Far West Region Achievement Report 2015-2016 J Spencer

WHO WE ARE ......

The Region manages 25 reserves totalling • off-park wildlife licencing contains a system of Pleistocene lakes around 1,250,000 hectares, as well as formed over the previous two million years. • Aboriginal cultural heritage three former State Forest areas which are It includes Lake Mungo, believed to be currently in the process of being transferred • historic heritage the world’s oldest ritual cremation site. to Aboriginal ownership. Aboriginal people lived on the lake’s shores • appropriate fire suppression, protection for at least 50,000 years. The Region consists of four management and management across the reserve areas: West Darling Area (incorporating system. The Region is unique in that it shares ), Bourke Area, borders with three other states (Queensland, Strong community partnerships include joint Lower Darling Area (incorporating the South and Victoria) with management arrangements with Aboriginal Willandra Lakes Region World Heritage management issues commonly crossing communities and conservation agreements Area), and the Strategic Programs Unit boundaries. with private landholders. (based in Broken Hill). We engage in cooperative management WHAT WE DO ...... of reserves in partnership with Traditional (Aboriginal) Owners. Mutawintji National We strive to deliver the many social, cultural, Park was the first park in NSW to be handed environmental, health and economic benefits back to the Traditional Owners. Other non- of parks to communities. We recognise that statutory co-management arrangements parks play an important part in building are in place for Toorale, Kinchega, Culgoa/ the resilience of indigenous communities, Ledknapper, Gundabooka and Paroo-Darling particularly in the Far West Region. National Parks.

We support the aspirations of Aboriginal We support the Tar-Ru Board of people to protect their cultural heritage, Management as it progresses towards the to be involved in the management of their transfer of the freehold title of the Tar-Ru traditional lands, and to improve connection Lands to the Barkandji Native Title Claimant to country and community wellbeing. Group.

The Far West Region is responsible for We also work closely with the Far West managing Regional Advisory Committee, with a focus • national parks and reserves on reserve planning and management.

• park assets WHERE WE OPERATE Malleefowl is a ground-dwelling bird found ...... mostly in Mallee Cliffs National Park. This • people in parks Arid landscapes of the Far West support Australian bird is an endangered species • native plants and animals a brilliant array of native species, and increasingly affected by habitat loss and the region is the site of 30,000 year old degradation. The Malleefowl conservation • fire and incidents Indigenous rock carvings. The World project aims to reverse population decline • pests and weeds Heritage listed Willandra Lakes Region through conservation, predator control, and community outreach. M Irvin

1 NPWS Region ! Far West

QLD

Culgoa NP Sturt NP er iv R r ie e irr iv Ledknapper NR B r R Lightning Ridge e v o i g Pindera Downs AA R e r o r r ro a e a iv P W R Narran Lake NR ra a h Y k a o n B Brewarrina c Nocoleche NR a iver n on R n Bourke arw i B Y a Bourke A B C og W re a H n R G e I k Toorale SCA ive H r Y T Toorale NP I Gundabooka SCA C

R E

V L I Gundabooka NP S

Y M a IT White CliffsParoo-Darling NP n C Macquarie Marshes NR d H E a L r L ve C H West Darling Mutawintji NR i IG R r H g e W in e A rl Y a k M D Mutawintji NP a c Mutawintji HS q u Far West Paroo-Darling SCA a r i Cobar e Wilcannia Nyngan R i v e ARRIER HIGHWAY r HIGHWAY B BARRIER Broken Hill

S C Northern Plains I L OB V E B R H C I G I T H Y Menindee W H A I G Y H Yathong NR W A Kinchega NP Y

Ivanhoe Nombinnie NR D Condobolin a rl in g R iv Western Rivers e C Forbes r OB Tarawi NR Nearie Lake NR Mungo NP B Hillston H I G H W A Y

Lower Darling WAY HIGH Mungo SCA TERN West Wyalong WES MID Mu rray Ri ver Mildura Mallee Cliffs NP Kalyarr NP Griffith Temora Murr S Hay um SA Kemendok NP TURT bid HIGH gee Leeton WAY Y Riv Kemendok NR Balranald HWA er Euston RP T HIG Y STUR A W Narrandera W H G Oolambeyan NP a Yanga NP I k H Junee o B o B l R O ST C UR iv Ed T HI e wa GHW r rd R AY Wagga Wagga iver Swan Hill

Wakool River VIC Deniliquin RIV ERIN Kerang A HIG HWA Southern Ranges Murray River Y Cobram Murr Corowa ay River Albury Echuca YarrawongaWodonga0 150 I Kilometres

! Major towns Motorway

" NPWS work locations Primary road

NPWS areas Arterial roads

NPWS estate Major rivers

2 ...... KEY ACHIEVEMENTS 2015/16

NATIVE PLANTS AND ANIMALS ......

