated Tussock in Brisbane methods of control were investigated during the year. Ranges National Park, including the investigation of Catchment and water management alternative control methods and the use of fire to promote This program area continued to focus on improving the regeneration of native species condition of remnant vegetation and reducing priority • the continuation of an integrated program which aims to catchment degradation risks. Projects included: control more than 10 pest plant species in Mornington • works to minimise the rate of spread of Cinnamon Fungus Peninsula National Park. This includes major programs to within Brisbane Ranges National Park, including track control Blackberry and Ragwort and post-burn weed rationalisation/closure, regulation of water flows and infestations in order to reduce identified threats to the education of park users Moonah Woodland vegetation community, riparian vegetation along Main Creek, and coastline habitats • the ongoing rehabilitation and revegetation of the Fraser block of Lake Eildon National Park, a large-scale project to • programs to control the spread of a number of weeds address severe erosion problems and sediment input to Lake threatening the Northern Plains Grassland (a community listed Eildon under the Flora and Fauna Guarantee Act) in Terrick Terrick National Park, including an integrated chemical and • erosion control and revegetation of coastal and riparian ecological burn program to control Horehound. habitats in Mornington Peninsula National Park and an assessment of Cinnamon Fungus in the Greens Bush section Pest plants targeted in control projects sponsored by the Good of the park Neighbour Program included: • the closure and rehabilitation of tracks within Bunyip State • Blackberry in the Alpine, Burrowa-Pine Mountain, Lake Eildon, Park to reduce fragmentation and improve water quality for Mount Buffalo and Port Campbell national parks threatened and other aquatic species • Paterson’s Curse in the Alpine National Park and Mount • the construction of additional boundary fencing to protect Samaria State Park wetlands from stock wandering into Discovery Bay Coastal • Ragwort in Mornington Peninsula and Otway national parks. Park, with the support of adjacent land owners. Pest animal management Pest plant management The protection of threatened species and communities and The pest plant control program area continued to be a major other significant park values continued to be a focus for the area of activity for Parks Victoria. Eradicating new weed management of pest animals. Cooperative programs continued infestations and controlling and reducing infestations to with private landowners to control pest animals that threaten maintain or improve environmental values remained the focus economic or ecological values. this year. Cooperative programs with landowners and other Appendix 3 lists the species and the areas under the Act that agencies to integrate pest plant control across land tenure were targeted during the year in pest animal management boundaries continued. projects. Appendix 2 lists the targeted species and parks where projects Key projects in 2002–03 included: treated an area of more than five hectares for the purpose of controlling or eradicating the species within that area. • major fox control programs in parks in which there are a high number of fauna species at high risk of fox predation Key projects in 2002–03 included: (including Alpine, Grampians, Hattah-Kulkyne, Little Desert, • support for a number of projects led by the Keith Turnbull The Lakes and Wilsons Promontory national parks, Research Institute in relation to the release and evaluation of Angahook-Lorne State Park and Gippsland Lakes Coastal biocontrol agents for English Broom (Alpine National Park), Park). These programs will help to protect species such as Boneseed (Churchill and Dandenong Ranges national parks Heath Mouse, Long-footed Potoroo, New Holland Mouse and and Lysterfield Lake Park), Bridal Creeper (Churchill National vulnerable shorebird species including Fairy Tern, Hooded Park, Warrandyte State Park, Gippsland Lakes Coastal Park Plover and Little Tern and Lysterfield Lake Park) and Blackberry and Ragwort • the continuation of the successful rabbit control program in (Dandenong Ranges National Park) the Mallee parks, which aims to reduce grazing pressure and allow the regeneration of native vegetation. Vegetation in Hattah-Kulkyne National Park is continuing to recover
8 • the control of dogs and foxes in the Alpine National Park as As part of the legislated transitional arrangements associated part of the ongoing Mountain Pygmy-possum protection with the creation of new park areas in the box-ironbark region, project (a joint project between Parks Victoria and the Falls grazing was allowed to continue after 30 October 2002 on Creek and Mount Hotham alpine resort management boards). more than 70 previously licensed areas that are now included in Chiltern-Mt Pilot, Greater Bendigo and Heathcote-Graytown In addition, the adaptive experimental management project national parks, Broken-Boosey and Kooyoora state parks and continued, as part of the Research Partners Program, to Castlemaine Diggings National Heritage Park. Many of the evaluate the effectiveness of various management techniques licences cover only small areas and support low numbers for controlling foxes. of stock. Under the Act licensed grazing will cease by Projects sponsored in the final year of the Rabbit Buster 30 October 2005. Program included: Grazing has been used for some years as a tool in managing • the destruction of harbour and warrens by fumigation, the native grasslands in Terrick Terrick National Park. The ripping and implosion in Chiltern-Mt Pilot and Terrick Terrick guidelines for managing stock grazing in the park were national parks and Warby Range State Park reviewed to ensure that this activity would continue to meet the • the destruction of warrens in Wyperfeld National Park to biodiversity objectives for the park. reduce grazing pressure and allow regeneration. Marine protection Projects implemented under the Good Neighbour Program The statewide sub-tidal reef monitoring program continued, included: with surveys of fish, invertebrates and algae at Bunurong, Port • fox control in the Grampians and Wyperfeld national parks Phillip Heads and Wilsons Promontory marine national parks. and Holey Plains State Park The program was expanded to several new key sites including • dog and fox control in the Alpine National Park Point Addis Marine National Park and Merri, Point Cooke and • rabbit control in Murray-Sunset and Terrick Terrick national Ricketts Point marine sanctuaries. parks.
Grazing management Licensed grazing occurs in the Alpine National Park and Barmah State Park and in several box-ironbark parks.
In the Alpine National Park approximately 5500 adult equivalent stock (a calf less than 12 months old is counted as half an adult) were grazed during 2002–03. One licence was cancelled during the year at the request of the licensee. At the peak of the grazing season the Victorian Alpine Fires affected 43 of the 63 currently licensed areas in the park (involving approximately 4765 adult equivalent stock). As part of the government’s fire assistance package, assistance was offered to affected licensees to encourage the early removal of stock from burnt areas of the park. Seven licensees accepted the offer.
Following further environmental monitoring prior to the 2002–03 grazing season, cattle were permitted to return to three of the six licensed areas in the park that were burnt by the 1998 Caledonia wildfire and where grazing had subsequently been excluded. Some cattle exclusion fences were erected to protect particular bog communities, but some damage was done to unfenced bogs. Cattle did not return to the other three licensed areas where the licensees had accepted assistance packages on the basis that stock would not return for the remainder of the licence period.
In Barmah State Park and the adjoining Barmah State Forest, 380 cattle were grazed in the 2002 winter and 1084 in the 2002–03 summer. The 2003 winter allocation was 860 (although most of these would not have grazed in the park in the 2002–03 year).
9 Wildfire
Regeneration – Alpine National Park
The fire season Swifts Creek. Significant areas of the Alpine, Mount Buffalo and Snowy River national parks and Wabba Wilderness Park were The 2002–03 fire season occurred during one of the most affected (Table 2). The fire was finally declared safe on 30 April serious droughts in Victoria’s history and after six consecutive 2003. years of below average rainfall. Preparations were made for a severe to worst case fire season. What eventuated were the Other major fires started in the Eldorado and Stanley areas on most extensive fires since 1938–39, when fires burnt more than 21 January 2003 and burnt approximately 16 000 hectares, 1.5 million hectares across the state. including parts of Chiltern-Mt Pilot National Park and Beechworth Historic Park. In 2002–03, there were 849 wildfires across the state attended by DSE or, on its behalf, by DPI or Parks Victoria. These burnt The Victorian Alpine Fires in particular required a major approximately 1.3 million hectares. Of the 849 fires, 118 were suppression effort. The response was the largest emergency recorded as having started in parks under the Act. It is operation in Victoria’s history. Thousands of staff and volunteers estimated that approximately 580 000 hectares in parks were from DSE, DPI, Parks Victoria, Country Fire Authority and many burnt (including the area burnt by fires starting outside parks). other organisations, including several from interstate and overseas, contributed. Further details are provided in DSE’s Major fires affecting parks annual report for 2002–03. By far the largest wildfires during the season were the Big Impacts of the fires Desert Fire in December 2002 and the Victorian Alpine Fires The major fires burnt extensive areas of parks under the Act. in early 2003 (see Figure 2 on page 12). Table 2 shows the estimated area and proportion of each park The Big Desert Fire started on 17 December 2002 when under the Act covered by the Big Desert, Victorian Alpine and lightning strikes started two fires in the Big Desert Wilderness Eldorado-Stanley fires. Park and Wyperfeld National Park. The fires eventually merged The Big Desert Fire burnt large areas of mallee and mallee and spread, burning approximately 181 000 hectares of mainly heathland, which are adapted to relatively frequent fires. The public land in 15 days. The fire was declared contained on 24 largest undisturbed areas of Broombush Mallee in the state and December and safe on 31 December. areas of fire-sensitive Scrub-pine woodland, which depends on The Victorian Alpine Fires started on 8 January 2003 when a the long-term absence of fire for its survival, were also burnt. series of lightning strikes started more than 80 fires in eastern There are many rare or threatened species recorded in the fire- Victoria. All but nine were contained by 13 January but the affected area, and several Indigenous cultural sites. Areas Mount Buffalo, Bogong and Mount Pinnibar fires eventually disturbed during the fire suppression operations are the main merged to become the largest fire in Victoria in more than focus for the immediate rehabilitation works. 60 years. The Victorian Alpine Fires, given the magnitude and intensity, By the time the fire was declared contained on 7 March 2003, significantly impacted on a range of park values. Some areas the fire covered nearly 1 million hectares of public land and were mildly burnt but others, like the Mitta Mitta valley, were approximately 90 000 hectares of private land, from Mount severely burnt. Extensive control lines were constructed as part Buffalo in the west to east of the Snowy River and south to of the fire suppression operations.
