82 DECC Annual Report 2006–07 4.3 Managing national Photo: S. Allender, DECC Allender, S. Photo: parks and reserves • volunteers camping with scientists in Tinkrameanah 4.3.1 Increasing volunteer National Park in September 2006 and identifying 18 mammal species including the threatened squirrel glider participation in, and and eastern pygmy possum, 14 reptile species and 35 bird community support for, species. • Culburra Beach residents working for 650 volunteer hours conservation in March 2007 to monitor Lake Wollumboola in Jervis Bay National Park. The lake is an important wetland. Volunteers work for many hours each year on Monitoring actions included maintaining an ‘odour log’, conservation activities across NSW, both in and outside recording the conditions under which hydrogen sulphide parks. In 2006–07, volunteers contributed approximately is released from the lake, measuring changes in the sand 172,000 hours to conservation activities, an increase of spit at the north-east corner of the lake and monitoring 1700 (1%) since 2005–06. Under the State Plan, DECC is foreshore vegetation. committed to increasing the proportion of the community • DECC and Burrill Lake residents cleaning up a firebreak involved in group activities and volunteering. and bushland next to Meroo National Park on the south The National Parks–Conservation Volunteers Program is a coast in April 2007. They removed over four tonnes of partnership between DECC and Conservation Volunteers illegally dumped commercial and domestic waste, and Australia. During 2006–07, through this program, over 848 weeds and garden waste. volunteer days were spent in national parks and reserves on: • over 500 volunteers sighting a record 1608 humpback • planting 4920 trees whales off Cape Solander in Botany Bay National Park from May to August 2006, 200 more than in 2005–06. • repairing 16,200 metres of tracks • repairing 370 metres of fence In March 2006, DECC began a review of volunteering. DECC engaged a consultant to hold focus groups with • removing weeds from 318 hectares of land volunteers and to audit how the program was managed • collecting 141 kilograms of rubbish. internally. The review will continue into 2008. Other volunteer projects in 2006–07 included: • the Clarence Valley coastal emu survey of the endangered population found between Red Rock and Evans Head on the north coast, the results of which 4.3.2 Increasing Aboriginal estimated the population to be around 149 birds. This participation in reserve was more than expected based on the last three annual surveys. management • the Cape Byron Friends program, where eight volunteers acted as museum and whale information DECC jointly manages parks and reserves with Aboriginal guides in Cape Byron State Conservation Area. communities through a range of co-management • the fourth annual Port Stephens boat-based agreements, partnerships and cooperative projects. shorebird survey in February 2007. Migratory and non- migratory shorebirds were counted and 3801 waterbirds Co-management were recorded, including 108 pied oystercatchers, a Co-management arrangements enable Aboriginal people to significantly large proportion of the NSW population. manage parks or advise DECC on its management of parks. • the seventh annual Port Stephens community dolphin Formal co-management options include: census in 2007. More than 80 volunteers spotted 96 • DECC returning a protected area to its Aboriginal owners dolphins, consistent with previous counts. and leasing it back to be jointly managed under Part 4A of the National Parks and Wildlife Act 1974 Chapter 4 – Conserving and managing natural and cultural values across the landscape 83 • Indigenous Land Use Agreements (ILUAs) with native title On 10 February 2007, the Government returned lands at holders under the Native Title Act 1993 Stockton Bight near Newcastle to the traditional owners, • memoranda of understanding (MOU) between DECC and the Worimi people, for three new Aboriginal-owned parks Aboriginal communities. to be known as the Worimi Conservation Lands (Worimi Regional Park, Worimi State Conservation Area and Worimi DECC also enters into less formal partnerships with National Park). This result followed two years of formal Aboriginal people to protect and manage their culture, negotiations and almost a decade of discussion to resolve heritage and land. land claims under the NSW Aboriginal Land Rights Act. The In 2006–07 significant achievements for co-management Aboriginal community has consented to give the land to the were made with Aboriginal communities. In December general community for recreational enjoyment. The reserves 2006, two new ILUAs were signed by the NSW Government will be jointly managed by the Worimi people and DECC. and the Bundjalung People of