National Parks Act Annual Report 2017 © The State of Department of Environment, Land, Water and Planning 2017

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International licence. You are free to re-use the work under that licence, on the condition that you credit the State of Victoria as author. The licence does not apply to any images, photographs or branding, including the Victorian Coat of Arms, the Victorian Government logo and the Department of Environment, Land, Water and Planning (DELWP) logo. To view a copy of this licence, visit creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ Printed by Impact Digital, Brunswick ISSN 1839-437X (print) ISSN 1839-4388 (pdf) Disclaimer This publication may be of assistance to you but the State of Victoria and its employees do not guarantee that the publication is without flaw of any kind or is wholly appropriate for your particular purposes and therefore disclaims all liability for any error, loss or other consequence which may arise from you relying on any information in this publication. Further information For further information, please contact the DELWP Customer Service Centre on 136 186 or the Parks Victoria Information Centre on 131 963. Notes • During the year the responsible minister was the Hon Lily D’Ambrosio MP, Minister for Energy, Environment and Climate Change. • In this report: –– the Act means the National Parks Act 1975 –– DELWP means the Department of Environment, Land, Water and Planning –– Minister means the Minister responsible for administering the Act –– PV means Parks Victoria –– the Regulations means the National Parks Regulations 2013 –– Secretary means the Secretary to the Department of Environment, Land, Water and Planning. • On 23 March 2017 ‘ National Park’ was gazetted under the Geographic Place Names Act 1998 as the new name of Mount Eccles National Park. Legislation to amend the name in the National Parks Act was introduced into Parliament in June 2017. This report uses the name as it appears in the Act as at 30 June 2017. Cover image (image: Mark Antos) Accessibility If you would like to receive this publication in an alternative format, please telephone DELWP Customer Service Centre 136 186, email [email protected], or via the National Relay Service on 133 677 www.relayservice.com.au. This document is also available on the internet at www.delwp.vic.gov.au Department of Environment, Land, Water and Planning

Foreword

This annual report on the working of the National Highlights of the year for the parks system included: Parks Act 1975 for the year ended 30 June 2017 is provided to the Minister for Energy, Environment and • releasing the approved management plan for the Climate Change, the Hon Lily D’Ambrosio MP, under Greater Alpine national parks and finalising the draft section 35 of the Act. management plan for the River Red Gum parks

The Act establishes the statutory basis for the • another broad program of activities to protect and protection, use and management of an outstanding enhance natural and cultural values in parks system of more than 100 national and other parks across the state, together with monitoring and covering approximately 3.45 million hectares. research to support park management

The Secretary has statutory responsibility for • furthering partnerships with Traditional Owners, ensuring that the parks and other areas to which the including in the development of management plans Act applies are controlled and managed in • further work on the development of the Grampians accordance with the Act. Parks Victoria is responsible Peaks Trail for managing those areas on the Secretary’s behalf and works in partnership with the Department of • constructing additional facilities for visitors with Environment, Land, Water and Planning. disabilities

During the year Protecting Victoria’s Environment • introducing legislation into Parliament to add most – Biodiversity 2037, Victoria’s biodiversity plan, was of the highly significant Anglesea Heath to the released. The plan recognises the critical role played Great Otway National Park. by our national parks and other protected areas in the conservation of the state’s biodiversity. It also Legislation was also introduced to change the name acknowledges their contribution to a range of of Mount Eccles National Park in the Act to Budj Bim ecosystem services, the health and well-being of National Park following its inclusion in the Register of Victorians and the state’s nature based tourism Geographic Names. This recognises the outstanding industry. The plan includes initiatives to enhance the cultural significance of the Budj Bim area and value of and benefits derived from our parks. complements the work being done to seek World Heritage listing for the Budj Bim Cultural Landscape (which includes the park).

Volunteers and partner organisations continued to make a valuable and much appreciated contribution to a wide range of park management activities during the year. I also acknowledge the extensive and committed contributions which Parks Victoria and DELWP staff made to the protection and management of our parks in 2016–17.

Christine Wyatt Acting Secretary Department of Environment, Land, Water and Planning

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Contents

Foreword 1

Contents 2

A representative parks system 3 Areas managed under the Act 3 Changes to areas managed under the Act 3 Management and other planning 4

Managing natural and cultural values 5 Managing natural values 5 Monitoring natural values 9 Researching natural values 10 Managing cultural values 11

Managing fires and floods 12 Managing fire 12 Managing recovery from fires, floods and storms 13

Encouraging visitors and tourism 14 Enhancing visitor enjoyment and tourism 14 Visits to parks 14 Licensed tour operators 14 Informing, interpreting and educating 15

Partnering with Traditional Owners 16 Joint management 16 Co-operative management 16 Other Traditional Owner partnerships 16

Partnering with the community 17 Volunteers 17 Supporting visitors with disabilities 17

Supporting park management 18 Management arrangements 18 Legislation 18 Authorities under the Act 19 Enforcement 20 Interstate cooperation 20 Advisory bodies 21

Appendix 1 – Areas managed under the National Parks Act 22

Appendix 2 – Location of parks and other areas 32

2 Annual Report 2017 Department of Environment, Land, Water and Planning

A representative parks system

Areas managed under the Act Changes to areas managed under the Act

As at 30 June 2017 there were 139 areas with a total On 5 August 2016 a total area of 201 hectares area of approximately 3.45 million hectares managed was added to the parks system and a total area under various provisions of the Act. Appendix 1 lists of 0.6 hectares was excised. the areas and Appendix 2 shows their location. Additions were made to the following parks: The 139 areas comprised: • Dandenong Ranges National Park – section • 124 areas listed on various schedules to the Act of unmade government road near Mt Evelyn (<0.01 ha) –– 45 national parks (Schedule Two) • Murray-Sunset National Park – two areas of –– 3 wilderness parks (Schedule Two A) purchased land (161 ha) in the vicinity of Walpolla Creek and several areas of unmade government –– 26 state parks (Schedule Two B) road (21 ha) –– 5 coastal parks, 3 historic parks, 1 nature • – purchased land (6.7 ha), conservation reserve, 8 regional parks and unreserved Crown land (0.5 ha) and a section of Haining Farm (Schedule Three) unmade government road (1 ha) at Pound Bend –– 3 marine and coastal parks, 2 marine parks, • Cape Liptrap Coastal Park – forested area of 1 marine reserve, 1 national heritage park and Crown land in the headwaters of Cooks Creek east 1 nature conservation reserve (Schedule Four) of the Fish Creek–Walkerville Road (8 ha) –– 13 marine national parks (Schedule Seven) • Steiglitz Historic Park (3 ha) – three areas of –– 11 marine sanctuaries (Schedule Eight) purchased land and an area of unreserved Crown land (1 ha) and two sections of redundant unmade • 15 non-scheduled areas to which particular government road (2 ha). provisions of the Act apply. Excisions were made to the following parks: The Act also defines the following areas within particular national parks: • Lake Tyers State Park – cleared land east of Nowa Nowa incorrectly added to the park in 2012 (0.3 ha) • 19 wilderness zones (Schedule Five) in 7 national parks (see Appendix 1) • Steiglitz Historic Park – a narrow strip along Hay Track to provide legal access to freehold land • 22 remote and natural areas (Schedule Six) in (0.3 ha). 12 national parks (see Appendix 1) There were also technical amendments or • 4 designated water supply catchment areas in the corrections to the plans of Dandenong Ranges and Great Otway, Kinglake and Yarra Ranges national Great Otway national parks, Lake Tyers State Park, parks. Gadsen Bend Park and Steiglitz Historic Park.