10 Table 2 – Extent of fires in parks Fire Park Area of fire (ha)1 Proportion of park (%) Big Desert Fire2 Big Desert Wilderness Park 75 200 53 Wyperfeld National Park 38 100 11 Victorian Alpine Fires3 Alpine National Park 396 000 60 Mount Buffalo National Park 25 200 81 Snowy River National Park 26 400 27 Wabba Wilderness Park 13 700 68 Eldorado-Stanley4 Chiltern-Mt Pilot National Park 8 000 37 Beechworth Historic Park 70 6 1 Areas may include some unburnt land. Areas may be refined as more detailed analyses are carried out on particular fires. Areas rounded to nearest 100 ha/10 ha. Analyses by Parks Victoria 2 Analysis based on DSE fire boundary as at 26 December 2002 1400 3 Analysis based on DSE fire boundary as at 24 February 2003 1730 4 Analysis based on DSE final fire boundary
The fire burnt large proportions of a number of vegetation The government provided significant funding to assist the communities, including fire-sensitive species and habitats. In bushfire recovery, particulary in North East Victoria and East addition to large areas of eucalypt forest on the lower and Gippsland. upper slopes, areas of alpine grassland, shrubland, heathland Projects undertaken or commenced in relation to parks under and sphagnum bog communities, which are naturally rarely the Act affected by the Victorian Alpine Fires, some of which burnt, were affected. So too were cypress-pine woodlands in are referred to elsewhere in the report, included: the Snowy River valley. The fire also affected areas inhabited by • the development of rehabilitation plans for ecological and rare or threatened fauna such as the Brush-tailed Rock-wallaby, cultural values Mountain Pygmy-possum and Spotted Tree Frog. • stabilisation and restoration works before winter on most of The impact on streams and water quality from soil erosion and the many thousands of kilometres of control lines and other the movement of ash and other debris, particularly following areas cleared during the fires, to reduce the risk of erosion heavy rains, is a significant issue. This is not only for the riverine and poor water quality (particularly in the erosion-prone high habitats and aquatic biota but for those towns that draw their country water catchments). Initial priority was given to the water from streams in the fire-affected area. immediate surrounds of domestic water supply off-takes There are many recorded Indigenous and non-Indigenous • monitoring of the impact of the fire on a number of cultural sites within the fire affected area. The fire affected or threatened species and communities destroyed some sites but it also created opportunities to • the initiation of pest plant and animal control programs, with discover new sites or to rediscover known sites that had been fox control the initial priority hidden for many years. • aerial surveys, in conjunction with the NSW National Parks The fire also affected many visitor sites and other park assets, and Wildlife Service and Environment Australia, to determine including bridges, camping grounds, car parks, paths, trails and the impact of the fires on wild horse population levels across walking tracks, roads and vehicle tracks, huts, shelters, signs, the Alpine National Park snow poles, toilets, vehicle tracks and lookouts. During and • assessments and surveys involving a number of organisations after the fires, several parks or parts of parks were closed to the to determine the impact of the fires and fire suppression public. Affected areas were re-opened only after it was safe to activities on Indigenous cultural heritage sites, which also do so. There was a major effort to carry out risk assessments resulted in the discovery of many new sites and basic repairs to assets along the main travel routes in time • assessments of damage to visitor assets, including tracks and for the Labour Day long weekend and the Easter school holiday trails, and minor repairs before re-opening them to visitors period. Some sites remained closed pending further works after where appropriate, with a priority given to high use sites the 2003 winter. (several fire-affected licensed tour operators were employed Bushfire recovery to assist in this work) In view of the actual or potential impacts of the fires, a major • liaison with the newly formed High County Huts Association fire recovery effort was initiated during the Victorian Alpine over the huts which were damaged or destroyed Fires. A recovery program across all public land (including the • a post-fire workshop for fire-affected licensed tour operators Big Desert Fire area) was developed by multi-disciplinary teams aimed at assisting operators understand and interpret the represented by Parks Victoria, DSE and DPI. Parks Victoria led impact of the fires the ecological and cultural component of the recovery program.
11 • an offer of assistance to grazing licensees to remove their Bushfire inquiries cattle from the high country early On 14 March 2003 the government announced that Victoria’s • the acquisition of satellite imagery and aerial photographs of Emergency Services Commissioner, Mr Bruce Esplin, would chair the fire-affected area for detailed fire severity analysis of the an inquiry into the 2002–03 fires, to be completed by the end fire affected area. of September 2003. Two independent experts, Professor Neal Enright and Dr Malcolm Gill, were also appointed to the inquiry. Prescribed burning The inquiry’s terms of reference are, in short, to examine the Land managed under the Act is included in the statewide effectiveness of preparedness of the 2002–03 bushfire season, prescribed burning program for public land, which includes assess the effectiveness of the response to the 2002–03 both fuel reduction burning and burning to achieve particular bushfires, and provide recommendations for future bushfire ecological objectives. During the year, 47 fuel reduction burns management strategies. over an area of 13 630 hectares were conducted on land under On 21 February 2003, DSE initiated an internal investigation the Act. A further 20 ecological burns covering 5886 hectares into the construction of a control line along the Yalmy Road also served to reduce flammable fuels. The Victorian Alpine Fires within the Snowy River National Park and adjacent State forest burnt some areas of the Alpine National Park that had been in East Gippsland during the Victorian Alpine Fires. As at proposed for fuel reduction burns in 2002–03. 30 June 2003, legal advice was being sought on the investigation report.
Figure 2 – Big Desert and Victorian Alpine fires
•Mildura
Larger national or other park under the Act Ouyen • Extent of fire in Victoria
•Swan Hill
• • Echuca Wodonga
•Shepparton • Wangaratta • Benalla Horsham • • Bendigo
Maryborough• •Seymour
• Ararat
• Ballarat • Orbost Cann River Hamilton • MELBOURNE • • Bairnsdale• • Dandenong • Warragul• •Sale Geelong • Traralgon• Moe • • Portland • Colac Warrnambool •Lorne 0 50 100 150 kilometres
Cartography by the Customised Mapping Unit, Land Information Group, Land Victoria, Department of Sustainability and Environment October 2003. G/5924-2
12 Cultural values management
Garfield Waterwheel, Castlemaine Diggings National Heritage Park
Areas under the Act include a very diverse range of culturally • archaeological surveys in Coopracambra, Little Desert, significant sites, both Indigenous and non-Indigenous. These Murray-Sunset and Wyperfeld national parks, Cathedral sites and values are protected to ensure that future generations Range and Kooyoora state parks and Castlemaine Diggings have the opportunity to enjoy and understand the legacy of National Heritage Park and in various parts of the fire the past. affected areas.
