Narrawallee Inlet Natural Resources Management Strategy June 2002 NARRAWALLEE INLET NATURAL RESOURCES MANAGEMENT STRATEGY As adopted by Shoalhaven City Council On June 25th, 2002 Final Narrawallee Inlet Natural Resources Date: 25 June 2002 Management Plan FOREWORD Why A Natural Resources Management Strategy? The Narrawallee Inlet and its catchment are important community assets for environmental, economic, recreational and social reasons. Increasing demands for agricultural, residential and recreational opportunities need to be balanced with protection of the very values that people find attractive. In response to these demands, Shoalhaven City Council and State Government Agencies have prepared this Natural Resources Management Strategy. This strategy has been developed promote the long- term protection of our environment, and to minimise our impacts on the natural resources of the area This Management Strategy is accessible at libraries, Council offices and on the Shoalhaven City Council website – www.shoalhaven.nsw.gov.au. For more information, please contact: Natural Resources and Floodplain Unit, Shoalhaven City Council PO Box 42 Nowra 2541 Phone: 02 4429 3111 Fax: 02 4429 3175 Email: [email protected] Project supported by: Final Narrawallee Inlet Natural Resources Date: 25 June 2002 Management Plan TABLE OF CONTENTS 1 INTRODUCTION ........................................................................................................................................ 1 2 NARRAWALLEE INLET, ITS TRIBUTARIES AND CATCHMENT ................................................. 5 3 KEY ISSUES............................................................................................................................................... 15 4 MANAGEMENT ISSUES ......................................................................................................................... 17 5 MANAGEMENT PLAN ............................................................................................................................ 19 6 WATER QUALITY ................................................................................................................................... 21 7 EROSION AND SEDIMENTATION.......................................................................................................30 8 WATER FLOW.......................................................................................................................................... 32 9 NATURE CONSERVATION.................................................................................................................... 34 10 ENTRANCE MANAGEMENT ............................................................................................................ 41 11 RECREATION....................................................................................................................................... 44 12 VISUAL QUALITY ............................................................................................................................... 49 13 CULTURAL HERITAGE..................................................................................................................... 51 14 BIBLIOGRAPHY .................................................................................................................................. 53 Final Narrawallee Inlet Natural Resources Date: 25 June 2002 Management Plan The plan has been prepared under the 1 INTRODUCTION following hierarchy of NSW Government policies. 1.1 NARRAWALLEE INLET 1.2.1 NSW Coastal Policy The Narrawallee Inlet is located in the City of Shoalhaven on the New South The NSW Coastal Policy 1997 is the Wales south coast, by road Government's policy for the co- approximately 230 km south of ordinated planning and management Sydney, 60 km south of Nowra and six of the NSW coastal zone. It aims to km north of Ulladulla. The village of guide the management and planning Narrawallee forms the northern end of of the coastal zone by co-ordinating a continuous coastal urban community the various policies, programs and comprising Mollymook and Ulladulla standards that apply at both State and (see Figure 1.1). local government level including the Estuary Management Policy under Narrawallee Inlet has four main which this Estuary Management Plan tributaries – Croobyar, Yackungarrah has been developed. and Currowar Creeks and Garrads Lagoon. The three creeks rise in the The goals of the Coastal Policy escarpment forests within 30km of the establish the overall long term coast and wind through agricultural outcomes for the policy to be lands joining the estuary in a floodplain implemented through specific and wetland complex. objectives and strategic actions for which responsibility is assigned to Most of the land surrounding the government agencies, local councils village is bushland, reserved for public and the wider community. Estuary recreation, environmental protection or management plans are one of the scenic protection. many tools by which the objectives of the Coastal Policy can be met. Narrawallee Inlet's waterways and their catchments are characterised by 1.2.2 Total Catchment Management many environmental, social, Total Catchment Management (TCM) commercial and recreational values is the overlying management approach that make them popular places for a that involves the coordinated use and wide variety of activities. However, the management of land, water, pressure of these uses has sometimes vegetation, ecosystems and other resulted in competition for and resources within a drainage basin. In degradation of the area's natural the Shoalhaven, the Southern resources. Catchment Management Board manages TCM. In 2002, the Board 1.2 AIM released a draft blueprint for the This Narrawallee Inlet Natural management of natural resources in Resources Management Strategy the region. provides a comprehensive and integrated set of strategies to restore, 1.2.3 NSW Estuary Management protect and conserve the natural Policy resources of the Narrawallee Inlet The NSW Estuary Management Policy its waterways and catchments so as is one of several component policies to ensure that their use is under the umbrella NSW State Rivers ecologically sustainable in the long and Estuaries Policy. The State term. Government has developed the Final Page 1 Narrawallee Inlet Natural Resources Date: 25 June 2002 Management Strategy St Georges Basin Sussex Inlet Swan Lake Catchment of Narrawallee Inlet Bendalong 80 sq. km. # Lake Conjola Narrawallee Inlet Milton Mollymook Ulladulla Harbour Burrill Lake N W E S Lake Tabourie 02468Kilometers Figure 1.1. Location of Narrawallee Inlet Final Page 2 Narrawallee Inlet Natural Resources Date: 25 June 2002 Management Strategy Estuary Management Policy in • Estuary and catchment recognition of the ecological, social management should identify and economic importance of the landcare needs in the catchment. State's estuaries and in response to concern about the long-term No specialised technical investigations consequences of their accelerating or research were undertaken during degradation. This policy forms part of the preparation of this plan. However, a suite of catchment management a number issues which require further policies and ‘provides for the investigation have been identified as assessment of all estuarine uses, the actions arising in the plan. resolution of conflicts and the production of a unified and sustainable 1.4 PLANNING FRAMEWORK management plan for each estuary, There were a range of policies, plans including remedial works and the and strategies that were considered redirection of activities, where during the preparation of this plan. appropriate’ (NSW Government 1992). These included: • NSW State Rivers & Estuaries The goal of the Government’s Estuary Policy Management Policy is to achieve • NSW Wetlands Management Policy integrated, balanced, responsible and • NSW Coastal Policy 1997 ecologically sustainable use of the • Crown Land Foreshore Tenures State’s estuaries, which form a key Policy (non commercial component of coastal catchments. occupations) (1991) 1.3 PLANNING PROCESS Some of the strategies in this plan may This draft plan is a result of research, require amendments to Council discussions and negotiations involving policies, development controls or the Narrawallee Inlet Task Force, consents, permits and/or licences for State Government Agencies, works to repair existing degradation Shoalhaven Council, various (eg bank revegetation) and to prevent community organisations and future damage (eg sediment traps, individual landowners and residents. artificial wetlands). The strategies will The approach has been to examine be taken into account in future the full range of issues and concerns planning for the area. affecting the inlet, its waterways and all of the lands in the catchment. Actions carried out as a result of this plan will have to comply with This approach to natural resource legislation and statutory instruments management is based on the such as: following: • Local Government Act 1993 • The quality of estuaries is largely (Shoalhaven City Council) determined by management of their • Environmental Planning & catchments; Assessment Act 1979 (Dept • It is the policy of government to Planning) integrate the management of • State Environmental Planning natural resources Policy No. 14 - Coastal Wetlands • It is important to increase (Dept Planning) community understanding about • State Environmental Planning how activities in the catchment Policy