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Management and other planning • National Park Master Plan renewal – consultation was completed on a discussion As at 30 June 2017, there were approved paper and the draft master plan, and the final plan management plans for all or parts of 43 national was prepared for release in mid-2017 parks, 3 wilderness parks, 25 state parks, 18 other parks and reserves, 13 marine national parks and The revised plan places a stronger emphasis on 11 marine sanctuaries. the park’s broader visitor economy context, highlights the Park’s natural and cultural values During the year: and their relevance beyond the park, and includes a more robust implementation framework. • the Greater Alpine National Parks Plan Management Plan was finalised and tabled • Falls to Hotham Alpine Crossing Master Plan – in Parliament on 1 September 2016 consultation on the draft was completed in early 2017, for finalisation in mid-2017, with the project The plan covers the Alpine, Baw Baw, Mount being delivered in partnership with Tourism North Buffalo, Errinundra and Snowy River national East, Visit Victoria and Regional Development parks, Avon Wilderness Park and Tara Range Park Victoria under the National Parks Act, as well as several areas not managed under the Act. • strategic planning was completed to guide future levels of service and infrastructure requirements • the River Red Gums Parks Draft Management Plan for campgrounds, day visitor areas and the was finalised in readiness for release for public network of trails in the Fraser section of Lake comment in 2017–18 Eildon National Park.

The plan covers more than 215 000 hectares of The Partnering with Traditional Owners section parks and reserves along the Murray, Goulburn of the report includes further information on and Ovens rivers between Wodonga and the South management planning for jointly managed parks. Australian border. These include Gunbower, Hattah-Kulkyne, Lower Goulburn and Warby– Ovens national parks, part of Murray–Sunset National Park, and Gadsen Bend, Kings Billabong, Nyah–Vinifera and Murray– Kulkyne parks as well as more than 100 other areas not under the Act. There was extensive community consultation undertaken in nine towns in the planning area and in to inform the development of the plan.

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Managing natural and cultural values

Managing natural values Managing invasive species

The basis for setting strategic priorities for Managing invasive species is vital to protecting our environmental management in areas under the Act parks and is a key delivery area for the management includes Parks Victoria’s State of the Parks of Victoria’s natural values. Programs to control Effectiveness Evaluation Program and relevant invasive animals were conducted in many parks conservation action plans. across the state to manage their impacts on natural and cultural values. Programs included those at a Parks Victoria is developing conservation action landscape-scale as well as projects targeting plans for each of Victoria’s 16 landscapes to guide particular species in various parks. investment in environmental protection, improvement and restoration of the public land Significant funding comes from the ongoing Weeds conservation estate, including areas under the Act. and Pests on Public Land Program and the Good These plans will include clearly defined conservation Neighbour Program. The federal government also outcomes and priorities for specific on-ground contributes funding to some projects. strategies and activities that can be implemented, monitored and adapted. Landscape-scale programs included those summarised in Table 1 as well as the long-term Eden During the year, the conservation action plan for the and Ark programs, which include various parks Wilsons Promontory landscape was completed and within their scope: published, and work commenced on plans for the Greater Otways, Plains and Strzelecki, • Eden programs – which aim to control high-threat Mallee, River Red Gum, Western Plains and Wetlands, invasive plants and Wimmera landscapes. –C– entral Highlands Eden (Baw Baw and Yarra On-ground works are prioritised to protect the Ranges national parks and Bunyip and highest environmental values at greatest risk. Moondarra state parks) Examples of projects in the various environmental ––Glenelg Eden (Cobboboonee, Lower Glenelg and management program areas are provided below. Mount Richmond national parks, and Discovery Bay Coastal Park) Managing threatened species and communities –O– tway Eden (Great Otway and Port Campbell Parks Victoria and DELWP continued to work with national parks) the community and key partner agencies to manage threatened species. These included programs The use of Remote Piloted Aircraft (RPAs or delivered as part of managing invasive species (e.g. Drones) was trialled in the Great Otway National fox control) or habitat restoration (e.g. the Victorian Park to determine whether this technology could Alpine Peatland Protection Program). Community be used for broad-scale weed mapping. Data Volunteer Action grants under the government’s analysis is still underway but the outcomes could Threatened Species Protection Initiative benefited have a significant impact on the effectiveness of several projects in various parks. how weeds are mapped and monitored in Otway Eden into the future. Particular examples of activities during the year include: • Ark programs – which aim to control foxes to protect small native mammals • Chiltern-Mt Pilot National Park – the release of further Regent Honeyeaters in the park –C– entral Highlands Ark (includes Lake Eildon and Yarra Ranges national parks and Cathedral • Mornington Peninsula National Park – banning Range State Park) dogs (announced last year) to protect the endangered Hooded Plover and other threatened ––Glenelg Ark (Cobboboonee, Lower Glenelg and species Mount Richmond national parks and Discovery Bay Coastal Park) • Snowy River National Park – continuing the Brush-tailed Rock-wallaby Recovery Program –G– rampians Ark ( and ) • Warby-Ovens National Park – a fish passage project which has seen an improvement in native –O– tway Ark (Great Otway and Port Campbell fish migration. national parks)

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–S– outhern Ark (Alfred, Alpine (part), volunteers to help control deer, feral goats, feral pigs Coopracambra, Croajingolong, Errinundra, Lind and foxes. Projects included those in the following and Snowy River national parks, Lake Tyers State national parks: Alpine (Sambar Deer), (feral Park and Cape Conran Coastal Park). pigs), Dandenong Ranges (Sambar Deer), Grampians (feral goats and Red Deer), Murray-Sunset (feral Parks Victoria continued to engage the hunting goats) and Wilsons Promontory (Hog Deer). community to assist with the management of invasive animals in several parks. The Australian The Managing marine values section of the report Deer Association (ADA) and the Sporting Shooters contains information on the control of marine pests. Association of (Victoria) (SSAA) provided

Table 1 – Landscape invasive species control programs

PV region / program Activity

Multi-region This program seeks to control invasive species on the public/private land interface. Through community engagement, projects aimed at reducing impacts on private land adjacent to parks are developed and Good Neighbour Program implemented. This year, these included projects aimed at controlling blackberry, broomweed, gorse, Paterson’s Curse and Serrated Tussock, as well as foxes, feral pigs and rabbits. In March 2017 Parks Victoria supported the national release of a new biological control agent for European Rabbits, RHD V1 K5. The release of this agent was successfully delivered at 16 sites across 11 parks to support the Rabbit RHD Boost release on public land in Victoria: Alpine, Barmah, Croajingolong, Grampians, Hattah-Kulkyne, Mount Buffalo, Wyperfeld and Wilsons Promontory national parks and Black Range and Mount Lawson state parks. Northern Victoria Significant work was undertaken to control rabbits in the three Mallee national parks and Lake Albacutya Park. Surveys were undertaken in Recovering Rangelands: spring 2016 to evaluate the effectiveness of investment in rabbit control at Mallee Bounceback a landscape scale and identify hotspots of rabbit activity that can be treated as a priority. Eastern Victoria This program again treated blackberry, broom, willow and several other Alps Intensive Management species in the and included wild horse control and Program monitoring. Volunteers again participated in this program aimed at detecting and Hawkweed Volunteer eradicating the three highly invasive and state prohibited Hawkweed Program species (King-Devil, Mouse Ear and Orange) from the Bogong High Plains, Alpine National Park and the adjoining Falls Creek Alpine Resort. Melbourne Metropolitan This program targets areas for weed management identified by local councils and public land managers, including Parks Victoria. It supports Peri-urban Weed projects in Melbourne’s peri-urban areas that protect key environmental Management Partnership values on public land from high threat weeds, including, in 2016–17 in Dandenong Ranges, and Arthurs Seat State Park.