Indigenous program Non-Indigenous program The emphasis on Indigenous programs in previous years Conservation activity in relation to heritage values and assets continued. Highlights of the year included: on land managed under the Act focused primarily on low-key • the announcement of an in-principle agreement between the routine maintenance at selected sites. Victorian Government and the Wotjobaluk people in October The physical impacts of the Victorian Alpine Fires on heritage 2002 following a native title claim covering a large area of assets within the parks system included damage to or Western Victoria. Parts of Little Desert and Wyperfeld destruction of a number of historic sites, including the Red national parks, Mount Arapiles-Tooan State Park and Lake Robin Mine and 29 huts at 24 sites in the Alpine National Park. Albacutya Park are covered by the agreement which, in On the other hand, the fires exposed historic goldfields in the relation to those areas, provides for the Wotjobaluk people to Upper Dargo, Upper Ovens and Dart River areas. Goldmines have an advisory role in their management and settlements, which have been hidden for decades, were • the development of a draft Indigenous Partnerships Strategy revealed, yielding valuable information about the people who by Parks Victoria to further acknowledge Indigenous peoples’ lived and worked in these isolated locations. Recovery planning aspirations to have input into the management of Victoria’s in response to the impacts of the fires progressed well. parks and reserves, including those under the Act Other heritage conservation activities included: • the continuation of cross-cultural awareness courses for Parks • ongoing progress in the verification and condition assessment Victoria staff of historic assets across the parks system • the signing of an agreement that formally established the • the commencement of work to develop programs focusing cooperative arrangements for the management and on the historic theme ‘Shipping along the Coast’ development of Brambuk: The National Park and Cultural • ongoing maintenance, repair works and condition monitoring Centre. The centre continued to deliver shared information, of historic forts at Point Nepean (Mornington Peninsula interpretation and education services, including the combined National Park), Wilsons Promontory Lightstation (Wilsons school holiday program Promontory National Park) and sites at Steiglitz and • the completion of site protection works at 14 sites of Woodlands historic parks and Nyerimilang Park Indigenous cultural significance in Croajingolong, Hattah- • the preparation of a Heritage Action Plan for Vaughan Kulkyne, Little Desert, Mornington Peninsula, Murray-Sunset Springs (in the new Castlemaine Diggings National and Wilsons Promontory national parks, Barmah and Bunyip Heritage Park). state parks and Nyerimilang Park
13 Community involvement
Otway National Park
Volunteers Individuals including university and TAFE students, as well as local secondary schools and community groups, also contributed Volunteers and community groups continued to support to projects including: environmental works, the protection of cultural values and visitor services in many areas managed under the Act. More • walking track maintenance in the Alpine National Park than 60 community and friends groups continued to give • the preparation and placing of hair funnels in connection substantial support. with Eastern Quoll survey and vegetation mapping in Kinglake National Park Examples of the many contributions made during the year include: • the re-marking and clearing of trails in Mount Buffalo National Park. • the Camp Host program in 10 parks under the Act. This program provides an opportunity for individuals to obtain Community Grants Program practical experience in park and visitor management while assisting visitors in campgrounds The 2002–03 Parks Victoria Community Grants Program distributed 60 grants totalling $306 304 to community groups • the contribution by the Friends of Baw Baw National Park to for a range of projects in parks under the Act. Grants were the willow eradication program on the Baw Baw Plateau. In given to groups including: the last three years 309 willows at 146 different locations in and around the plateau have been treated • Brambuk Incorporated – to develop brochures for Brambuk: The Grampians National Park and Cultural Centre and also to • the assistance of several volunteer community groups in the develop the educational services of the centre creation of an interpretive walk around Anakie Gorge and revegetation programs at several sites in Brisbane Ranges • Friends of Morwell National Park – to improve visitor facilities National Park. Volunteers also assisted with monitoring at the Kerry Road Picnic Area ecological burn sites and walking track maintenance within • Friends of Warrandyte State Park – to monitor threatened the park flora and weeds in Warrandyte State Park • the contribution by international volunteers to a wide range • Malleefowl Society of North West Victoria – to monitor of activities including archaeological digs, pest plant control, Malleefowl in Wyperfeld National Park. pest plant mapping, water testing and revegetation in the Dandenong Ranges National Park. Volunteers also undertook a variety of minor research projects including identification of Platypus habitat and mapping of illegal tracks • the contribution by the Friends of Grampians-Gariwerd to the mammal trapping component of the fox adaptive experimental management project in the Grampians National Park.
14 Visitor and tourism services
Barwon Bluff Marine Sanctuary
Information, interpretation and education • updated versions of the popular publications Boating on the Bay and Boating on Westernport, which now include details Information services providing current and relevant information of the new marine national parks and marine sanctuaries. to visitors, potential visitors and other interested members of the public, as well as high quality interpretation activities Interpretation and education programs, are key aspects of park management. Face-to-face interpretative programs are traditionally a focus for They help in the enjoyment and understanding of the parks, and staff during the summer school holiday periods, with smaller encourage visitors and others to conserve and protect them and programs being offered during other school holiday periods. It is to better understand park management objectives. They are also estimated that more than 25 000 people participated in these useful in helping to manage visitor behaviour and public safety. activities this year.
Information This was a significant increase from 2001–02, which was mainly Comprehensive information services about parks across the state due to the programs run in several of the new marine national was again provided through Parks Victoria’s 24-hour information parks and marine sanctuaries. These areas provide excellent telephone number 13 1963. An increasingly wide range of visitor opportunities for interpretation to encourage the community to information was also provided on the Parks Victoria website engage with the marine environment. Partnership arrangements
A significant feature of the year was the production of Education information to accompany the establishment of the expanded Education programs were provided for primary, secondary and box-ironbark parks and the new marine national parks and tertiary students as well as opportunities for the professional marine sanctuaries. A parknote was developed to describe the development of teachers and others. expanded box-ironbark parks and several parknotes were updated. Information produced in relation to the marine The education section of Parks Victoria’s website national parks and marine sanctuaries included:
of parks with slight increases in student numbers despite the • development of further resources for the delivery of impact of the fires. The ongoing development of the program Indigenous education at Dandenong Ranges, Grampians and continues to be guided by the Curriculum Standards Framework Wilsons Promontory national parks and the study designs for the Victorian Certificate of Education • career information days and work experience program support to ensure that the content is both appropriate and relevant to • participation with local schools in Arbour Day activities. schools and other groups.
In 2002–03, the transfer of funding from the Department of Enhancing park visits Education and Training resulted in the education officers at the Visitor facilities Grampians and Wilsons Promontory national parks being Works undertaken during the year to provide new or improved employed directly by Parks Victoria in those locations. visitor facilities and to minimise visitor impact on natural and The three education centres in the Dandenong Ranges, cultural values included: Grampians and Wilsons Promontory national parks continued to • the installation of signs and marker buoys for the new marine provide a valuable service to schools across the state. national parks and marine sanctuaries, including in-water Approximately 12 000 students participated in the programs, boundary marking in several areas including 11 229 fee-paying students (Table 4) and about 500 • the upgrading of sewerage works at the Lake Catani Environment Corps and local outreach program participants. Campground and the Mount Buffalo Chalet (Mount Buffalo The schools program in the three centres is close to its capacity National Park) in the first and fourth terms when most student field work • completion of a basic link along the whole length of the is conducted. Great Ocean Walk between Apollo Bay and Glenample, Further highlights of the education programs in 2002–03 included: including the construction of 12 kilometres of new track in • the development of a comprehensive marine education kit Otway National Park, 2 km of new track in Port Campbell (to be released in 2003–04) National Park, the upgrading of 23 km of track in Otway National Park and signage • information sessions on the new marine national parks and marine sanctuaries • the commissioning of a wastewater treatment plant at Tidal River (Wilsons Promontory National Park) to provide potable • an expansion of the marine program at the Wilsons water to campers – this will meet the requirements of the Promontory Education Centre to include materials relating Safe Drinking Water Act 2003 to marine national parks and marine sanctuaries • building restoration at Wilsons Promontory Lightstation • the provision of extensive professional development programs (Wilsons Promontory National Park). for teachers through conference and workshops, including those hosted by the Department of Education and Training, An Asset Management System (AMS) was implemented and a Geography Teachers Association of Victoria, Science Teachers staged roll-out of the system commenced. The AMS proved vital Association of Victoria and Australian Council of Health and in post-fire evaluation of visitor assets in the affected areas of Physical Education
Table 4 – National park education programs – student numbers Dandenong Ranges NP Grampians NP Wilsons Promontory NP Total Total fee-paying 1 085 3 292 6 852 11 229 student numbers
16 parks. It is being used to program works for critical risk assets Visits to parks across the state. The Visitor Number Monitor survey system was introduced in Access and risk management September 2001. Its key objective is to monitor the number of The safety of park visitors is a paramount objective of Parks visits to national and other parks and to report on change and Victoria. With a diverse range of park settings and recreational trends in visitation numbers. It is a broad-based community survey activities to manage, and an ageing suite of park facilities and using a sample of 12 000 people (7200 from Victoria, 4000 from infrastructure to maintain, a broad ranging and systematic interstate (NSW and South Australia) and 800 international approach to visitor safety has been developed. visitors). The samples are used to extrapolate visitation from the surveyed population to parks. Surveys are conducted continuously As described in the Wildfire section of this report, there was throughout the year with Australian residents interviewed by considerable work carried out during and after the Victorian telephone and international visitors interviewed face-to-face at Alpine Fires to assess the safety of visitor facilities, including Melbourne Airport, prior to exiting Australia. roads and tracks and picnic and camping areas. Some facilities remained closed to visitors, awaiting works after the 2003 winter. It was estimated that 24.9 million visits were made to parks under the Act during 2002–03. Factors including the fires, which resulted Risk management works undertaken during the year included in the closure of Mount Buffalo National Park and large parts of risk mitigation works in the Grampians National Park (Boroka the Alpine National Park for several weeks, and the collapse of the Lookout) and on elevated structures in Croajingolong and Arthurs Seat chairlift impacted on the total visits for the year. Mount Buffalo national parks.