Saving our Species

The NSW Government’s exciting re-wilding program, in which locally extinct native mammals will be re-introduced inside predator-free enclosures, embraces two parks in the region.

Mallee Cliffs National Park in the south-west and were identified as having suitable habitat for a range of species to be reintroduced.

The final list of species for each park will be confirmed, but among the species likely to be included are the greater bilby, brushtailed bettong, burrowing bettong, greater stick- nest rat, bridled nail-tail wallaby, numbat, western barred bandicoot and western quoll.

Pest animals will be removed from fenced areas before the mammals are introduced TOP: Greater bilby. and intensive pest control programs in All aspects of the program, including fence W Lawler, Australian Wildlife Conservancy adjacent park areas will be a key feature. locations and construction, are still being ABOVE: Western quoll. finalised through contract negotiations and A Smallacombe, Australian Broadcasting The NSW Government is partnering with the will be subject to standard environmental Commission Australian Wildlife Conservancy (AWC) and impact assessment processes. the Wildlife Restoration and Management Partnership led by the University of New This initiative will be a significant South Wales (UNSW) to deliver this project. contribution to the State’s Saving our The UNSW-led partnership will undertake Species program, which aims to secure the the project at Sturt National Park while the maximum number of threatened species in AWC will work at Mallee Cliffs National Park. NSW over the next 100 years.

3 ABORIGINAL JOINT MANAGEMENT ......

Aboriginal Joint Management is a principal focus for our region. We successfully implemented programs associated with the Aboriginal co-management of Toorale, Gundabooka, Culgoa/Ledknapper, Paroo- Darling, and Kinchega National Parks.

Wilga stone tool cataloguing workshop

Over 400 stone artefacts ranging from large grinding dishes to thumb sized stone flake ABOVE and LEFT: Wilga stone tool tools at Wilga in Paroo-Darling National cataloguing workshop, Paroo-Darling Park have been officially catalogued by National Park. J Doyle the Traditional Owners and transferred to new and improved storage. The variety of artefacts included grinding dishes, stone axes, flaked tools, anvils and ochre. The & Ledknapper Murrawarri Aboriginal community members Nature Reserve Joint Management were also involved in a fencing project in The cataloguing workshop involved teaching Committee met at Old Gerara Springs in Ledknapper Nature Reserve where they the Paroo-Darling National Park Co- Ledknapper Nature Reserve to discuss worked with NPWS staff to construct a management Committee new skills that they future management of Old Gerara Springs fence to protect Old Gerara Springs, a can apply to future projects. - a significant site for the Murrawarri culturally and ecologically significant site, Each item was given a unique identifying community and ‘Home of Mundaguddah’. from pest animals and weeds. number, measured, photographed and wrapped in bubble wrap with an ID tag. The committee continued the work, cataloguing all 409 non-sensitive artefacts stored at Wilga, before they were transported to new storage.

ABOVE: Joint Management Committee, for Culgoa National Park and Ledknapper Nature Reserve. S Martin LEFT: Fencing at Old Gerara Springs, Ledknapper National Park. S O’Sullivan

4 ABORIGINAL JOINT MANAGEMENT ......

Human remains identification training

Identifying human remains in the field was the focus of a three day training session with expert Dr Colin Pardoe.

Regional NPWS staff, The Menindee Aboriginal Elders Council, co-managers of , and the Paroo- Darling National Park Co-management committee for Paroo-Darling National Park attended an eye-opening session that debunked the previous way to identify human bone – that it sticks to spit. They learnt:

• fresh unburied bone will stick to spit on a finger

• human bone has much thicker walls

• old buried bone will have curved breaks like a broken glass jar while fresh bone with breaks will have splinters.

• how to look at the substrate the bones were in and the positioning of the body as clues to the person’s origin.

This engaging and rewarding three days increased the confidence of site monitors as well as giving NPWS staff the chance to work alongside the co-management members and talk about management options. Aboriginal Park Partnerships Funding Program provided the funding to hire Colin Pardoe. ABOVE: Workshop on how to identify human remains. J Doyle

HERITAGE CONSERVATION AND CONNECTING COMMUNITIES ......