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Managing native animals Managing habitat restoration

Long-term programs to manage the impact of Projects across a range of programs helped in the overabundant kangaroo and populations restoration of habitats through the control of continued in several parks. Excessive numbers invasive weeds, pest animals and over-abundant threaten habitats and can result in animal welfare native animals. issues. The programs are underpinned by established species management plans developed • Hattah-Kulkyne, Murray-Sunset and Wyperfeld with the support of key stakeholders, including national parks – further revegetation in the Mallee technical advisory committees. semi-arid woodlands to augment natural regeneration enabled by grazer control, in areas Red and Western Grey Kangaroos were controlled in where there are insufficient mature and Hattah-Kulkyne, Murray-Sunset and Wyperfeld reproductive trees national parks as part of managing the total grazing pressure on the parks from kangaroos, goats and • Dandenong and Yarra Ranges national parks – rabbits in order to protect regenerating woodland deer control programs to reduce the impacts of habitats. deer on wet forests

In relation to , Parks Victoria continued the • French Island National Park – translocation of koalas maintenance of koala welfare and woodland • Wilsons Promontory National Park – continuation habitats in French Island and Mount Eccles national of the program to restore coastal grassy parks and DELWP continued its translocation of woodlands, including further development of a koalas from private land on Cape Otway to the management approach to exotic and native Great Otway National Park. grazers in the park A French Island Koala Management Plan and • Nooramunga Marine and Coastal Park – control of supporting management actions were developed sea urchins. and will be implemented over the next 5 to 10 years. Tree canopy assessments and animal health checks In addition, the Victorian Alpine Peatland Protection in July 2016 led to the implementation of a koala Program, a partnership between Parks Victoria, the fertility control program on French Island in , North East and West Gippsland September 2016. catchment management authorities and the Australian Government, delivered restoration and A total of 421 females were treated with protection works across the Victorian Alps to reduce contraceptive implants, returned to the capture sites threats and improve the condition of alpine and released. During April and May, a large-scale peatlands. The program included invasive plant and translocation program was undertaken involving 723 animal control, hydrological restoration, fire animals: 435 to Kinglake National Park and 288 to management, community awareness, condition Tallarook State Forest. monitoring and Aboriginal engagement and employment.

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Managing environmental water Managing marine values

The year was very wet, with many of Victoria’s rivers, Marine invasive species continue to be a challenge in wetlands and floodplains subjected to natural floods, the management of marine protected areas across which is very important ecologically. Environmental the state. Several pests are now well established and water was used to enhance the outcomes of the are spreading, both within Port Phillip Bay and to natural flood events. other locations.

A program coordinated by the Victorian Parks Victoria continued to work with partner agencies Environmental Water Holder (VEWH) continued and stakeholders, including the boating community, to across Victoria to deliver environmental water to raise awareness of approaches to preventing the priority rivers and wetlands, including areas under spread of pests to other parks across the state. the Act. The VEWH works in partnership with waterway managers and Parks Victoria to integrate In 2016–17 Japanese Kelp, an invasive marine algae, environmental watering with river, wetland and spread within Port Phillip Bay to Swan Bay, Popes catchment management activities to achieve the Eye and the Portsea Hole within the Port Phillip best ecological outcomes. Water was provided by Heads Marine National Park. the VEWH as well as the Murray-Darling Basin Overabundant native species are also of concern in Authority (The Living Murray Program) and the marine protected areas, particularly a species of Commonwealth Environmental Water Holder. native sea urchin (Purple Sea Urchin) which has been Of particular relevance to parks: found to be having significant impacts on seagrass communities in Nooramunga Marine and Coastal • environmental water was used to increase the Park through overgrazing. In autumn 2017 a team breeding success of waterbirds in wetlands in comprising Parks Victoria and Fisheries Victoria staff Barmah, Gunbower, Hattah-Kulkyne and Murray- and community volunteers instigated a control Sunset national parks following floods by keeping program and removed approximately 57 500 animals the wetlands topped up after the floods until in two days. There are still thousands of urchins to be chicks had fledged removed and the ongoing program will target these while continuing to monitor seagrass health. • flows were increased in the lower Goulburn River, as well as in the Campaspe and Loddon rivers, to attract young native fish such as Golden Perch and Silver Perch to move upstream from their nursery habitats in the mid Murray and Darling rivers into the tributary rivers. Monitoring demonstrated movement of those species into the lower Goulburn River in the Lower Goulburn National Park.

In addition, New South Wales released environmental water into the Snowy River, which helped replicate the natural regime of high spring flows in the Victorian section of the river.

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Monitoring natural values • feral cats in the Grampians and Great Otway national parks Monitoring is a fundamental part of good park management. It is essential for understanding the • foxes in various parks as part of the various Ark state of our natural values, and the things that programs as well as in Little Desert National Park threaten them, as well as enabling us to evaluate • goats in Murray-Sunset National Park how well we are addressing these threats and conserving and protecting Victoria’s special places. • rabbits in Barmah, Hattah-Kulkyne, Murray- This leads to on-going improvement in effectiveness Sunset, Wilsons Promontory and Wyperfeld by highlighting where we are doing well and where national parks we can improve. • overabundant native wildlife, including kangaroos Terrestrial environment in the Mallee national parks and koalas in French Island and Mount Eccles national parks. Monitoring of natural values in areas managed under the Act included: DELWP’s Victorian Forests Monitoring Program provides a platform to meet its reporting obligations, • the condition of vegetation in Brisbane Ranges, support future policy and management decisions French Island, Mount Eccles and Terrick Terrick and assess the health and condition of Victoria’s national parks forests and parks. As at 30 June 2017 the program included 662 permanent monitoring plots located • alpine peatlands in the Alpine, Baw Baw and Mount across State forest and forested parks and Buffalo national parks conservation reserves, together with detailed aerial • threatened bird species, including the Hooded photography and satellite imagery. During the year, Plover on beaches in Mornington Peninsula and a further 8 plots were established and measured in Wilsons Promontory national parks and Cape areas under the Act. Liptrap and Discovery Bay coastal parks, the Malleefowl in Little Desert and the three Mallee Marine environment national parks and Big Desert Wilderness Park, Monitoring in marine protected areas included: the Plains Wanderer in Terrick Terrick National Park and the Regent Honeyeater in Chiltern- • a pilot of an updated monitoring program for Mt Pilot National Park Victoria’s marine national parks and sanctuaries in Point Addis Marine National Park, which is being • small native mammals in Cobboboonee, implemented in partnership with Deakin University Grampians, Great Otway, Little Desert, Lower Glenelg, Mornington Peninsula and Wilsons • the trialling of Autonomous Underwater Vehicles Promontory national parks, and arboreal in Point Cooke Marine Sanctuary as part of the mammals in Brisbane Ranges, Kinglake, Organ national Integrated Marine Observing System Pipes and Yarra Ranges national parks (IMOS), in partnership with Deakin University, Australian Marine Ecology, Fathom Pacific, • monitoring the effects of planned burning on the University of Sydney (Australian Centre for Field Smokey Mouse in the Yarra Ranges National Park. Robotics) and IMOS Monitoring of environmental threats in areas • Parks Victoria working with CSIRO and the Atlas managed under the Act included: of Living Australia to develop a database for Sea • weeds in the Alpine, Brisbane Ranges, Grampians, Search (Parks Victoria’s citizen science program) Great Otway and Yarra Ranges national parks and in BioCollect Mount Arapiles-Tooan State Park • the monitoring of marine pests and overabundant • deer in the Alpine and Wilsons Promontory native urchin populations and their impacts in Port national parks Phillip Heads Marine National Park and Nooramunga Marine and Coastal Park respectively.