Arthurs Seat chairlift Licensed tour operators The Arthurs Seat chairlift, in Arthurs Seat State Park, is a well Licensed tour operators continued to play a key role in facilitating known Victorian tourist attraction used by up to 100 000 access to public land, promoting its values and appropriate use visitors per year. Part of the chairlift collapsed on 3 January and encouraging tourism and recreation in Victoria. 2003, injuring 14 people. This had a significant impact on As at 30 June 2003, 193 tour operators were licensed to conduct tourism and visits to the summit of Arthurs Seat in the second guided activities in areas managed under the Act. This figure is half of the year. less than last year, a key factor being the increased cost and The Worksafe report on the collapse concluded that the cause difficulty of obtaining public liability insurance. Operators conducting was corrosion of anchor bolts due to initial poor design and activities in parks involving ropes, water or horses appear to be installation. The operating and maintenance systems in place having the most difficulty in obtaining suitable public liability did not contribute to the collapse. Parks Victoria has worked insurance. Licensed tour operators were given the option of with the operator to reconstruct the facility with the aim of suspending their licences until 31 December 2003, to assist in recommencing operations in December 2003. their decision on whether to continue in the industry.
Access to Parks Program From 16 November 2002, tourism operators using the 24 new marine national parks and marine sanctuaries were required to A condition survey report focusing on approximately 830 kilometres hold a tour operator permit under the Act. Parks Victoria is of priority roads in areas managed under the Act was finalised continuing to work with the tourism industry to facilitate a in December 2002. This report will assist in prioritising future smooth transition for this important industry sector. road renewal and maintenance works across the parks system. The Victorian Alpine Fires highlighted the important role that The long-term program aimed at improving park access roads parks and other public land play in tourism. The fires affected continued. VicRoads funding was allocated to major park access 64 licensed tour operators overall. Parks Victoria and DSE road projects in Chiltern-Mt Pilot, Grampians, Greater Bendigo, worked closely with the Victorian Tourism Operators Association Lake Eildon and Yarra Ranges national parks and Cathedral and the tourism industry on the bushfire recovery effort and Ranges, Lerderderg and Werribee Gorge state parks. encouraging visitors to return to the fire-affected regions, Four Wheel Drive Program including the affected parks. Forums were conducted with Four Wheel Drive Program funding was allocated to projects in operators and the tourism industry, including a two-day Croajingolong, Greater Bendigo, Hattah-Kulkyne, Lake Eildon, workshop at Dinner Plain for fire-affected tour operators Little Desert, Mount Eccles, Wyperfeld and Yarra Ranges focusing on interpreting the impacts of the fires. national parks, Angahook-Lorne, Carlisle, Cathedral Range, Several tour operators affected by the fires were employed by Mount Arapiles-Tooan and Mount Samaria state parks and Lake Parks Victoria to assist in the assessment of visitor sites in the Albacutya Park. These projects enabled four wheel drive access Alpine National Park. This provided an experienced resource to to be maintained and environmental outcomes to be improved Parks Victoria, some income for the operators and, for both by upgrading track surfaces, improving drainage and repairing parties, an enhanced appreciation and understanding of the creek crossings and bridges. bushfire recovery effort.
17 Supporting park management
Wilsons Promontory National Park
Park management arrangements Finance The Secretary to the Department of Sustainability and Expenditure for 2002–03 in relation to areas managed under Environment is responsible under the Act for ensuring that the the Act was $69.7 million (Table 5), compared with $65.4 parks and other areas are controlled and managed in million for 2001–02. This excludes the 2002–03 fire suppression accordance with the Act. costs. The variance is due to increased salary and operating costs, largely resulting from a number of initiatives, including Parks Victoria, established under the Parks Victoria Act 1998, is the new marine national parks and box-ironbark areas and responsible through a management agreement for managing annual salary increases in accordance with enterprise bargaining the parks and other areas under the Act on behalf of the agreements. The Asset Investment Program funds both land Secretary. There are also delegations of various of the Minister’s acquisitions and capital works, which vary from year to year, and Secretary’s powers to particular employees of Parks Victoria. depending on the availability of funding and priorities. Parks Victoria’s annual report for 2002–03 provides detailed information on its operations for the year. Staff DSE, on behalf of the Secretary, is responsible for overseeing the As at 30 June 2003 Parks Victoria had 997 direct employees arrangements with Parks Victoria and also provides strategic comprising 886 ongoing staff, 43 fixed-term staff and 68 casual policy advice to the Minister and the Secretary. Under the Act, staff. Parks Victoria manages a wide range of areas, including the Director of National Parks (who is the Chief Executive all of the parks and other areas under the Act, conservation Officer of Parks Victoria) provides advice to the Minister and the reserves, regional and metropolitan parks as well as aspects of Secretary about the operational elements of park management. the bays and waterways around Melbourne. Several staff work The park management services to be provided by Parks Victoria in more than one type of area. in 2002–03 were developed collaboratively by staff from DSE It is estimated that 250 rangers (including 24 chief rangers) and and Parks Victoria and were included in Parks Victoria’s 90 field services officers were engaged in managing areas under 2002–03 business plan. The increased focus on the natural the Act as at 30 June 2003. There were 29 ongoing Indigenous values management program was maintained. However, as a staff working in areas managed under the Act. Additional staff result of the fires, there was a significant redirection of effort to were appointed during the year to the expanded box-ironbark fire recovery operations. parks and new marine national parks and marine sanctuaries.
Table 5 – 2002–03 expenditure ($’000) for National Parks Act areas Organisation Salaries Operating Asset Investment Other* Total & on-costs Program Parks Directorate, DSE 1 985 2 576 1 265 13 485 19 311 Parks Victoria 24 621 18 340 4 903 2 512 50 376 Total 26 606 20 916 6 168 15 997 69 687 * Other expenses include: – Parks Directorate, DSE capital asset charge, depreciation – Parks Victoria community grants, environmental initiative, environmental research and strategy initiative, Good Neighbour Program, Rabbit Buster Program, road and track maintenance (Four Wheel Drive Program, VicRoads) 18 The seasonal ranger program was run again during the year, (amendments to the Extractive Industries Development Act with 40 rangers based in areas managed under the Act. An 1995 and the Mineral Resources Development Act 1990 additional 45 rangers and field services staff were employed to prohibit stone and mineral exploration and extraction). assist with capacity during the anticipated difficult fire season. The Fisheries Act was also amended to create a compensation Various staff from DSE (particularly the former Parks Flora and scheme for eligible commercial fishing licensees (rock lobster Fauna Division) and DPI (particularly fisheries officers, who and other specified access licence holders) and charter boat contributed significantly to enforcement programs in the new operators affected by the marine national parks and marine marine national parks and marine sanctuaries) contributed to sanctuaries. the parks program. National Parks (Box-Ironbark and Other Amendments) International Rangers Federation World Congress Act 2002 (No. 50/2002) In March 2003 the Fourth International Rangers Federation This amending Act received the Royal Assent on 29 October World Congress was held at Wilsons Promontory National Park. 2002 and came into operation on 30 October 2002. The Organised by the Victorian Rangers Association, it was attended changes to the parks system in the box-ironbark region and at by 204 delegates from 36 countries. The theme was Rangers at Mitchell River and Wilsons Promontory national parks are Work – Improving the Practice. The conference focused on summarised in the Representative system section of this report. back-to-basics – practical skills for rangers in managing In relation to the box-ironbark parks, specific amendments were protected areas. Parks Victoria was the major sponsor of this made to the National Parks Act to: very successful event. • phase-out licensed timber harvesting, eucalyptus oil Legislation harvesting and grazing in particular parks by specified dates Significant amendments to the Act and two new sets of • provide transitional arrangements for existing apiary licences regulations were made during the year, as described below. under various Acts and for existing water distribution works and dams National Parks (Marine National Parks and Marine • enable the licensing of water distribution works and existing Sanctuaries) Act 2002 (No. 40/2002) dams in three parks, and consent to be given for the taking This amending Act received the Royal Assent on 18 June 2002. of water and associated works in Broken-Boosey State Park It came into operation on 16 November 2002, when 13 highly • enable the designation of areas for prospecting and protected marine national parks and 11 marine sanctuaries gemstone seeking using hand tools in most of the parks were created along Victoria’s coast, as described in the Representative system section of this report. • enable the granting of rights of access through particular parks for abutting landowners and permit the carriage of The National Parks Act was amended to establish a strong firmarms through Reef Hills State Park management and enforcement framework for marine national • provide for particular arrangements relating to mineral parks and marine sanctuaries. It now includes provisions in exploration and mining, most connected to the possibility relation to marine national parks and marine sanctuaries which: of mining under particular park areas (as recommended by • specify the Secretary’s functions in relation to their the ECC) management and control – the lower limit of parts of Greater Bendigo National Park • prohibit recreational and commercial fishing, aquaculture and the whole of Castlemaine Diggings National Heritage and the carriage of priority species (abalone and rock lobster) Park and Deep Lead Nature Conservation Reserve (NCR) on board a boat (except in certain circumstances) and apply (No. 1) extend to 100 metres below the land surface the proceedings and enforcement provisions of the Fisheries – the Minister is able to consent to the granting of new Act 1995 to the fishing related offences under the National exploration licences over parts of Greater Bendigo National Parks Act. The Act provides for fishing to cease in Cape Park should the existing licences expire and not be renewed Howe, Corner Inlet, Discovery Bay and Twelve Apostles – the Minister is able to consent to minor mining marine national parks and the remainder of Point Cooke infrastructure in specified parts of Greater Bendigo National Marine Sanctuary on 1 April 2004 Park and in Deep Lead NCR (No. 1) (areas which extend to • provide for specific matters at Cape Howe and Point Hicks only 100 metres below the land surface) marine national parks – any consent to an exploration licence over parts of Greater • require permits to take fish or fishing bait for research, study Bendigo National Park or a minor mining infrastructure or investigation licence over parts of that park or Deep Lead NCR (No. 1) • empower authorised officers to direct illegal activities under is to be tabled in Parliament but will not be subject to the Act to cease in a marine national park or marine sanctuary disallowance • prohibit petroleum exploration, pipelines and seafloor cables – surface mining and prospecting is prohibited in Deep Lead (except in certain circumstances) and petroleum extraction NCR (No. 1). 