Byron Bay–Arakwal. The In March 2007, DECC and the Darug people signed a Byron Bay ILUA was an agreement to add land with high memorandum of understanding (MOU) covering 34 parks environmental values to Arakwal National Park, Cumbebin in southern and south-western Sydney, to enable the Darug Swamp Nature Reserve and Broken Head Nature Reserve. people to be involved in managing parks and reserves, and The Ti Tree Lake ILUA will create a new reserve, the Ti Tree to protect Darug objects and places. Lake Aboriginal Area, which encompasses forests and lakes sacred to Bundjalung women, and will be managed with the In late 2006, the second term of a MOU between DECC women. and the Pilliga Nature Reserve Aboriginal Consultative Committee was signed. The committee, which was In February 2007, the Government finalised an ILUA with established in 2001, includes three community members the Githabul native title claimants in northern NSW. The from each of the Narrabri, Coonabarabran, Gunnedah and ILUA establishes a co-management arrangement covering Baradine Aboriginal communities. ten parks near Kyogle in north-eastern NSW near the Queensland border, the largest area ever included in an Other negotiations included DECC and the Terry Hie Hie ILUA in NSW. The Government and the Githabul people Co-op working towards facilitating the Co-op’s involvement will seek consent determination orders from the Federal in managing the Terry Hie Hie Aboriginal Area south-east Court that the claimants hold native title rights over those of Moree, and the creation of a new Aboriginal-owned and parks and other public lands, to enable the Githabul People jointly managed park at Warrell Creek near Nambucca to practise their traditional laws and customs including the Heads. right to access and camp in the areas, hunt, fish and gather A statewide Aboriginal Co-Management Conference was plants for personal use. This is the first time that such a held in April 2006, followed by a written report and DVD so determination of native title has been sought. information on co-management arrangements around the state could be shared. 8hCASE STUDY Historic agreement with Central Coast Aboriginal groups In March 2007, DECC signed an agreement to recognise the role of Aboriginal groups from the Central Coast Betteridge J. Photo: and Hunter regions in managing the area’s parks and reserves. Through the agreement, local Aboriginal communities and DECC are jointly managing the region’s thousands of Aboriginal cultural sites. The Central Coast Hunter Range Aboriginal Co- management Committee, consisting of representatives from 12 local Aboriginal groups, are working with Aboriginal rangers mount displays about the natural and cultural DECC on a study identifying areas and items of values of Central Coast national parks. Aboriginal cultural value in and outside the reserves. Agreements will also be developed on use of parks and reserves, education and tourism, and employment • the Mirring Women's Group and training opportunities for Aboriginal community members will be promoted. • Potorminbee Elders The twelve groups represented on the committee are: • Wonnarua Tribal Council Combined • Awabakal, Bahtabah, Darkinjung, Koompahtoo, • Worimi Traditional Owners Metropolitan, Mindaribba and Wanaruah local • Ungooroo Aboriginal Corporation. Aboriginal land councils 84 DECC Annual Report 2006–07 The Mooka project, which commenced in early 2007, is an 8hPERFORMANCE INDICATOR archaeological sites survey supported by Northern Rivers Number of formal agreements with Catchment Management Authority in cooperation with the Aboriginal communities for co-management Purfleet Local Aboriginal Lands Council, and covers the area of protected areas from Camden Haven River to Hallidays Point and along the Manning River. The survey is expected to be completed by Definition: DECC works with Aboriginal communities to December 2007. incorporate cultural practices into the management of parks and reserves under co-management arrangements. These agreements A new sign at the base of Wollumbin (Mount Warning) was are guided and formalised under the National Parks and Wildlife erected in late 2006 as a result of consultation with the Act 1974. This indicator shows the number of formal co- Aboriginal community. The sign asks people to consider not management agreements in place with Aboriginal communities, climbing to the summit as a mark of respect for Aboriginal including Indigenous Land Use Agreements and memoranda of understanding. traditional law and customs. DECC will continue to involve the Aboriginal community in the management of this DECC also engages in informal joint management arrangements. However, given the localised nature of many of these, they are significant cultural site. difficult