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Researching natural values • Murray-Sunset National Park – transect surveys and small hand excavations of Quaternary Research authorisations deposits at the Berribee Quarry archaeological site for the purpose of investigating aboriginal Research, study and investigation in areas on the occupation and use of the landscape schedules to the Act are authorised under section 20 or 21A of the Act, sometimes in conjunction with • Beware Reef Marine Sanctuary – the deployment, a permit under the Flora and Fauna Guarantee Act servicing and retrieving of passive acoustic 1988, the Reference Areas Act 1978 or the Wildlife Act receivers for the purpose of investigating the Great 1975. White Shark.

A total of 305 research permits were issued during Research programs the year, 237 of which were new permits and 68 were renewed permits. These enabled research to be High-quality science is essential to inform the carried out in 103 parks (a permit may cover more management of areas managed under the Act. than one park) or in all parks if required (19 permits). Parks Victoria’s Research Partners Program continued to make a valuable contribution, The parks for which 10 or more permits were issued facilitating collaborations with partners from leading (in addition to the ‘all parks’ permits) were: Alpine research institutions across the state to tackle (25), Croajingolong (13), Dandenong Ranges (11), important questions and help to improve the way French Island (12), Grampians (20), Great Otway (23), our parks and reserves are managed. Little Desert (11), Murray-Sunset (10), Point Nepean (10), Wilsons Promontory (25), Wyperfeld (16) and Research to support and improve management of Yarra Ranges (13) national parks. terrestrial and freshwater ecosystems included:

Research authorised under the permits included: • a review, with RMIT University, to examine how different remote sensing approaches can be used • Chiltern-Mt Pilot, Grampians, Greater Bendigo, to assess the status of natural values and threats, Lower Glenelg and Yarra Ranges national parks as well as the effectiveness of management in – the sampling of moss and lichen and the areas managed under the Act across the state collection of terrestrial water bears (Tardigrada) for the purpose of investigating terrestrial water • a range of integrated research projects supported bears in Victoria under the National Environmental Science Program Threatened Species Hub • and Leaghur State Park – a wide range of activities associated with The • examining the influence of fire, introduced foxes Murray Explored Bioscan 2016–17 to document and cats and predator management in the fauna in northern Victoria 160 years after one of the Cobboboonee, Great Otway and Lower Glenelg earliest major expeditions run by Museum Victoria national parks

• Hattah-Kulkyne, Little Desert, Murray-Sunset, • research to improve understanding of the Terrick Terrick and Wyperfeld national parks, vulnerability of alpine peatlands to the impacts Kooyoora, Leaghur and Mount Arapiles-Tooan of introduced deer in the Alpine National Park state parks and Wychitella Nature Conservation • testing the use of remotely-piloted aircraft for Reserve – the deployment of autonomous assessing the condition of trees subject to recording devices and songmeters for the purpose excessive browsing pressure by over-abundant of developing an automated bioacoustics koalas on French Island monitoring system to assist in the conservation of south-eastern Australian parrots • continuing the long-term collaboration with researchers from the Australian National • Croajingolong National Park and Cape Howe and University to examine the ecological status of a Point Hicks marine national parks – a wide range broad range of fauna and various environmental of activities associated with Bush Blitz to attributes in areas of the Central Highlands, document fauna including Yarra Ranges National Park.

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Research to support and improve management of Parks Victoria also worked to improve the way in marine ecosystems managed under the Act which it manages Aboriginal heritage through: included: • completing an App, now known as Managing • continuing several multi-partner projects funded Country Together, to streamline cultural heritage through the Australian Research Council Linkage, assessment processes including one led by researchers at Monash University relating to seagrass with a focus on • developing a cultural heritage identification book, Western Port, including French Island, Churchill to be used as a field guide to help staff correctly Island and Yaringa marine national parks identify cultural heritage objects.

• continuing research to fill the remaining gaps in Managing historic heritage the baseline marine habitat mapping of Wilsons Promontory Marine National Park and new Initiatives undertaken in relation to heritage sites in research to fill the large gap for Bunurong Marine parks included: National Park • further works on the Mount Buffalo Chalet to the • continuing research to understand the links value of $2.5 million, including re-stumping the between physical characteristics of the seafloor principal public rooms (including the ballroom) and and biological communities in Bunurong, Discovery repair of the original hardwood floor, repair of Bay, Point Addis, Twelve Apostles and Wilsons stonework and walls, installing a new subfloor Promontory marine national parks and Merri drainage system and water pipeline and restoring Marine Sanctuary. the front garden

• completing a Heritage Landscape Management Managing cultural values Framework for Castlemaine Diggings National Heritage Park, supported by a grant from the Managing Aboriginal heritage Commonwealth’s Protecting National Historic Sites Program Projects during the year relating to managing Aboriginal heritage in parks included: • continuing the development of the Heritage Asset Management Application to document the • establishing a partnership project with Barengi condition of the heritage fabric of key heritage Gadjin Land Council Aboriginal Corporation to assets and the cost of repairs and catch-up conserve Aboriginal rock art in western Victoria, maintenance. including in Black Range and Mount Arapiles- Tooan state parks

• continuing an investigation into possible impacts to Aboriginal heritage from previous rabbit management activity in Hattah-Kulkyne National Park

• continuing a partnership project with First Peoples of the Millewa-Mallee and Aboriginal Victoria to manage significant burials in north-western Victoria, including in Murray-Sunset National Park and Kings Billabong Park.

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Managing fires and floods

Managing fire Melbourne Fire and Emergency Program The Melbourne Fire and Emergency Program, Bushfires established in 2009 as the Melbourne Bushfire The 2016–17 bushfire season was influenced by wet Protection Program, aims to improve bushfire conditions over winter and spring, followed by preparedness in Melbourne’s urban areas. It includes significant rain events through the summer months. Churchill, Dandenong Ranges, Mornington Peninsula, There were 447 fires during the year in areas under Organ Pipes and Point Nepean national parks, the Act which burnt an area of 6655 hectares. Arthurs Seat and Warrandyte state parks, , Langwarrin Flora and Fauna Reserve and Significantly, 238 of those fires were campfires left Woodlands Historic Park. unattended by park visitors and 74 were fires started by campfires/barbecues. There was a significant Activities under the program again included works increase in compliance activity by Parks Victoria and on fuel breaks, upgrading roads and tracks to DELWP in relation to campfires, and unattended improve access for fire vehicles, preparing planned campfires were recorded in addition to fires started burn edges, mechanical modification of bushfire fuel by campfires. and delivering pest plant control works post-burn as part of a 10-year program to improve vegetation Planned burning condition to offset native vegetation losses from previous fuel break works. There was also a Conditions for planned burning were variable across significant program of community engagement the state in 2016–17. There were 22 completed burns aimed at promoting fire safety behaviour and undertaken in areas under the Act, treating a total community education. area of nearly 26 600 hectares. This area included burns in the following national parks: Alpine (approximately 6600 ha), Coopracambra (5700 ha), Grampians (4400 ha), Little Desert (3500 ha) and Yarra Ranges (just over 2000 ha). Also included was approximately 1100 hectares in the Great Otway National Park which delivered a reduction in bushfire risk to some coastal communities along the Great Ocean Road.