19 Castlemaine Diggings National Heritage Park (which is included Agreements and other authorities on Schedule Four and to which only specified sections of the Agreement for timber harvesting in Barmah State Park Act apply) is deemed to be restricted Crown land under the The agreement under section 25B of the Act which authorised Mineral Resources Development Act, rather than an area to timber harvesting in Barmah State Park expired on 30 June which section 40 of the National Parks Act applies. 2003. Timber harvesting has now ceased in the park. The Act was also amended to: Consents to public authorities • require reports to be prepared for any new national or state The following consents were granted under section 27 of the park and the national and state parks covered by the Act to enable public authorities (as defined in the Act) to carry amending Act setting out the priorities for park management out works, subject to conditions, in the specified parks: and the funding allocated, and the reports to be independently assessed and tabled in Parliament • Mornington Peninsula National Park – for Telstra Corporation Ltd to operate a pre-existing telecommunications network • phase out a grazing licence over part of the addition to base station at Sorrento Mitchell River National Park • Wilsons Promontory National Park – for Telstra Corporation • continue five leases granted to the Australian Maritime Safety Ltd to upgrade an existing telecommunications facility at Authority and the Commonwealth of Australia (Bureau of Mount Oberon. Meteorology) over small areas at the two lighthouse reserves added to Wilsons Promontory National Park, and enable new Consents to exploration leases to be granted on their expiry. Consents were given during the year under section 40 of the National Parks (Point Hicks Marine National Park) Act (and tabled in both Houses of Parliament and not Regulations 2002 (S.R. No. 108/2002) disallowed) in relation to the following parks: These regulations came into operation on 16 November 2002. • Chiltern Box-Ironbark National Park (former) – consent to the They prescribe the conditions of approvals by the Minister for renewal of exploration licences 3281 and 3776 under the persons in possession or charge of boats to be in Point Hicks Mineral Resources Development Act to enable mineral Marine National Park while carrying priority species (abalone exploration in parts of the park and rock lobster). • Lower Glenelg National Park – consent to petroleum exploration in parts of the park under petroleum exploration National Parks (Park) Regulations 2003 (S.R. No. 74/2003) permit 151 granted under the Petroleum Act 1995. These regulations came into operation on 28 June 2003. They replace the Park Regulations 1992 and the Park (Catchment Leases Protection) Regulations 1997. Their development during the The following leases were granted under various sections of year involved consultation with stakeholders and the the Act: consideration of comments received on a Regulatory Impact • Lower Glenelg National Park – lease granted under section Statement, which was released for public comment in April 19(2)(b) for the operation and/or maintenance of public 2003. recreation and camping areas, cabin accommodation, cave The regulations aim to promote in parks: tours, food kiosk and visitor information centre at Princess Margaret Rose Caves • the preservation and protection of flora, fauna, indigenous fish and features of natural, scenic, archaeological, ecological, • Port Campbell National Park – lease granted under section geological, historic or scientific interest or significance 25A for the operation of a pre-existing Girl Guide Association of Victoria camp at Sherbrook River • the protection of buildings, structures, permanent works, facilities and amenities • Arthurs Seat State Park – lease granted under section 32CA in relation to the chairlift. • the protection of designated water supply catchment areas and other water supply catchment areas Permits • the safety, enjoyment, recreation and education of visitors The following permits were among those granted under the Act • the preservation of good order. in relation to particular parks: • Mornington Peninsula National Park – for transport service, They also prescribe the travelling fees and other allowances to entrance fee collection and food services at Point Nepean be paid to members of the National Parks Advisory Council and any park advisory committees appointed under section 14, and • Mornington Peninsula National Park – for storage and prescribe the proceedings of advisory committees. maintenance of transport vehicles at Point Nepean.
National competition policy review This review, which was due to be completed during the year, will be completed in 2003–04.
20 Enforcement The Australian Alps Cooperative Management Program There were 11 individuals prosecuted for committing 18 alleged The Australian Alps National Parks Memorandum of offences under the Act or the Park Regulations 1992 during the Understanding (MOU) between the conservation Ministers of year. The main offences related to the carriage or use of a gun Victoria, New South Wales, Australian Capital Territory and the in a park (8) and the taking of fish other than for sale in a Commonwealth aims to promote cross-border cooperation in marine national park or marine sanctuary (6). the protection and management of all of the Australian Alps national parks. The program is recognised as an international A total of 250 Penalty Infringement Notices was issued example of cross-border management and cooperation. during the year for infringements against the Act or the Park Regulations 1992 in areas under the Act. These required the The Australian Alps Ministerial Council met on 23 May 2003, payment of $22 580 in fines. The most common offences were: when a new MOU was signed by the four Ministers. Baw Baw National Park was added to the schedule of areas covered by • bringing a dog into, or allowing a dog to remain in, a park the MOU, which now also recognises the need to further involve except in accordance with the regulations (76) Indigenous communities in the management of the Alps. • bringing a vehicle into a park or an area of a park which is closed to vehicles (47) Other resolutions passed at the meeting related to: • entering an area, road or track in a park which is set aside for • the adoption of a set of fire management principles for the a particular purpose (40) Australian Alps protected area system and the need for conservation agencies and relevant fire authorities of each • entering or remaining upon any part of the designated water jurisdiction to work closely together to ensure a coherent and supply catchment area in Yarra Ranges National Park (28) strategic approach to fire management across the Australian • lighting or maintaining a fire except as prescribed (19). Alps protected area system In addition, warning advisory notices were issued to 151 • the establishment of a tri-state expert scientific panel offenders in relation to 155 offences. Of the total number of • the adoption, where possible, of a common approach to offences, 142 occurred in marine national parks and marine management plans sanctuaries, including 71 in Port Phillip Heads Marine National • agreement to cooperate on an assessment of the Alps for Park and 36 in Ricketts Point Marine Sanctuary. nomination to the National Heritage List. There was considerable enforcement effort in connection with Parks Victoria, along with conservation agencies from the other the new marine national parks and marine sanctuaries. Fisheries jurisdictions, contributed to the program by funding grants to officers in DPI played a major role. the Australian Alps Liaison Committee for works across the Alps. Interstate cooperation Parks Victoria staff played an active role in managing projects within the Recreation and Tourism, Community Relations, Best practice in park management Natural Heritage and Cultural Heritage working groups. The Committee on National Parks and Protected Area Management under the Land, Water and Biodiversity A workshop in May 2003 explored practical ways to integrate Committee of the Natural Resource Management Ministerial management planning across the Australian Alps protected area Council aims to provide an inter-governmental mechanism for system in Victoria, NSW and the ACT. identifying and resolving park and protected area management The year included the second half of the United Nations issues at a national level across Australia and New Zealand. International Year of Mountains 2002, which was declared to A report on public participation in protected area management increase awareness of the importance of mountain regions and (led by Northern Territory) and a review of current approaches their sustainable management. A major International Year of to performance measurement in protected area management Mountains conference Celebrating Mountains was held in (led by Queensland) were approved during the year. Work Jindabyne NSW in November 2002 and attended by Australian continued on finalising a report on the use of fire for ecological and overseas participants. purposes (led by South Australia). Victoria continued to update The large fires that burnt through much of the Victorian Alps reports on national data standards for protected area visitation and East Gippsland also affected the Australian Alps in NSW and on staff training. The report on staff training was accepted and the ACT. and circulated to all parks agencies. The reports on best practice endorsed by the committee can be found on the website
21 Advisory bodies The membership of the Committee as at 30 June 2003 was National Parks Advisory Council as follows: The main functions of the National Parks Advisory Council are Convenor: Mr Geoff Provis to advise the Minister generally in relation to the administration Members: Mr Robert Arnold (replaced Mr Ray Leivers on of the Act and on particular matters on which its advice is 4 November 2002) required under the Act or is sought by the Minister. The Mr Don Cummins Council’s annual report for 2002–03 provides additional Mr Geoff Dinning information on the Council and its operations during the year. Dr Claire Garrett Mr Jack Hicks The Council comprises the Secretary (or his nominee), the Mr Phil Ingamells Director of National Parks (who is the Chief Executive Officer of Dr Ruth Lawrence Parks Victoria) and eight non-government members. Its Dr Mick Lumb membership as at 30 June 2003 was as follows: Mr Allan Marsland Convenor: Mr Arnis Heislers Mr Tim Matheson Members: Mr Tim Allen Mr Ken O’Connor Mrs Debra Bray Ms Jan Palmer Mr John Burley (Secretary’s nominee) Mrs Sue Reynolds Mr Tom Guthrie Mrs Deirdre Slattery Mr Ian Harris Mr Doug Stevenson. Ms Jan Palmer Other park advisory committees Mrs Deirdre Slattery Mr Mark Stone (Director of National Parks) Section 14 of the Act enables the Minister to establish advisory Dr Barbara Wilson. committees to make recommendations to the Secretary relating to the care and control of a park or parks. There were no such Alpine Advisory Committee committees in existence as at 30 June 2003. Parks Victoria has The Alpine Advisory Committee advises the Minister on various established several separate advisory groups to assist it in its matters relating to the Alpine National Park. During the year it management of particular parks. advised on the transfer of three grazing licences and the replacement of Lovicks Hut.
