Castlemaine Diggings Management Plan 2007
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For more information contact the Parks Victoria Information Centre on 13 1963, or visit www.parkweb.vic.gov.au Castlemaine Diggings National Heritage Park Management Plan April 2007 This Management Plan for Castlemaine Diggings National Heritage Park is approved for implementation. Its purpose is to direct all aspects of management of the park until the plan is reviewed. A Draft Management Plan for the park was published in July 2005. Forty-four submissions were received. All submissions have been considered in preparing this approved Management Plan. For further information on this plan, please contact: Chief Ranger, Murray Central District Parks Victoria PO Box 3100 Bendigo VIC 3550 Phone: (03) 5430 4444 Copies This plan may be downloaded from the Parks Victoria website (www.parkweb.vic.gov.au). Copies of the plan may be purchased for $8.80 (including GST) from: Parks Victoria Information Centre Level 10 535 Bourke Street Melbourne VIC 3000 Phone: 13 1963 Parks Victoria Bendigo Office Cnr Midland Hwy & Taylor Street Epsom VIC 3551 Phone: (03) 5430 4444 CASTLEMAINE DIGGINGS NATIONAL HERITAGE PARK MANAGEMENT PLAN April 2007 Published in April 2007 by Parks Victoria Level 10, 535 Bourke Street, Melbourne, Victoria 3000 National Library of Australia Cataloguing-in-publication entry Castlemaine Diggings National Heritage Park management plan. Bibliography. ISBN 9780731183586. 1. National parks and reserves - Victoria - Castlemaine Region - Management. 2. Castlemaine Diggings National Heritage Park (Vic.) - Management. I. Parks Victoria. 333.783099453 Cover: Cobblers Gully Puddler, Castlemaine Diggings National Heritage Park (Alison Pouliout, Daylesford). Acknowledgements Acknowledgement of Country: In their rich culture, Indigenous Australians are intrinsically connected to the continent – including area now known as Victoria. Parks Victoria recognises that the park is part of Country of the Traditional Owners. Parks Victoria is grateful to all those organisations and individuals who have contributed to this Draft Management Plan. Special thanks go to the members of the Castlemaine Diggings National Heritage Park Management Plan Advisory Group: Robyn Ballinger, Jeffrey Douglas, Maurice Dynon, Frank Fenwick, Miles Geldard, Drew Henry, Marie Jones, Max Kay, Morgan Kurrajong, Doug McConville, Ken McKimmie, Richard Piesse, Deirdre Slattery and Robin Taylor. Note Technical terms used in this plan are explained in the Glossary at the end of the plan Disclaimers This plan is prepared without prejudice to any negotiated or litigated outcome of any native title determination applications covering land or waters within the plan’s area. It is acknowledged that any future outcomes of native title determination applications may necessitate amendment of this plan; and the implementation of this plan may require further notifications under the procedures in Division 3 of Part 2 of the Native Title Act 1993 (Cwlth). The plan is also prepared without prejudice to any future negotiated outcome between the Government/s and Victorian Indigenous communities. It is acknowledged that such negotiated outcomes may necessitate amendment of this plan. Every effort has been made to ensure that the information in this plan is accurate. Parks Victoria does not guarantee that the publication is without flaw of any kind and therefore disclaims all liability for any error, loss or other consequence, which may arise from your reliance on any information in the publication. Text printed on recycled paper to help save our natural environment. FOREWORD Castlemaine Diggings National Heritage Park Parks Victoria respects the views of the protects a nationally significant historical Traditional Owners, and those of other groups cultural landscape of exceptional heritage with historical associations with the park. value. The heritage places and landscapes of I thank the Castlemaine Diggings National the park, as well as the stories associated with Heritage Park Management Plan Advisory the Mount Alexander Gold Rush, help us to Group and other individuals and organisations understand and connect with these significant for their valuable contributions to plan events of the nation’s heritage. development and submissions on the Draft The park also protects diverse Box-Ironbark Management Plan. ecosystems, including communities, flora and This approved plan establishes the long-term fauna that are threatened within Victoria or framework to protect the important heritage nationally. The park has an open and and natural values of the park and to enhance accessible landscape, enabling visitors to use the opportunities offered to park visitors. the park for a range of recreation, education, tourism and research activities. I