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Planning, monitoring and research Managing recovery from fires, floods In November 2015 the Victorian Government and storms released Safer Together: a new approach to As a continuation of the recovery program following reducing the risk of bushfire in Victoria in response to the Wye River-Jamieson Track fire in 2015–16, the the Inspector-General for Emergency Management’s Great Otway National Park received state funding of review of performance targets for the future bushfire $3.4 million for implementation and delivery of fuel management program on public land. The risk recovery projects and further consultation and reduction target for fuel management on public land collaborative engagement with affected came into effect for 2016–17, and has shaped the communities. planning and operations that have been undertaken. A succession of floods, storms and heavy rainfall Strategic bushfire management plans, aimed at significantly affected several parks during the year. targeting actions to where risk sits in the landscape These included: Alpine, Barmah, Churchill, and ensuring that ecological resilience is considered Croajingolong, Dandenong Ranges, Grampians, in all actions, exist across the state. Monitoring, Greater Bendigo, Great Otway, Gunbower, Hattah- evaluation and reporting plans for these landscapes Kulkyne, Lower Glenelg, Lower Goulburn, Snowy have also been completed and implemented. River, Terrick Terrick, Wyperfeld and Yarra Ranges DELWP and Parks Victoria continued to invest in national parks, , Lysterfield research to investigate the impact and management Park and Woodlands Historic Park. A regionally of bushfire and planned burning on factors such as delivered recovery program was established to water quantity and quality, biodiversity, carbon provide for the repair or replacement of assets and assets, social and economic values and the the assessments of Aboriginal heritage. vulnerability and resilience of Victoria’s public forests, including those in parks.

Research continued to support Safer Together and the improvement of both prediction of bushfire behaviour, through continuation of research in the Dandenong Ranges into fuel dynamics in Tall Mist Forests, and maintaining and improving ecosystem resilience, through improved data collection and modelling work in the Otway Ranges.

This is complemented by many cross landscape research projects that contribute to both fire behaviour and ecosystem modelling tools that are applied across all public land, including areas under the Act.

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Encouraging visitors and tourism

Enhancing visitor enjoyment and tourism The Walk Victoria’s Icons portfolio of long-distance walks creates a focus on developing nature-based Parks Victoria continued to improve visitor and experiences via day and multi-day long distance tourist access and enjoyment while maintaining park walks which aim to deliver benefits to regional values and reducing risks. economies and the tourism industry:

Works to enhance visitor enjoyment and increase • Falls to Hotham Alpine Crossing – there was further nature-based tourism opportunities included: development of and consultation on the draft master plan (see Management and other planning) • Shipwreck Coast (including Port Campbell National Park and Bay of Islands Coastal Park) • Grampians Peaks Trail – work on Stage 2 included – progress on implementing Stage 1 of the upgrading 30 kilometres of pre-existing tracks and Shipwreck Coast Master Plan, including undertaking ecological and cultural heritage geotechnical investigations, environmental surveys along the entire trail length assessment, stakeholder engagement and design • Great Ocean Walk (Great Otway and Port • Port Campbell National Park – the continuation of Campbell national parks) – in partnership with planning for the construction of both a sewer and Regional Development Victoria, Parks Victoria potable water pipeline to connect the Twelve undertook initial investigations and developed an Apostles Visitor Centre to the Wannon Water implementation plan to complete works on the wastewater reclamation facility at Port Campbell walk, subject to funding

• Wilsons Promontory National Park – the • there were marketing partnerships with Great completion of works to replace the Lorikeet Flats Ocean Road Tourism and Grampians Tourism to at Tidal River with contemporary visitor promote the Great Ocean Walk and Grampians accommodation, as well as works to replace the Peaks Trail respectively. old toilets at Refuge Cove and Sealers Cove and to upgrade the toilets at Waterloo Bay The Wander Victoria campaign continued to promote Victoria’s regions to Melbournians and • Arthurs Seat State Park – the completion of works intrastate travellers, particularly highlighting many on the Summit Car Park, Lower Car Park, the new of the attractions of our national and state parks, ‘Changing Places’ Toilet and associated including the Alpine, Great Otway and Port Campbell improvements national parks.

• Bay of Islands Coastal Park – the restoration of the existing beach access steps at Childers Cove and Visits to parks Murnanes Bay, with planning continuing for the Parks Victoria’s latest Visitor Number Monitor, replacement of the steps at Childers Cove. conducted in 2016–17, estimated that there were 42.3 million visits made to national and state parks during that period. This is a 11.9 per cent increase on the number recorded in 2014–15. The monitor is a biennial survey covering a sample of Victorian, interstate and international visitors.

Licensed tour operators

Tour operators are licensed to run organised tours and recreational activities for profit on Victorian public land. As at 30 June 2017 there were 354 operators licensed to operate in areas under the Act.

14 Annual Report 2017 Department of Environment, Land, Water and Planning

Informing, interpreting and educating

Information, interpretation and education services relating to areas under the Act were provided to encourage visits, manage risks, increase knowledge and understanding of parks and biodiversity and encourage visitors to develop a stronger connection with the environment.

Information about parks continued to be provided to the public through Parks Victoria’s information service (13 1963), the Parks Victoria website, social media and the Park Notes and Visitor Guides.

Face-to-face interpretation activities were delivered to nearly 18 374 adults and children in 37 parks under the Act. This included delivery to 8638 students at 21 parks and the delivery of Parks Victoria’s Junior Ranger Program to 6302 participants at 32 parks under the Act.

In January 2017 the annual Summer by the Sea program was again delivered on behalf of Coastcare Victoria, Parks Victoria and Fisheries Victoria, including activities in marine protected areas under the Act.

Parks Victoria launched its new Learning in Nature Plan during the year. The plan outlines a new vision and direction for education and interpretation over the next four years, with a strong focus on connecting people with parks and fostering lifelong connections between people and our natural spaces. It seeks to reinvigorate, grow and diversify Parks Victoria’s education and interpretation programs to provide world-class experiences.

Annual Report 2017 15 Department of Environment, Land, Water and Planning

Partnering with Traditional Owners

DELWP and Parks Victoria continued to work with Co-operative management Traditional Owners across the state to implement joint and co-operative management arrangements Parks Victoria continued to work cooperatively and to support the involvement of Traditional with the Budj Bim Council and the Gunditj Mirring Owners in park management. Traditional Owners Aboriginal Corporation in the management of Mount Eccles National Park, and Joint management with the Barengi Gadjin Land Council Aboriginal Corporation in the management of Little Desert and There was further progress in working with Wyperfeld national parks, Mount Arapiles-Tooan Traditional Owner Land Management Boards in the State Park and Lake Albacutya Park. implementation of Traditional Owner settlement agreements and joint management partnerships Other Traditional Owner partnerships relating to various parks under the Act: Parks Victoria continued to work with other • in north-central Victoria, the Dhelkunya Dja Land Traditional Owner groups during the year, including Management Board continued to develop a joint on various aboriginal heritage projects (see management plan for areas including Greater Managing aboriginal heritage). Bendigo and (most of) Kara Kara national parks, and Kooyoora and Paddys ranges state parks. Dja Strategic discussions continued between the state Dja Wurrung rangers and Parks Victoria field staff and the Gariwerd Native Title Claim Group (which continued to work together in those parks to look includes Barengi Gadjin Land Council, Gunditj after Country Mirring and Eastern Maar Aboriginal Corporations) over an area which includes the Grampians National • in Gippsland, the Gunaikurnai Traditional Owner Park and Black Range State Park. Land Management Board continued to develop a joint management plan for parks and reserves subject to aboriginal title, including Mitchell River, Tarra-Bulga, The Lakes and Snowy River (New Guinea Caves) national parks, Lake Tyers State Park and Gippsland Lakes Coastal Park. Gunaikurnai rangers and Parks Victoria staff continued to work together in those parks to look after Country

• in northern Victoria, the Yorta Yorta Traditional Owner Land Management Board continued to develop its joint management plan for .