The Minister appointed a new committee on 11 July 2002, following the expiry of the membership of the previous committee on 31 March 2002.
22 Appendix 1 Land managed under the National Parks Act
A. National parks (Schedule Two) B. Wilderness parks (Schedule Two A) Area (ha) Area (ha) Area (ha) Area (ha) as at as at as at as at National park 30 June 2002 30 June 2003 Wilderness park 30 June 2002 30 June 2003 1. Alfred 3 050 3 050 1. Avon 39 650 39 650 2. Alpine 660 550 660 550 2. Big Desert 142 300 142 300 3. Baw Baw 13 530 13 530 3. Wabba 20 100 20 100 4. Brisbane Ranges 7 718 7 718 Total – Wilderness parks 202 050 202 050 5. Burrowa-Pine Mountain 18 400 18 400 – Chiltern Box-Ironbark 4 320 *– 6. Chiltern-Mt Pilot – *21 565 C. State parks (Schedule Two B) 7. Churchill 271 271 Area (ha) Area (ha) 8. Coopracambra 38 800 38 800 as at as at 9. Croajingolong 87 500 +87 500 State park 30 June 2002 30 June 2003 10. Dandenong Ranges 3 215 3 215 1. Angahook-Lorne 21 359 21 359 11. Errinundra 26 875 26 875 2. Arthurs Seat 572 572 + 12. French Island 11 100 11 100 3. Barmah 7 900 7 900 13. Grampians 167 219 167 219 4. Black Range 11 700 11 700 # 14. Greater Bendigo – *16 984 5. Broken-Boosey – *1 030 15. Hattah-Kulkyne 48 000 48 000 6. Bunyip 16 560 16 560 16. Heathcote-Graytown – *12 700 7. Cape Nelson 210 210 17. Kinglake 21 600 21 600 8. Carlisle 5 600 5 600 18. Lake Eildon 27 750 27 750 9. Cathedral Range 3 616 3 616 19. Lind 1 370 1 370 10. Dergholm 10 400 10 400 20. Little Desert 132 647 132 647 11. Enfield 4 400 4 400 21. Lower Glenelg 27 300 27 300 12. Holey Plains 10 641 10 641 22. Mitchell River 11 900 * ^14 250 + – Kamarooka 7 367 *– 23. Mornington Peninsula 2 686 2 686 24. Morwell 396 396 – Kara Kara 3 868 *– 25. Mount Buffalo 31 000 31 000 13. Kooyoora 3 593 *11 350 26. Mount Eccles 5 470 5 470 14. Langi Ghiran 2 695 2 695 27. Mount Richmond 1 733 1 733 15. Leaghur 1 580 1 580 28. Murray-Sunset 633 000 633 000 16. Lerderderg 14 250 14 250 29. Organ Pipes 134 134 17. Melba Gully 65 65 30. Otway 12 900 +12 900 18. Moondarra 6 292 6 292 31. Port Campbell 1 750 +1 750 19. Mount Arapiles-Tooan 5 061 5 061 32. Snowy River 98 700 98 700 20. Mount Buangor 2 400 2 400 33. St Arnaud Range – *13 900 21. Mount Granya 6 140 6 140 34. Tarra-Bulga 1 522 1 522 22. Mount Lawson 13 150 13 150 35. Terrick Terrick 3 770 *3 880 23. Mount Napier 2 800 2 800 36. The Lakes 2 390 2 390 24. Mount Samaria 7 600 7 600 + 37. Wilsons Promontory 49 000 * 49 049 25. Mount Worth 1 040 1 040 38. Wyperfeld 357 017 357 017 26. Paddys Ranges 1 675 *2 010 39. Yarra Ranges 76 003 76 003 27. Reef Hills – *2 020 Total – National parks 2 590 586 2 653 924 28. Warby Range 7 600 *11 460 * Change occurred on 30 October 2002 29. Warrandyte 676 676 + Area includes the area of the national park located beneath a marine national park 30. Werribee Gorge 575 575 # Parts of Greater Bendigo NP extend to only 100 metres below the land surface – Whipstick 2 303 *– ^ Addition includes a 190 ha adjustment arising from a re-calculation of the original park area Total – State parks 183 688 185 152 * Change occurred on 30 October 2002
23 Appendix 1 continued
Land managed under the National Parks Act
D. Other parks (Schedule Three) E. Other parks and reserves (Schedule Four) Area (ha) Area (ha) Area (ha) Area (ha) as at as at as at as at Other park 30 June 2002 30 June 2003 Other park or reserve 30 June 2002 30 June 2003 1. Bay of Islands CP 950 950 1. Bunurong MP 1 660 +1 660 2. Beechworth HP 1 130 1 080 2. Castlemaine-Diggings# – *7 500 3. Cape Conran CP 11 700 11 700 3. Corner Inlet MCP 18 000 +18 000 4. Cape Liptrap CP 4 175 4 175 4. Deep Lead NCR (No. 1)^# 1 120 1 120 5. Discovery Bay CP 10 460 +10 460 5. Nooramunga MCP 15 000 15 000 6. Gippsland Lakes CP 17 600 17 600 6. Shallow Inlet MCP 2 000 2 000 7. Haining Farm 66 66 7. Wilsons Promontory MP ) 8. Lake Albacutya Park 8 300 8 300 8. Wilsons Promontory MR ) 10 000 +10 000 9. Langwarrin FFR 214 214 Total – Other parks and reserves 47 780 55 280
10. Lysterfield Lake Park 1 397 1 397 NHP National Heritage Park 11. Murray-Kulkyne Park 3 530 3 530 MCP Marine and Coastal Park MP Marine Park – Reef Hills Park 2 040 *– MR Marine Reserve NCR Nature Conservation Reserve 12. Steiglitz HP 469 469 + Area includes the area of the park or reserve located beneath a marine 13. Tyers Park 1 810 1 810 national park # Castlemaine Diggings NHP and Deep Lead NCR (No. 1) extend to 100 14. Woodlands HP 704 704 metres below the land surface * Change occurred on 30 October 2002 Total – Other parks 64 545 62 455 ^ Formerly known as Deep Lead Flora and Fauna Reserve
CP Coastal Park FFR Flora and Fauna Reserve HP Historic Park * Change occurred on 30 October 2002 + Area includes the area of the park located beneath a marine national park
F. Wilderness zones (Schedule Five)
