Lower North Coast Region Achievement Report 2015-2016 J Spencer WHERE WE OPERATE • Myall Lakes National Park which WHO WE ARE ................................................................................................ ................................................................................................ protects NSW’s largest coastal With World Heritage rainforest, Ramsar lake system and is listed under the The Lower North Coast Region manages Convention wetlands and extensive Ramsar Convention on Wetlands of around 287,000 hectares of land in 110 Aboriginal conservation lands, nature and International Importance. It also has the reserves: 28 national parks, 62 nature culture abounds in the Lower North Coast highest density of camping sites of any reserves, 17 state conservation areas, two Region. The region is diverse geologically, NSW national park historic sites and one regional park. topographically and ecologically. Coastal Our five management units are: Hunter dune ecosystems and estuaries in the east • Crowdy Bay National Park comprises Coast, Great Lakes, Manning/Hastings and give way to alluvial soils and then plateau an extensive freshwater wetland system Barrington Tops areas, and the Strategic country, and mountainous sub-alpine areas with wet and dry heath communities. Program and Administrative Team which is of Barrington Tops dominate our western Along with adjoining Dooragan National located in the regional office at Nelson Bay. boundary. Park and Kattang Nature Reserve, it forms a spectacular and much loved From the Hunter River estuary, north to We also have offices and works depots visitor destination at Port Macquarie, Pacific Palms and the Hastings River (Port Macquarie) and Gloucester and works depots at Nelson Bay, inland to the top of Barrington Tops, our • Aboriginal-owned Worimi Conservation Boat Harbour, Dungog, Bombah Point and region includes the Port Stephens, Dungog, Lands protect the spectacular Taree. Upper Hunter, Walcha, MidCoast and Port mobile dune systems of Stockton Macquarie-Hastings local government areas. Bight and their integral Aboriginal WHAT WE DO cultural heritage values. These lands ................................................................................................ Parks in our region with outstanding natural play a key role in rebuilding Worimi and cultural conservation values include: Lower North Coast Region is responsible for connections to Country, providing the management of: • World Heritage listed Barrington significant employment and economic Tops National Park which protects opportunities for the Worimi people. • national parks and reserves ecologically isolated rainforest and sub • park assets alpine communities, and is an iconic Valley view, Barrington Tops National Park. • people in parks NSW recreation haven J Spencer • native plants and animals • fire and incidents • pests and weeds • Aboriginal cultural heritage • historic heritage • appropriate fire suppression, protection and management across the reserve system. Partnerships and co-management are a focus, particularly with Aboriginal communities, alongside conservation agreements with private landholders. 1 NPWS Region ! Sydney Lower North Coast OXL EY H IGH WAY " Oxley Wild Rivers NP O Boonanghi NR X L E Y r H e Kempsey IG Aps ! " v H ley i R W iver R A Y d l North Coast a n o r Kumbatine NP d ive Willi Willi NP c h R a c wit M o arr W Y Werrikimbe NP ilson River Northern Tablelands Limeburners Creek NP Mount Seaview NR Cottan-Bimbang NP Ha st Rawdon Creek NR Jasper NR ing s R ive r Port Macquarie! " The Cells SCA Wauchope " ! Sea Acres" NP Innes Ruins HS Ba ck R Bago Bluff NP Lake Innes NR iv Biriwal Bulga NP er Queens Lake SCA Weelah NR Bridal Veil Falls NR Manning-Hastings Queens Lake NR Curracabundi SCA Bugan NR Boorganna NR Camden Haven Barakee NP R ! o Kattang NR Curracabundi NP w Tapin Tops NP Killabakh NR Dooragan NP l Mernot NRMonkeycot NR Barrakee SCA e y s Middle Brother NP Watchimbark NR R Coxcomb NRCoorabakh NP " i v e Goonook NR Bretti NR r Woko NP Crowdy Bay NP Khatambuhl NR Lansdowne NR Manning River Camels Hump NR Brimbin NR Barrington Tops SCA Coneac SCA Wingham! "Taree ! Towibakh NR Coocumbac Island NR Copeland Tops SCA Khappinghat NP !" Gloucester Talawahl SCAKhappinghat NR Lower North Coast " Talawahl NR iver WAY llamba R IGH Wa IC H CIF Barrington Tops NP PA Darawank NR Barrington Tops Berrico NR Wallamba NR r Minimbah NR e The Glen NR v i !Forster R Coolongolook NR n Will o iam Mills Island NRWallis Island NR s s r Riv e e Booti Booti NP t r Ghin-Doo-Ee NP a P Black Bulga SCA K a Wallingat NP Killarney NR r "" u Pacific Palms a ! h Monkerai