16 Annual Report 2017 Department of Environment, Land, Water and Planning

Partnering with the community

Volunteers Supporting visitors with disabilities

Volunteers from a wide range of partner Parks Victoria continued its work to ensure parks are organisations, including Friends groups, community more accessible for people with a disability and to and recreation users, special interest groups, encourage greater inclusion. educational institutions and corporate groups, as well as individuals continued to make a major During the year: contribution to the management of many areas • a new accessible unit for visitors of all abilities was under the Act. In 2016–17 volunteers dedicated more opened at Tidal River in Wilsons Promontory than 66 000 hours across 54 parks. National Park Organisations including but not limited to Bushwalking This self-contained, one-bedroom unit has been Victoria, Conservation Volunteers Australia, Friends designed and constructed according to current groups and Four Wheel Drive Victoria contributed to legislated standards for accommodation and will many projects. The Australian Deer Association and allow more people with disabilities to stay the Sporting Shooters Association of Australia overnight and enjoy the park. (Victoria) again provided valuable support for several projects relating to managing invasive species (see • a Changing Places facility was constructed as part Managing invasive species). of a new visitor amenities building at Arthurs Seat State Park to support visitors with special needs. This year, Parks Victoria developed an innovative online volunteer management system, ParkConnect. The facility is designed for visitors with high support This promotes both park and affiliated group needs who cannot use standard accessible public volunteer opportunities to the wider community. toilets and is the first Changing Places facility constructed in parks managed by Parks Victoria. During the year, volunteers contributed to various programs in parks designed to assist visitors:

• volunteers in the Campground Host program operated in 11 parks

• the Volunteer Track Ranger program was expanded from one location to three for the first time in seven years. Thirty volunteer track rangers assisted hikers in the Alpine, Grampians and Wilsons Promontory national parks

• Four Wheel Drive Victoria again delivered a highly successful Four Wheel Drive Camp Host program in various parks.

Volunteers also contributed to several Citizen Science projects in parks. These included Citizen Science surveys as part of Parks Victoria’s Sea Search program and the Reef Life Survey program for seagrass and intertidal and subtidal reef habitats in Corner Inlet, Port Phillip Heads and Wilsons Promontory marine national parks, Corner Inlet and Nooramunga marine and coastal parks, and Beware Reef, Eagle Rock, Jawbone, Merri, Mushroom Reef and Point Cooke marine sanctuaries.

Annual Report 2017 17 Department of Environment, Land, Water and Planning

Supporting park management

Management arrangements Legislation

The Secretary is responsible under the Act for Amendments to the Act ensuring that the parks and other areas to which the Act applies are controlled and managed in Crown Land Legislation Amendment accordance with the Act. (Canadian Regional Park and Other Matters) Parks Victoria, established under the Parks Victoria Act 2016 Act 1998, is responsible through a management agreement for managing the parks and other areas On 5 August 2016 this Act amended the National under the Act on behalf of the Secretary. Various Parks Act to: powers under the Act have been delegated to • add a total of 201 hectares to Dandenong Ranges employees of Parks Victoria. and Murray-Sunset national parks, Warrandyte DELWP, on behalf of the Secretary, works with Parks State Park, Cape Liptrap Coastal Park and Steiglitz Victoria and provides strategic policy advice to the Historic Park Minister and the Secretary. Under the Act, the • excise a total of 0.6 hectares from Lake Tyers State Director of National Parks (who is the chief executive Park and Steiglitz Historic Park officer of Parks Victoria) provides advice to the Minister and the Secretary on the operational • make several technical amendments or elements of park management. corrections to the plans of Dandenong Ranges and Great Otway national parks, Lake Tyers State Park Parks Victoria’s 2016–17 business plan sets out the and Gadsen Bend Park. management services and strategic priorities to be delivered for the year. Its annual report contains On 1 December 2016 the amending Act made information on the organisation and its operations consequential amendments to the National Parks for the year. DELWP and other organisations also Act arising from new bee site licensing provisions contributed to the parks program during the year. being inserted into the Land Act 1958. These replaced the bee site licensing provisions in section 21 of the National Parks Act. They enable licences of up to 10 years to be granted over specified land under the National Parks Act and establish a streamlined process for renewing licences.

National Parks and Victorian Environmental Assessment Council Acts Amendment Act 2016

This Act received the Royal Assent on 23 August 2016 and commenced on 7 September 2016. The amendments to the National Parks Act related mainly to Greater Bendigo National Park, in particular by providing for the addition of approximately 245 hectares to the park on surrender of the titles to the Crown, correcting some of the linework depicting parts of the park boundary and simplifying the description of those parts of the park that extend only to 100 metres below the land surface. It also made some minor technical amendments and repealed several spent provisions.

Crown Land Legislation Amendment Act 2016

On 19 October 2016 this Act made several consequential amendments to the National Parks Act arising from amendments to the regulation making power in the Crown Land (Reserves) Act 1978.

18 Annual Report 2017 Department of Environment, Land, Water and Planning

Traditional Owner Settlement Amendment Act Authorities under the Act 2016 Leases and licences On 1 May 2017 this Act amended the National Parks Act in relation to the offence provisions of the Act The following leases and licence were granted under applying when a member of a traditional owner sections 19G and 19K of the Act respectively: group is acting in accordance with a natural resource agreement under the Traditional Owner • Mornington Peninsula National Park – a 3-year Settlement Act 2010. interim lease to Portsea Surf Life Saving Club Inc for redevelopment of its clubrooms Parks and Crown Land Legislation Amendment Bill 2017 • Wilsons Promontory National Park – a 10-year lease to Pennicott Wilderness Journeys Pty Ltd This Bill was introduced into Parliament on 6 June over the Tidal River kiosk and cinema complex 2017. Amendments to the National Parks Act include: together with a 10-year licence to use part of Parks Victoria’s depot and the boat ramp in Tidal River. • adding 6420 hectares of the Anglesea Heath to the Great Otway National Park Other authorities