Wilderness zones are located within several national parks, as set out below. The areas of the wilderness zones are included in the areas of the relevant parks in Part A of this appendix. Area (ha) Area (ha) as at as at National park Wilderness zone 30 June 2002 30 June 2003 1. Murray-Sunset Sunset 126 900 126 900 2. Murray-Sunset Minook 38 700 38 700 3. Murray-Sunset Galpunga 35 700 35 700 4. Murray-Sunset Mount Cowra 23 500 23 500 5. Wyperfeld North Wyperfeld 97 900 97 900 6. Wyperfeld South Wyperfeld 61 300 61 300 7. Wyperfeld Chinaman Flat 29 800 29 800 8. Alpine Mount Darling-Snowy Bluff 40 400 40 400 9. Alpine Razor-Viking 15 700 15 700 10. Alpine Indi 13 800 13 800 11. Alpine Cobberas 10 000 10 000 12. Alpine Buchan Headwaters 30 000 30 000 13. Alpine Tingaringy 7 900 7 900 14. Snowy River Snowy River 27 000 27 000 15. Snowy River Bowen 17 500 17 500 16. Coopracambra Genoa 19 400 19 400 17. Croajingolong Sandpatch 15 600 15 600 18. Croajingolong Cape Howe 7 100 7 100 19. Wilsons Promontory Wilsons Promontory 21 800 21 800 Total – Wilderness zones 640 000 640 000
24 G. Remote and natural areas (Schedule Six)
Remote and natural areas are located within several national parks, as set out below. The areas of the remote and natural areas are included in the areas of the relevant parks in Part A of this appendix. Area (ha) Area (ha) as at as at National Park Remote and natural area 30 June 2002 30 June 2003 1. Murray-Sunset South Sunset 24 000 24 000 2. Wyperfeld Hopping Mouse Hill 32 100 32 100 3. Little Desert Little Desert 16 400 16 400 4. Grampians Victoria Range 14 000 14 000 5. Grampians Serra Range 11 200 11 200 6. Grampians Major Mitchell Plateau 6 900 6 900 7. Baw Baw Baw Baw Plateau 6 500 6 500 8. Alpine The Governors 8 100 8 100 9. Alpine Macalister 33 300 33 300 10. Alpine Dandongadale 3 700 3 700 11. Alpine Bundara-Cobungra 13 700 13 700 12. Alpine Bogong 16 300 16 300 13. Alpine Davies Plain 10 500 10 500 14. Alpine Suggan Buggan 17 800 17 800 15. Alpine Upper Snowy 11 800 11 800 16. Mount Buffalo North Buffalo 6 500 6 500 17. Burrowa-Pine Mountain Mount Burrowa #6 200 #6 200 18. Errinundra Brodribb 7 700 7 700 19. Coopracambra Mount Kaye 8 100 8 100 20. Croajingolong Rame Head 9 800 9 800 21. Wilsons Promontory Wilsons Promontory Islands (12) 450 *469 22. Wilsons Promontory Southern Wilsons Promontory – *14 400 Total – Remote and natural areas 265 050 279 469
# Stated incorrectly in the Act as 6500 ha * Change occurred on 30 October 2002
H. Marine national parks (Schedule Seven) I. Marine sanctuaries (Schedule Eight) Area (ha) Area (ha) Area (ha) Area (ha) as at as at as at as at Marine national park* 30 June 2002 30 June 2003 Marine sanctuary* 30 June 2002 30 June 2003 1. Bunurong – 2 100 1. Barwon Bluff – 17 2. Cape Howe – 4 050 2. Beware Reef – 220 3. Churchill Island – 670 3. Eagle Rock – 17 4. Corner Inlet – 1 550 4. Jawbone – 30 5. Discovery Bay – 2 770 5. Marengo Reefs – 12 6. French Island – 2 800 6. Merri – 25 7. Ninety Mile Beach – 2 750 7. Mushroom Reef – 80 8. Point Addis – 4 600 8. Point Cooke – 290 9. Point Hicks – 4 000 9. Point Danger – 25 10. Port Phillip Heads – 3 580 10. Ricketts Point – 115 11. Twelve Apostles – 7 500 11. The Arches – 45 12. Wilsons Promontory – 15 550 Total – Marine sanctuaries – 876
13. Yaringa – 980 * All marine sanctuaries were created on 16 November 2002. Total – Marine national parks – 52 900
* Marine national parks extend to 200 metres below the land surface and some partly overlay parts of other parks under the Act. All marine national parks were created on 16 November 2002. 25 Appendix 1 continued
Land managed under the National Parks Act
J. Other areas (non-scheduled) Area (ha) Area (ha) Section as at as at Area of Act 30 June 2002 30 June 2003 1. Bald Hills BR 19B 1 1 2. Collins Settlement Historic Site 19B 1 1 3. Flinders NCR 19B 1 1 4. Flinders Natural Interest Reserve 19B 4 4 5. Johanna BR 19B 64 64 6. Long Forest NCR 19B 283 283 7. Lower Glenelg PPR and SLR 19B 24 24 8. Main Ridge NCR 19B 64 64 9. Moreep BR 19B 10 10 10. Nyerimilang Park 19B 200 200 11. Recreation Reserve, Otway 19B 1 1 12. Wychitella NCR 19B 3 780 3 780 13. Mount St Gwinear access road 19C 35 35 14. Commonwealth land adjacent to Woodlands Historic Park 19D 31 31 15. Loch Ard and Cape Otway public cemeteries 32 1 1 16. Glenample Homestead 32AA 8 8 Total – Other areas 4 508 4 508
BR Bushland Reserve NCR Nature Conservation Reserve (previously known as Flora Reserve or Flora and Fauna Reserve) PPR Public Purposes Reserve SLR Scenic Lookout Reserve Only specific sections of the Act apply to these areas.
Summary – land managed under the National Parks Act Area (ha) Area (ha) as at as at Category Number 30 June 2002 30 June 2003 National parks (Schedule Two) 39 2 590 586 2 653 924 Wilderness parks (Schedule Two A) 3 202 050 202 050 State parks (Schedule Two B) 30 183 688 185 152 Other parks (Schedule Three) 14 64 545 62 455 Other parks and reserves (Schedule Four) 8 47 780 55 280 Marine national parks (Schedule Seven) 13 – 52 900 Marine sanctuaries (Schedule Eight) 11 – 876 Other areas (non-scheduled) 16 4 508 4 508 Total 134 3 093 157 3 217 145
Unproclaimed areas
Legislation provides for the following future additions to the parks system. Act/park Section of Act Area (ha) National Parks (Amendment) Act 1989 1. Moondarra State Park 29(3) 178 National Parks (Yarra Ranges and Other Amendments) Act 1995 2. Melba Gully State Park 31(b) *8 National Parks (Box-Ironbark and Other Parks) Act 2002 3. Greater Bendigo National Park 50K *16 Total – unproclaimed areas 202
* Areas will become part of the park on transfer of title to the Crown.