NR R i v e " r Bulahdelah SCA Smiths Lake NR ! Dungog Great Lakes Myall Lakes NP Seal Rocks NR AY " HW IG H IC IF C er PA iv ll R ya Columbey NP Karuah NP M Stormpetrel NR Columbey SCAWallaroo NP Little Broughton Island NR Branxton Karuah NR ! Seaham Swamp NRMedowie NR NEW ENG Corrie Island NR LAND HIG John Gould NR HWAY Medowie SCA Nelson Bay Hunter Coast Gir-um-bit NP "! Boondelbah NR Maitland ! Raymond! Terrace Tilligerry NRTomaree NP Tilligerry SCA " H Worimi NP un Cessnock ter Worimi RP ! Riv er Worimi SCA " Central Coast Hunter" " Newcastle Y A ! W " R O T O M IC IF 0 40 C A P I Kilometres ! Major towns Motorway " NPWS work locations Primary road NPWS areas Arterial roads NPWS estate Major rivers 2 .................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................KEY ACHIEVEMENTS 2015/16 RESERVE ESTABLISHMENT AND ACQUISITION ................................................................................................ The region supported the Worimi Conservation Lands Board of Management to purchase land adjoining the park for a works depot. RESERVE INFRASTRUCTURE AND MAINTENANCE ................................................................................................ Management trail upgrades Myall Lakes, Ghin-Doo-Ee, Wallingat, and Crowdy Bay National Parks, and Berrico Nature Reserve all benefited from $343,030 in funding through the Rural Fire Service Fire Mitigation Works for fire trail upgrades to improve our capacity to conduct hazard reduction burning and respond to wildfire. The fire trail upgrades, specifically the Coorabakh National Park. J Spencer Harrington Fire Trail, Jackson Pine Fire Trail, Grass Tree Fire Trail and the Sand Track, required an enormous effort by NPWS staff COMMUNITIES AND RESERVES The region’s other activities included: and local contractors to handle challenging ................................................................................................ • planning and consultation for the Dark environmental conditions including poor We consulted with key stakeholders and the Point Dune Sheet project to address weather, swamps and wetlands. community about the strategy to manage the threat of an encroaching dune on Since 2013, more than $500,000 has been horse riding, involving plans of management Mungo Brush road secured to help repair and strengthen fire for Bago Bluff National Park and Coorabakh trails in the southern section of Crowdy Bay National Park. • using an unmanned aerial vehicle National Park to improve fire protection for to monitor the Worimi Conservation the villages of Harrington and Coralville. Lands, focussing in particular on frontal dune condition and the impacts of camping. NATIVE PLANTS AND ANIMALS ................................................................................................ Threatened Species The Region has active management programs for a number of threatened species and significant ecological communities. Key examples include Gould’s petrel, which is known to breed only on John Gould (Cabbage Tree) Island and nearby Boondelbah Island nature reserves, as well as endangered shorebirds including little tern, pied oystercatcher and beach-stone curlew in the Manning and Port Stephens estuaries. Successful fox control was the key to sustaining threatened populations of brush- tailed rock-wallaby in the Curracabundi National Park, and the broad-toothed rat in Barrington Tops National Park. Weed control and active restoration is helping protect the remnants of Subtropical Floodplain rainforest in Coocumbac Island, Wingham Brush and Lansdowne Nature reserves, representing over 95% of this endangered ecological community remaining in the Manning Valley. ABOVE: Before and after photos of Crowdy Bay National Park fire trails 3 Sugarloaf Point Lighthouse. J Spencer Sugarloaf Point lighthouse. J Spencer HERITAGE CONSERVATION AND ABORIGINAL JOINT CONNECTING COMMUNITIES MANAGEMENT ................................................................................................ ................................................................................................ Shining the light - Sugarloaf Point We support the aspirations of Aboriginal Lighthouse 140th Anniversary Worimi Conservation Lands people to protect their cultural heritage, The historic lighthouse at Seal Rocks The region helped the Worimi Conservation to be involved in the management of their celebrated 140 years with an open day on Lands Board of Management to finalise traditional lands and to improve connection the weekend of 5-6 December 2015. and launch its first plan of management. to country and community wellbeing. The 10-year