• altering the boundaries of Croajingolong National The following permits were issued under section 21(1) Park (addition of 27 ha), Greater Bendigo National (c)(ii) of the Act in relation to carrying out particular Park (net addition of 0.22 ha), Warrandyte State businesses: Park (net addition of 0.01 ha) and Castlemaine Diggings National Heritage Park (addition of • Dandenong Ranges, Great Otway, Mornington 1.66 ha) and correcting the boundaries of Lower Peninsula, Mount Buffalo and Yarra Ranges Goulburn National Park and Warrandyte State Park national parks and Bay of Islands, Cape Liptrap and Discovery Bay coastal parks – to Hang Gliding • removing the Secretary or nominee and the Federation of Australia and Victorian Hang Gliding Director of National Parks (the chief executive and Paragliding Association to use and maintain officer of Parks Victoria) from the National Parks hang gliding and paragliding sites Advisory Council • Cape Conran Coastal Park – to Bush Ed to • streamlining the provisions relating to the payment manage the Cape Conran camping and of sitting fees and/or allowances to the National accommodation precinct. Parks Advisory Council and park advisory committees. Other authorities granted included apiary permits under section 21(1)(b), tour operator licences under Amendments to regulations section 27D (see Enhancing visitor enjoyment and tourism) and authorisations under section 45A in On 4 April 2017 the National Parks Amendment relation to access to Cape Howe Marine National Regulations 2017 amended the National Parks Park. Regulations 2013 to allow the holders of Sea Urchin Fishery Access Licences to transit through Cape Consents to public authorities Howe Marine National Park to access the Iron Prince and Gunshot Reefs area outside but surrounded by Optus Fixed Infrastructure Pty Limited was declared the park. under section 3 of the Act to be a public authority for the purposes of the Act.1

Table 2 lists the consents granted under section 27 of the Act to public authorities (as defined in the Act) to carry out works, subject to conditions, in various parks.

1 APA GasNet (Operations) Pty Ltd and TransGrid were declared to be public authorities for the purposes of the Act in 2015–16.

Annual Report 2017 19 Department of Environment, Land, Water and Planning

Table 2 – Consents to public authorities

Park Public authority Purpose Install underground power supply at Clarke Road. Dandenong Ranges NP AusNet Electricity Services Pty Ltd Install underground power supply at Sherbrooke. Construct bridge and road infrastructure Great Otway NP Roads Corporation (VicRoads) on the Great Ocean Road at Grey River. Install underground power supply at Mornington Peninsula NP United Energy Distribution Pty Ltd Greens Bush. Operate and maintain emergency Emergency Services alerting system telecommunications Telecommunications Authority equipment at Lake Mountain. Yarra Ranges NP Operate and maintain part of the Motorola Solutions Australia Pty Ltd Metropolitan Mobile Radio network. Install and operate radio rebroadcasting Yarra Ranges Shire Council equipment at Mt Victoria. Install underground power supply Arthurs Seat SP United Energy Distribution Pty Ltd associated with the Arthurs Seat Skylift development. Construct road infrastructure as part of Castlemaine Diggings NHP Roads Corporation (VicRoads) the Rural Arterial Road Safety Project.

NHP National Heritage Park NP National Park SP State Park

Enforcement Interstate cooperation

There were 12 individuals successfully prosecuted Australian Alps Cooperative Management during the year for committing offences under the Program Act (11) or the National Parks Regulations 2013 (4).2 Most of the offences related to carrying or The Memorandum of understanding in relation to possessing a gun or other weapon (10). There were the cooperative management of the Australian Alps also successful results for prosecutions commenced national parks (the MOU) covers – in Victoria – the in 2015–16 for offences relating to guns (4). Alpine, Baw Baw, Mount Buffalo and Snowy River national parks and the Avon Wilderness Park. There were 222 infringement notices issued during the year in relation to prescribed offences against The purpose of the MOU is to promote cross-border the Act or the Regulations. These included offences cooperation in the protection and management of relating to recreational fishing in a marine national this highly significant conservation area. The four park or marine sanctuary (78), dogs (56), camping agencies involved in the MOU are Parks Victoria, outside a designated area (38), use of a vehicle (11), the NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service, lighting or maintaining a fire (7) and littering at the ACT Parks and Conservation Service and the campsites (7). Commonwealth Department of Environment. There were also 1 official warning and 3 warnings issued in relation to offences under the Act or the Regulations.

2 The numbers refer to prosecutions during the year for which successful results were obtained regardless of when the offences took place.

20 Annual Report 2017 Department of Environment, Land, Water and Planning

Several workshops and forums were held, including Advisory bodies one on invasive species, particularly deer and wild horses. Other projects and initiatives aimed at National Parks Advisory Council benefiting mountain catchments and ecosystems across the Alps included: The National Parks Advisory Council is appointed under section 10 of the Act. Its main functions are to • a quantitative assessment of feral horse abundance advise the Minister generally in relation to the • the re-measuring Mountain Invasion Research administration of the Act and on particular matters Network transects in relation to which its advice is required under the Act or is sought by the Minister. • a habitat assessment of the endangered Guthega Skink The council comprises the Secretary (or his or her nominee), the Director of National Parks (who is the • a study of Phytophthora dieback in the Australian Chief Executive Officer of Parks Victoria) and eight Alps non-government members. A new council was appointed during the year. As at 30 June 2017 the • the training of dogs to detect three species of council comprised the following members: hawkweed Convenor: Mr Doug Humann AM • various initiatives relating to communications. Members: Ms Sarah Crute (nominee of the Secretary) Associate Professor Ursula De Jong Ms Judith Dixon Mr Michael Fendley Ms Anna Foley Mr Matt Jackson (Director of National Parks) Mr Adam McLean Dr Mary-Jane Rogers Mr Chris Rose.

The council’s annual report for 2016–17 provides information on the council and its activities during the year.

There were also several non-statutory advisory groups which provided advice on the management of various parks.

Annual Report 2017 21 Department of Environment, Land, Water and Planning

Appendix 1 Areas managed under the National Parks Act A National parks (Schedule Two)

Area (ha) Addition Area (ha) National park 30 June 2016 (ha) 30 June 2017 1 Alfred 3 050 3 050 2 Alpine 661 777 661 777 3 Barmah 28 505 28 505 4 Baw Baw 13 530 13 530 5 Brisbane Ranges 8 885 8 885 6 Burrowa-Pine Mountain 18 400 18 400 7 Chiltern-Mt Pilot 21 650 21 650 8 Churchill 271 271 9 Cobboboonee 18 510 18 510 10 Coopracambra 38 800 38 800 11 Croajingolong *88 500 *88 500 12 Dandenong Ranges 3 540 <0.01 +3 535 13 Errinundra 39 870 39 870 14 French Island *11 160 *11 160 15 Grampians 168 235 168 235 16 Greater Bendigo** 17 324 17 324 17 Great Otway *103 875 +*104 015 18 Gunbower 9 330 9 330 19 Hattah-Kulkyne 49 975 49 975 20 Heathcote-Graytown 12 700 12 700 21 Kara Kara 13 990 13 990 22 Kinglake 23 210 23 210 23 Lake Eildon 27 750 27 750 24 Lind 1 370 1 370 25 Little Desert 132 647 132 647 26 Lower Glenelg 26 430 26 430 27 Lower Goulburn 9 320 9 320 28 Mitchell River 14 395 14 395 29 Mornington Peninsula *2 680 *2 680 30 Morwell 565 565 31 Mount Buffalo 31 020 31 020 32 Mount Eccles 8 565 8 565 33 Mount Richmond 1 733 1 733 34 Murray-Sunset 664 810 182 +665 400

22 Annual Report 2017 Department of Environment, Land, Water and Planning

Area (ha) Addition Area (ha) National park 30 June 2016 (ha) 30 June 2017 35 Organ Pipes 153 153 36 Point Nepean *578 *578 37 Port Campbell *1 830 *1 830 38 Snowy River 114 600 114 600 39 Tarra-Bulga 2 015 2 015 40 Terrick Terrick 6 390 6 390 41 The Lakes 2 390 2 390 42 Warby-Ovens 14 750 14 750 43 Wilsons Promontory *49 049 *49 049 44 Wyperfeld 359 445 359 445 45 Yarra Ranges 77 185 77 185 Total – National parks 2 904 757 182 2 905 482

* Area includes the area of the national park located beneath a marine national park. ** Parts of Greater Bendigo NP extend only to 100 metres below the land surface. + Area of park re-calculated, including following replotting of the low water mark (Great Otway National Park).