Better protection for Kinchega National Park Woolshed

Built in 1875 of corrugated iron and river red gum, the beautiful historic Kinchega Woolshed is a vast and very well preserved classic piece of Australian pastoral heritage, where six million sheep were sheared over 97 years of operation. This historic building is listed on the State Heritage Register, the National Trust of Australia register, and the Register of the National Estate.

Because of its significance, protecting the woolshed from fire is essential. A major upgrade of the water supply pipeline was completed, additional water tanks were added to increase water storage capacity and improve head pressure, and a state- of-the art fire detection and suppression system was installed.

ABOVE LEFT: Heritage machinery on show at the woolshed. J Doyle LEFT: Kinchega woolshed. J Doyle 6

5 VISITOR FACILITIES ......

New signage

We have completed visitor improvements, as part of the Toorale and Gundabooka Nature Tourism Action Plan (NTAP) in conjunction with traditional owners and the broader community.

Exciting and innovative information signs, sculptural interpretation pieces and directional signage were installed, completing Stage Two of the NTAP interpretive project during 2015/16.

Walking tracks, car parks and an environment-friendly wastewater treatment system were also completed.

Mungo Woolshed protection

Significant works were also completed on the Mungo Woolshed to better protect and share its heritage values.

THIS PAGE: Installations and signs at Toorale homestead and Mt Talowla. Design and photos by triggerdesign.com.au

6 FIRE MANAGEMENT ......

We completed 10,392 hectares of prescribed burning across the region in 2015/16.

Due to seasonal drought, the Far West Region remained largely unaffected by wildfire, with only relatively small incidents managed adjacent to Ledknapper Nature Reserve and within Euston Regional Park.

We also supplied assistance to areas outside our region, some of our staff deployed to Tasmania through the summer months of early 2016, and assisting our colleagues in bushfire response and burning operations across NSW during the year.

TOP LEFT: Recording fuel re-accumulation and monitoring fire response in Sturt National Park. S Guest RIGHT: hazard reduction burn, Autumn 2016. BELOW: Hard at work helping Tasmanian fire-fighting effort 2016. S Guest

PEST AND WEED MANAGEMENT Other key achievements in regional pest PEOPLE, CULTURE AND ...... management during 2015/16 were: CAPABILITY ...... The region implemented the Supplementary • wild dog control and fox control Asset management is a key priority in our Pest Control program, partnering with programs at Mutawintji, Ledknapper, stewardship of $3.64 billion of NPWS assets. experienced and skilled volunteer shooters Nocoleche, Kinchega, Sturt and Paroo- The Asset Maintenance System (AMS) field to help reduce pest animals in Gundabooka Darling National Parks National Park and State Conservation mobility project increases efficiency by Area. With traditional owner support the • aerial shooting of wild pigs at Paroo- supplying field staff with a simple-to-use program will continue to remain a key Darling, Kinchega National Parks, iPad app that enables direct entry of AMS element of the pest management strategy as well as Toorale National Park and transactions, including notifications, work in Gundabooka. We have also improved the State Conservation Area. This program orders and data updates, to be completed systems, tools and resources for measuring has been conducted annually to in the field. our pest and weed performance and better reduce feral pig numbers to a more Zero in Parks work health and safety actions communicating outcomes. manageable level and allows for other included training for safe operation of four control techniques to be used more wheel drive vehicles. efficiently as part of an integrated pest management program.

