Karijini National Park Management Plan As Disturbances in Mulga Habitats (Section B.3.6)
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KARIJINI NATIONAL PARK Management Plan 1999 - 2009 Department of Conservation and Land Management for the National Parks and Nature Conservation Authority Perth, Western Australia, 1999 PREFACE All national parks in Western Australia are vested in the National Parks and Nature Conservation Authority (NPNCA). The management of these parks is carried out by the Department of Conservation and Land Management (CALM) in accordance with the Conservation and Land Management Act 1984 (the CALM Act). Within the context of the management regime established by law, the Government has determined that the Aboriginal traditional owners of Karijini National Park, represented by the Karijini Aboriginal Corporation and tribal elders, shall have direct input into the management of the Park through the establishment of the Karijini Park Council. The Karijini Park Council will be constituted as a Ministerial Committee to provide advice directly to the Minister on all matters in the Park which affect the interests of Aboriginal people. The Government has also directed that a further Ministerial Committee be formed to represent the broader interests of the Pilbara community. This group shall be known as the Karijini National Park Advisory Committee, and shall also report directly to the Minister. Throughout this Plan the phrase “Aboriginal traditional owner” means “Aboriginal persons recognised as being traditionally associated with land within the Park”. The term does not qualify the vesting of Karijini National Park in the NPNCA, nor is it an acknowledgment by the Government of the existence of native title to the land. The involvement of Aboriginal traditional owners in the preparation and implementation of this Plan does not imply any weakening of any native title application sought for the land. Day to day management remains the responsibility of CALM (refer Introduction, Section 2.1). The NPNCA is responsible for the preparation of management plans for all land vested in it. These plans are usually prepared by CALM and issued as draft plans by the National Parks and Nature Conservation Authority for public comment and final approval by the Minister*. A draft management plan was released in May 1989, and following a submission by the Karijini Aboriginal Corporation (KAC) the Government agreed to prepare a new plan which considered the interests of Aboriginal people with traditional affiliations to the Park. A second version of the draft plan was then prepared by a planning team comprising equal numbers of CALM and KAC representatives, and was completed late in 1992, but was not released. A further draft plan, amended to reflect the new government’s policy, was released for public comment in 1996. This present Plan has incorporated many of the public comments received in response to that and earlier drafts. National park management plans are designed to cater for public demand for appropriate recreation opportunities, while maintaining and restoring the natural and cultural environment, protecting indigenous flora and fauna, and preserving archaeological, historic and scientific resources and values. According to the CALM Act, management plans should contain a statement of the policies or guidelines proposed to be followed, and a summary of operations proposed to be undertaken, for a specified period (but not exceeding 10 years). * "The Minister" is the Minister responsible for the CALM Act, in this case the Minister for the Environment. i Introduction ACKNOWLEDGMENTS Many individuals and organisations - government and non-government - have contributed to the plan (particularly through comment provided via public review of the earlier draft management plans), and their assistance is acknowledged with gratitude. There have been many people who have been closely associated with the preparation of the several versions of this management plan including Hugh Chevis, Keith Cunningham, Richard Grant, Aminya Koch, Chris Muller, Noel Olive, Allan Padgett, Maitland Parker, Slim Parker, Peter Sandell, Peter Sharp, Tony Start and Susan Woenne- Green who all provided strong support and sound advice. The final plan was coordinated by Jim Williamson, with Burke Stephens and Matt Cavana providing technical assistance and CALM’s Information Management Branch producing the maps. The valuable contribution of Karijini Aboriginal Corporation personnel and CALM staff, including Karijini National Park Rangers and Pilbara Regional staff, to the management planning process is gratefully acknowledged. Particular thanks to all members of Karijini Aboriginal Corporation who attended planning team meetings in Onslow and in the Park, providing valuable input to the plan as well as considering various drafts. Special thanks to those members of Karijini Aboriginal Corporation who are no longer with us, but whose participation is remembered with gratitude. NOMENCLATURE Inclusion of a name in this publication does not imply its approval by the relevant nomenclature authority. Spelling of Aboriginal words in the text of this management plan may not necessarily be universally accepted. ii CONTENTS Page PREFACE ... ...... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... i ACKNOWLEDGMENTS ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ii NOMENCLATURE ...... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ii INTRODUCTION 1. OVERVIEW... ...... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... 1 1.1 The Study Area... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... 1 1.2 History of Tenure and Management ... ... ... ... ... .. 1 1.3 Conservation Significance ... ... ... ... ... ... ... 1 1.4 National Estate... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... 2 1.5 Recreation and Tourism Significance ... ... ... ... ... ... 3 1.6 Aboriginal Significance ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... 4 1.7 Commercial Mineral Significance ... ... ... ... ... ... 4 1.8 Public Participation ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... 4 1.9 Previous Studies ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... 4 2. PARK MANAGEMENT ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... 5 2.1 Management Goals and Objectives ... ... ... .... ... ... 5 2.2 Karijini Park Council ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... 5 2.3 Karijini National Park Advisory Committee ... ... ... ... 5 2.4 National Parks and Nature Conservation Authority ... ... ... ... ... 6 2.5 Department of Conservation and Land Management... ... ... ... ... 6 2.6 Karijini Aboriginal Corporation ... ... ... ... ... ... ... 6 2.7 Reporting Responsibilities ... ... ... ... ... ... ... 7 2.8 Living Areas ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... 7 2.9 Adjoining Lands ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... 7 3. GOVERNMENT DECISIONS... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... 8 3.1 Mineral Exploitation and Excisions ... ... ... ... ... ... 8 3.2 Previous Draft Management Plan... ... ... ... ... ... ... 8 PART A. KARIJINI NATIONAL PARK - BACKGROUND AND RESOURCES A.1 PARK BOUNDARIES AND TENURE ... ... ... ... ... ... ... 9 1.1 Special Purpose Excision ... ... ... ... ... ... ... 9 1.2 Marandoo and Western Corridor ... ... ... ... ... ... 9 1.3 Eastern Corridor ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... 9 1.4 Previous Boundary Recommendations ... ... ... ... ... ... 9 1.5 Future Boundaries ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... 9 iii Introduction Page A.2 NATURAL RESOURCES ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... 10 2.1 Climate ...... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... 10 2.2 Geology ...... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... 10 2.3 Soils and Landform ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... 11 2.4 Hydrology ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... 12 2.5 Landscape ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... 12 2.6 Flora and Vegetation ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... 13 2.7 Fauna ...... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... 15 2.8 Fire ...... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... 18 A.3 CULTURAL RESOURCES ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... 19 3.1 Traditional Use and Significance ... ... ... ... ... ... 19 3.2 Protection of the Aboriginal Cultural Resource ... ... ... ... ... 20 3.3 Colonial Heritage ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... 20 A.4 MINING AND EXPLORATION... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... 21 4.1 History of Resource Exploitation ... ... ... ... ... ... 21 4.2 Government Agreement Acts ... ... ... ... ... ... ... 21 4.3 Conservation and Land Management Act 1984 ... ... ... ... ... 24 4.4 Wildlife Conservation Act 1950 ... ... ... ... ... ... 24 4.5 Other Relevant Legislation Policies and Processes ... ... ... ... 24 A.5 PUBLIC USE ...... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... 24 5.1 Management Zones ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... 24 5.2 Access ...... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... 25 5.3 Existing Visitor Use Patterns ... ... ... ... ... ... ... 26 5.4 Public Health and Airborne Crocidolite... ... ... ... ... ... 26 5.5 Recreation Management ... ... ... ... ... ... ... 27 5.6 Visitor Facilities ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... 27 5.7 Commercial Tourist Operations ... ... ... ... ... ... 28 5.8 Information, Interpretation and Education ... ... ... ... ... 28 5.9 Visitor Safety, Regulation and Monitoring ... ... ... ... ... 29 A.6 LIVING AREAS FOR ABORIGINAL TRADITIONAL OWNERS... ... ... ... 29 6.1 Living Area Leases ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... 30 6.2 Housing, Residential and Essential Services ... ... ... ... ... 30 A.7 RESEARCH AND MONITORING ... ... ... ... ... ... ... 30 PART B. KARIJINI NATIONAL PARK - MANAGEMENT B.1 PARK MANAGEMENT ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... 31 1.1 Karijini Park Council ... ... ... ... ... ... ... 31 1.2 Karijini Aboriginal Heritage Committee ... ... ... ... ... 31 1.3 Karijini National Park Advisory Committee ... ... ... ... ... 32 1.4 Environmental Assessment ... ... ... ... ... ... ... 32 iv Page B.2 PARK BOUNDARIES AND TENURE ... ... ... ... ... ... ... 33 2.1 Park Boundaries