look forward to the community’s ongoing support for, and participation in the Indigenous tradition indicates that the park lies management of Castlemaine Diggings National within the Country of the Jaara Jaara people, Heritage Park. who are part of the Dja Dja Wurrung. JOHN THWAITES MP Minister for Environment Castlemaine Diggings National Heritage Park iii APPROVED MANAGEMENT PLAN This Management Plan has been prepared The plan provides the basis for the future under section 18 of the National Parks Act management of Castlemaine Diggings National 1975 (Vic.) and is approved for Heritage Park. It was finalised following implementation. consideration of the 44 submissions received on the Draft Management Plan. PETER HARRIS MARK STONE Secretary to the Chief Executive Department of Sustainability and Environment Parks Victoria iv Castlemaine Diggings National Heritage Park INTRODUCTION TO BOX-IRONBARK PARKS The Box-Ironbark Parks lie inland of the Great feelings of pride in and ownership of their Dividing Range in northern and central Box-Ironbark landscapes. The creation of the Victoria. Dotted across the landscape in a Box-Ironbark parks presents further broad band from Wodonga through Chiltern, opportunities to celebrate, protect and enhance Beechworth and Benalla, they extend past these special landscapes. Numurkah and through to Heathcote, Bendigo, Because much of the Box-Ironbark area was Maryborough and St Arnaud to Ararat and suitable for grazing and other forms of Stawell. At the time of European settlement agriculture, and because it coincides with Box-Ironbark forests and woodlands covered Victoria’s gold country, European settlement almost three million ha or 13% of Victoria. has had a substantial impact. More than 80% Box-Ironbark forests and woodlands are of the area has been cleared, and nearly all the unique to Australia, valued by local remainder (496 000 ha, of which 372 000 ha is communities and celebrated in literature and on public land) has been affected by grazing, art. The landscapes of the region have inspired timber cutting and other pressures from poets, writers and artists, both past and settlement. Past land uses have also contemporary, including Banjo Paterson, John contributed to region-wide problems of pest Wolseley and Samuel Thomas Gill. With the plants and animals, salinity and soil erosion. creation of a highly protected system of parks Interestingly, the gold mining which had a and reserves in 2002, the future of these forests significant initial impact on these and woodlands is assured. environments also contributed to their Box-Ironbark areas are part of Country of the protection. To ensure supplies of timber for Traditional Owners. There are many places mining needs, the government established and sites rich in archaeological, cultural and forest reserves. These became the setting for spiritual significance throughout the region. settlements and communities and the Increasingly, Indigenous communities are backyards for local people growing up in the involved in protecting and sharing the region’s area. Some are the basis of today’s parks and Indigenous heritage. reserves. Box-Ironbark forests and woodlands contain Although dominated by box and ironbark some of Victoria’s most significant historic eucalypts, the Box-Ironbark forests are not gold mining landscapes and features on public uniform. Six broad vegetation and landscape land, including areas of national cultural types and no fewer than 73 Ecological heritage significance. This has been recognised Vegetation Classes are recognised. The most in the establishment of Castlemaine Diggings extensive classes originally were Plains Grassy National Heritage Park, a first for Australia. Woodland, Grassy Woodland and Box- These landscapes and sites are associated with Ironbark Forest; all are now considered many former gold towns and settlements, and endangered or depleted. combine with them to form a region of strong Fragmentation and loss of habitat mean that historic character and interest. The historic almost 300 Box-Ironbark plant species (out of gold mining landscapes are significant a total of 1500 vascular plant species), and 53 components of tourism in the region today. of a total of 250 vertebrate fauna species, are The Box-Ironbark forests have been associated now considered threatened. Many species, with forestry, gold mining, grazing and particularly of birds, are in an ongoing state of apiculture from the 1830s. The major reefs and decline. A key aim of Box-Ironbark underground ore bodies helped establish and conservation and management is therefore the maintain towns, and together with forest recovery of species, as well as the protection of products, contributed to the State’s economic those species not currently threatened. development. One of the greatest