7 Mutawintji Historic Site. J. Spencer

PRIORITIES FOR 2016/17 Heritage ...... • Actively and positively engage in landscape approach to pest and weed Special areas of focus are: Aboriginal joint management projects risk is developed and implemented Protected Area Establishment and to manage parks and reserves in across the Region. Management an environmentally and socially Fire and Incident Management responsible manner. • Undertake cyclic risk management • Maintain asset protection zones inspections and treatment across Park Experiences according to Reserve Fire Management extensive visitor sites and mitigate high • Link conservation and tourism more Strategies as well as an ambitious risks closely to deliver transformational park prescribed burning target of >3,000 • Support the assessment of experiences that engage and inspire hectares (well above the 800 hectare infrastructure condition and relevance our communities and visitors requirement), in particular to treat to inform investment, maintenance and grassy fuels that promote the rapid • Complete specific visitor focused decommissioning decisions. spread of wildfire works, such as the Gundabooka & Native Plants and Animals Toorale Nature Tourism Action Plan • Prepare to face the challenges of more as well as actively seek innovation to severe fire seasons. • Support the management of increase demand in visitation across all native plants and animals under Workplace People, Culture and Capability our parks responsibilities established by the • Implement the Zero in Parks program National Parks and Wildlife Act 1974 • Celebrate 50th anniversary of Kinchega and prioritise workplace health and National Park, with opportunities for the • Actively engage with projects for safety in everything we do. public to participate. reintroducing locally extinct small mammals at Sturt and Mallee Cliffs Pest and weed management National Parks • Improve systems, tools and resources CONTACTS • Improve our understanding of for measuring our pest and weed ...... bushfire risk and better understanding performance and better communicate NPWS FAR WEST REGION tolerable fire intervals in our ecological its outcomes 183 Argent Street, (PO Box 788 ) communities • Build and maintain strong relationships Broken Hill NSW 2880 • Better understand how climatic with neighbours, Western Local Land Phone: 08 8080 3200 variability can modify risk across many Services (LLS) and the Department of Email: [email protected]. of the values we manage for. Primary Industries (DPI) to ensure a gov.au

8 Appendix 1 Far West Region parks and reserves (May 2016)

Reserve Area Hectares

No. Reserve name Reserve No. Bourke Lower West Far West Area Darling Area Darling Area Region

1 Culgoa NP N0099 37803.48 37803.48

1 Euston RP N1131 3235.94 3235.94

3 Gundabooka NP N0100 63997.74 63997.74

4 Gundabooka SCA N1027 25410.71 25410.71

5 Kemendok NP N1132 9914.23 9914.23

6 Kemendok NR N0586 1064.89 1064.89

7 Kinchega NP N0017 44533.13 44533.13

8 Ledknapper NR N0868 47917.63 47917.63

9 Mallee Cliffs NP N0044 58103.67 58103.67

10 Mungo NP N0049 122720.56 122720.56

11 Mungo SCA N1157 5781.54 5781.54

12 Mutawintji HS N0217 597.8 597.8

13 Mutawintji NP N0113 67761.4 67761.4

14 Mutawintji NR N0726 6719.6 6719.6

15 Nearie Lake NR N0460 4362.9 4362.9

16 Nocoleche NR N0527 71181.86 71181.86

17 Paroo-Darling NP N0175 177340.52 177340.52

18 Paroo-Darling SCA N0678 41591.54 41591.54

19 Pindera Downs AA N0306 11775.42 11775.42

20 Sturt NP N0032 324676.29 324676.29

21 Tarawi NR N0721 33508.75 33508.75

22 Toorale NP N1144 30640.13 30640.13

23 Toorale SCA N1145 53664.14 53664.14

Grand Total 330615.69 238692.48 674995.7 1244303.87

Abbreviations: AA = Aboriginal Area, CCAZ = Community Conservation Area Zone, KCR = Karst Conservation Reserve, HS = Historic Site, NP = National Park, NR = Nature Reserve, OEH = Office of Environment & Heritage, RP = Regional Park, SCA = State Conservation Area

9 Appendix 2 Government electorate boundaries in the Far West Region (May 2016)

Local Government areas within the Far West Region

Lower West No. Local Government Area Bourke Area Darling Area Darling Area

1 Balranald x

2 Bourke x

3 Brewarrina x

4 Broken Hill x

5 Central Darling x x

6 Cobar x x

7 Unincorporated x x

8 Wentworth x

NSW electorates within the Far West Region

Lower West No. State Electorate Bourke Area Darling Area Darling Area

1 Barwon x x

2 Murray x

Federal electorates within the Far West Region

Lower West No. Federal Electorate Bourke Area Darling Area Darling Area

1 Farrer x

2 Parkes x x

10 Appendix 3 Volunteer groups active in the Far West Region

No. Group name Type of work Strategic Bourke Lower West Programs Darling Darling

1 Regional Advisory Committee Community engagement - planning x x x x and advice

2 Far West Region National Parks On park ecological conservation x Volunteer Program

3 Friends of West Darling Area Community programs and education x National Parks

4 Toorale National Park Bush On park ecological conservation x Regeneration

5 Supplementary Pest Control Pest animals x - Gundabooka NP & SCA

11