26 Appendix 2 Pest plant control projects
Pest plant control projects Park Target species Alpine NP Blackberry, Cape Broom, English Broom, Paterson’s Curse, Spear Thistle, St John’s Wort, Sweet Briar, Sycamore Maple Angahook-Lorne SP Bluebell Creeper, Boneseed, Bridal Creeper, Bushy Needlewood, Cape Broom, Coast Wattle, Flax- leaved Broom, Ivy, Monterey Pine, Sweet Pittosporum, Arthurs Seat SP Blackberry, Bluebell Creeper, Boneseed, English Broom, Monterey Pine, Sallow Wattle, Slender Thistle, Spanish Heath, Sweet Pittosporum Barmah SP Horehound, Paterson’s Curse, Prairies Ground Cherry Baw Baw NP Blackberry, Cape Broom, English Broom Beechworth Park Blackberry, Cape Broom Brisbane Ranges NP Monterey Pine, Sallow Wattle, Serrated Tussock, Sharp Rush Bunurong MP Blackberry, Bluebell Creeper, Cape Broom Bunyip SP Banana Passionfruit, Blackberry, English Broom, Holly, Ragwort, Spanish Heath, Weeping Willow Burrowa-Pine Mountain NP Blackberry Cape Liptrap CP Apple of Sodom, Blackberry, Boxthorn, Shore Thistle Cathedral Range SP Blackberry, Tutsan Croajingolong NP Blackberry, Cape Ivy Dandenong Ranges NP Blackberry, Cape Broom, Cestrum, Himalayan Honeysuckle, Holly, Karamu, Sweet Pittosporum Deep Lead NCR (No. 1) Bridal Creeper, Flax-leaved Broom, Horehound Dergholm SP Cape Tulip (two-leaf), Paterson’s Curse, St John’s Wort Discovery Bay CP Boneseed, Boxthorn French Island NP Blackberry, Boneseed, Cape Tulip (two-leaf), Cluster Pine, Perennial Veldt Grass, Southern Mahogany, Sweet Pittosporum, Townsends Cord-grass Grampians NP Blackberry, Blue Periwinkle, Bridal Creeper, Sallow Wattle, White Arum Lily Hattah-Kulkyne NP Bridal Creeper, Prickly Pear (erect) Holey Plains SP Blackberry, Ragwort Lake Eildon NP Blackberry, Blue Periwinkle, Cape Broom, English Broom, Hawthorn, Hemlock, Horehound, Paterson’s Curse, Purple-top Verbena, St John’s Wort, Sweet Briar Langi Ghiran SP Cootamundra Wattle Langwarrin FFR Sallow Wattle Lerderderg SP Blackberry, Gorse Little Desert NP Bridal Creeper, Horehound, Malta Thistle Lower Glenelg NP Monterey Pine, Tufted Honey-flower Lysterfield Lake Park Blackberry, Boneseed, Bridal Creeper, Cape Ivy, Japanese Honeysuckle, Sweet Pittosporum, Watsonia Mitchell River NP Blackberry, Chilean Cestrum, Ragwort Mornington Peninsula NP Artichoke Thistle, Blackberry, Boneseed, Bridal Creeper, Climbing Dock, Coast Tea-tree, Coast Wattle, Cotoneaster, Italian Buckthorn, Ivy, Myrtle-leaf Milkwort, Nightshade, Ragwort, Sea Spurge, Spear Thistle, Sweet Pittosporum Mount Araplies-Tooan SP Bridal Creeper Mount Buangor SP Early Black Wattle Mount Buffalo NP Blackberry, Himalayan Honeysuckle Mount Samaria SP Blackberry, Paterson’s Curse Mount Worth SP Ragwort Organ Pipes NP Serrated Tussock Otway NP Ragwort Port Campbell NP Blackberry, Ragwort
27 Appendix 2 continued
Pest plant control projects
Park Target species Reef Hills SP Horehound, Paterson’s Curse, St John’s Wort Shallow Inlet MCP Blackberry, Dipogon Snowy River NP Blackberry, Ox-eye Daisy, St John’s Wort Terrick Terrick NP Boxthorn, Bridal Creeper, Horehound, Paterson’s Curse, Soursob Warby Range SP Blackberry, Boxthorn, Horehound, Paterson’s Curse, St John’s Wort Werribee Gorge SP Horehound, Paterson’s Curse, Spear Thistle Wilsons Promontory NP Blackberry, Blue Periwinkle, Californian Thistle, Coast Tea-tree, Coast Wattle, Slender Thistle, Spear Thistle, Twiggy Mullein, White Arum Lily Woodlands HP Chilean Spear-grass, Serrated Tussock Wyperfeld NP Boneseed, Boxthorn, Caltrop, Camel Melon, Gentle Annie, Horehound, Paddy Melon, Paterson’s Curse, Silverleaf Nightshade Yarra Ranges NP Apple of Sodom, Blackberry, Cherry Laurel, Grey Sallow, Holly, Ivy, Japanese Honeysuckle, Monterey Pine, Montbretia, Spear Thistle, Sweet Pittosporum, St John’s Wort CP Coastal Park FFR Flora and Fauna Reserve HP Historic Park MCP Marine and Coastal Park NCR Nature Conservation Reserve NP National Park SP State Park
28 Appendix 3 Pest animal control projects
Pest animal control projects Park Target species Park Target species Alpine NP Cat, dog, fox, pig, rabbit Little Desert NP Fox, rabbit Angahook-Lorne SP Fox Lysterfield Lake Park Fox Arthurs Seat SP Goat Mitchell River NP Dog Barmah SP Fox, pig, rabbit Mornington Peninsula NP Fox Brisbane Ranges NP Goat Mount Arapiles-Tooan SP Rabbit Bunyip SP Fox Murray-Sunset NP Rabbit Cape Liptrap CP Fox Nooramunga MCP Fox Carlisle SP Fox Organ Pipes NP Rabbit Chiltern-Mt Pilot NP Fox, rabbit Otway NP Fox, rabbit Coopracambra NP Fox Port Campbell NP Fox Dandenong Ranges NP Fox Snowy River NP Dog, fox Dergholm SP Rabbit Terrick Terrick NP Fox, rabbit Discovery Bay CP Fox The Lakes NP Fox Gippsland Lakes CP Fox Warby Range SP Fox, rabbit Grampians NP Fox, goat, rabbit Warrandyte SP Rabbit Hattah-Kulkyne NP Fox, rabbit Wilsons Promontory NP Fox, rabbit Holey Plains SP Fox Woodlands HP Fox, rabbit Leaghur SP Fox Wyperfeld NP Fox, goat, rabbit Lerderderg SP Goat Yarra Ranges NP Fox CP Coastal Park NP National Park SP State Park HP Historic Park MCP Marine and Coastal Park
29 Appendix 4 Location of parks and other areas
National parks and other areas
1. Murray-Sunset NP 46. Otway NP 90. Wilsons Promontory NP 2. Hattah-Kulkyne NP 47. Angahook-Lorne SP 91. Wilsons Promontory MP 3. Murray-Kulkyne Park 48. Collins Settlement HS 92. Wilsons Promontory MR 4. Big Desert WP 49. Mornington Peninsula NP 93. Corner Inlet MCP 5. Wyperfeld NP 50. Arthurs Seat SP 94. Nooramunga MCP 6. Lake Albacutya Park 51. Main Ridge NCR 95. Tarra-Bulga NP 7. Little Desert NP 52. Bald Hills BR 96. Morwell NP 8. Mount Arapiles-Tooan SP 53. Flinders NCR 97. Holey Plains SP 9. Dergholm SP 54. Flinders NIR 98. Gippsland Lakes CP 10. Black Range SP 55. French Island NP 99. The Lakes NP 11. Grampians NP 56. Langwarrin FFR 100. Mitchell River NP 12. Deep Lead NCR (No. 1) 57. Churchill NP 101. Nyerimilang Park 13. Lower Glenelg NP 58. Lysterfield Lake Park 102. Snowy River NP 14. Discovery Bay CP 59. Bunyip SP 103. Errinundra NP 15. Lower Glenelg PPR & SLR 60. Dandenong Ranges NP 104. Coopracambra NP 16. Mount Richmond NP 61. Warrandyte SP 105. Lind NP 17. Cape Nelson SP 62. Organ Pipes NP 106. Alfred NP 18. Mount Eccles NP 63. Woodlands HP and adjacent 107. Cape Conran CP 19. Mount Napier SP Commonwealth land 108. Croajingolong NP 20. Langi Ghiran SP 64. Kinglake NP Marine national parks and marine 21. Mount Buangor SP 65. Haining Farm sanctuaries 22. Paddys Ranges SP 66. Yarra Ranges NP 23. St Arnaud Range NP 67. Cathedral Range SP A Discovery Bay MNP 24. Kooyoora SP 68. Lake Eildon NP B Merri MS 25. Wychitella NCR 69. Mount Samaria SP C The Arches MS 26. Leaghur SP 70. Reef Hills SP D Twelve Apostles MNP 27. Terrick Terrick NP 71. Broken-Boosey SP E Marengo Reefs MS 28. Greater Bendigo NP 72. Barmah SP F Eagle Rock MS 29. Heathcote-Graytown NP 73. Warby Range SP G Point Addis MNP 30. Castlemaine Diggings NHP 74. Chiltern-Mt Pilot NP H Point Danger MS 31. Lerderderg SP 75. Beechworth HP I Barwon Bluff MS 32. Long Forest NCR 76. Mount Granya SP J Port Phillip Heads MNP 33. Werribee Gorge SP 77. Mount Lawson SP K Point Cooke MS 34. Enfield SP 78. Burrowa-Pine Mountain NP L Jawbone MS 35. Moreep BR 79. Wabba WP M Ricketts Point MS 36. Brisbane Ranges NP 80. Mount Buffalo NP N Mushroom Reef MS 37. Steiglitz HP 81. Alpine NP O Yaringa MNP 38. Carlisle SP 82. Avon WP P French Island MNP 39. Bay of Islands CP 83. Baw Baw NP and Mount Q Churchill Island MNP St Gwinear access road 40. Port Campbell NP R Bunurong MNP 84. Moondarra SP 41. Loch Ard and Cape Otway public S Wilsons Promontory MNP cemeteries 85. Tyers Park T Corner Inlet MNP 42. Glenample Homestead 86. Mount Worth SP U Ninety Mile Beach MNP 43. Johanna BR 87. Bunurong MP V Beware Reef MS 44. Melba Gully SP 88. Cape Liptrap CP W Point Hicks MNP 45. Recreation Reserve, Otway 89. Shallow Inlet MCP X Cape Howe MNP
BR Bushland Reserve MS Marine Sanctuary CP Coastal Park NIR Natural Interest Reserve FFR Flora and Fauna Reserve NCR Nature Conservation Reserve HP Historic Park NHP National Heritage Park HS Historic Site NP National Park MCP Marine and Coastal Park PPR Public Purposes Reserve MNP Marine National Park SLR Scenic Lookout Reserve MP Marine Park SP State Park MR Marine Reserve WP Wilderness Park
30 31 Point Addis Marine National Park
32 www.dse.vic.gov.au