B Wilderness parks (Schedule Two A)

Area (ha) Area (ha) Wilderness park 30 June 2016 30 June 2017 1 Avon 39 650 39 650 2 Big Desert 142 300 142 300 3 Wabba 20 100 20 100 Total – Wilderness parks 202 050 202 050

Annual Report 2017 23 Department of Environment, Land, Water and Planning

C State parks (Schedule Two B)

Area (ha) Addition Excision Area (ha) State park 30 June 2016 (ha) (ha) 30 June 2017 1 Arthurs Seat 565 565 2 Black Range 11 700 11 700 3 Broken-Boosey 1 010 1 010 4 Bunyip 16 655 16 655 5 Cape Nelson 210 210 6 Cathedral Range 3 616 3 616 7 Dergholm 10 400 10 400 8 Enfield 4 400 4 400 9 Holey Plains 10 740 10 740 10 Kooyoora 11 350 11 350 11 Lake Tyers 8 680 0.3 8 680 12 Langi Ghiran 3 040 3 040 13 Leaghur 2 050 2 050 14 Lerderderg 20 185 20 185 15 Moondarra 6 330 6 330 16 Mount Arapiles-Tooan 7 470 7 470 17 Mount Buangor 2 400 2 400 18 Mount Granya 6 140 6 140 19 Mount Lawson 13 150 13 150 20 Mount Napier 2 800 2 800 21 Mount Samaria 7 600 7 600 22 Mount Worth 1 040 1 040 23 Paddys Ranges 2 010 2 010 24 Reef Hills 2 020 2 020 25 Warrandyte 686 8 +693 26 Werribee Gorge 575 575 Total – State parks 156 822 8 0.3 156 829

+ Area of park re-calculated.

24 Annual Report 2017 Department of Environment, Land, Water and Planning

D Other parks (Schedule Three)

Area (ha) Addition Excision Area (ha) Other park 30 June 2016 (ha) (ha) 30 June 2017 1 Bay of Islands CP 950 950 2 Beechworth HP 1 090 1 090 3 Cape Conran CP 11 700 11 700 4 Cape Liptrap CP 4 315 8 +4 320 5 Discovery Bay CP *10 460 *10 460 6 Gadsen Bend Park 1 620 1 620 7 Gippsland Lakes CP 17 688 17 688 8 Haining Farm 66 66 9 Kings Billabong Park 2 195 2 195 10 Lake Albacutya Park 8 300 8 300 11 Langwarrin FFR 214 214 12 Lysterfield Park 1 397 1 397 13 Murray-Kulkyne Park 4 555 4 555 14 Nyah-Vinifera Park 1 370 1 370 15 Steiglitz HP 425 3 0.3 +430 16 Tara Range Park 7 620 7 620 17 Tyers Park 1 810 1 810 18 Woodlands HP 820 820 Total – Other parks 76 595 11 0.3 76 605

CP Coastal Park FFR Flora and Fauna Reserve HP Historic Park * Area includes the area of the park located beneath a marine national park. + Area of park re-calculated.

Annual Report 2017 25 Department of Environment, Land, Water and Planning

E Other parks and reserves (Schedule Four)

Area (ha) Area (ha) Other park or reserve 30 June 2016 30 June 2017 1 Bunurong MP *1 660 *1 660 2 Castlemaine Diggings NHP** 7 585 7 585 3 Corner Inlet MCP *18 000 *18 000 4 Deep Lead NCR (No. 1)** 1 120 1 120 5 Nooramunga MCP 15 000 15 000 6 Shallow Inlet MCP 2 000 2 000 7 Wilsons Promontory MP ) 8 Wilsons Promontory MR ) *10 000 *10 000 Total – Other parks and reserves 55 365 55 365

MCP Marine and Coastal Park MP Marine Park MR Marine Reserve NCR Nature Conservation Reserve NHP National Heritage Park * Area includes the area of the park or reserve located beneath a marine national park. ** Castlemaine Diggings NHP and Deep Lead NCR (No. 1) extend only to 100 metres below the land surface.

26 Annual Report 2017 Department of Environment, Land, Water and Planning

F Wilderness zones (Schedule Five)

Wilderness zones are located within several national parks, as set out below. The areas of the wilderness zones are included in the areas of the relevant parks in Part A of this appendix. There were no changes to the wilderness zones during the year.

Area (ha) National park Wilderness zone 30 June 2017 1 Alpine Mount Darling-Snowy Bluff 40 400 2 Alpine Razor-Viking 15 700 3 Alpine Indi 13 800 4 Alpine Cobberas 10 000 5 Alpine Buchan Headwaters 30 000 6 Alpine Tingaringy 7 900 7 Coopracambra Genoa 19 400 8 Croajingolong Sandpatch 15 600 9 Croajingolong Cape Howe 7 100 10 Murray-Sunset Sunset 126 900 11 Murray-Sunset Minook 38 700 12 Murray-Sunset Galpunga 35 700 13 Murray-Sunset Mount Cowra 23 500 14 Snowy River Snowy River 27 000 15 Snowy River Bowen 17 500 16 Wilsons Promontory Wilsons Promontory 21 800 17 Wyperfeld North Wyperfeld 97 900 18 Wyperfeld South Wyperfeld 61 300 19 Wyperfeld Chinaman Flat 29 800 Total – Wilderness zones 640 000

Annual Report 2017 27 Department of Environment, Land, Water and Planning

G Remote and natural areas (Schedule Six)

Remote and natural areas are located within several national parks, as set out below. The areas of the remote and natural areas are included in the areas of the relevant parks in Part A of this appendix. There were no changes to the remote and natural areas during the year.

Area (ha) National park Remote and natural area 30 June 2017 1 Alpine The Governors 8 100 2 Alpine Macalister 33 300 3 Alpine Dandongadale 3 700 4 Alpine Bundara-Cobungra 13 700 5 Alpine Bogong 16 300 6 Alpine Davies Plain 10 500 7 Alpine Suggan Buggan 17 800 8 Alpine Upper Snowy 11 800 9 Baw Baw Baw Baw Plateau 6 500 10 Burrowa-Pine Mountain Mount Burrowa 6 200 11 Coopracambra Mount Kaye 8 100 12 Croajingolong Rame Head 9 800 13 Errinundra Brodribb 7 700 14 Grampians Victoria Range 14 000 15 Grampians Serra Range 11 200 16 Grampians Major Mitchell Plateau 6 900 17 Little Desert Little Desert 16 400 18 Mount Buffalo North Buffalo 6 500 19 Murray-Sunset South Sunset 24 000 20 Wilsons Promontory Wilsons Promontory Islands (12) 469 21 Wilsons Promontory Southern Wilsons Promontory 14 400 22 Wyperfeld Hopping Mouse Hill 32 100 Total – Remote and natural areas 279 469

28 Annual Report 2017 Department of Environment, Land, Water and Planning

H Marine national parks (Schedule Seven)

There were no changes to the marine national parks during the year.

Area (ha) Marine national park* 30 June 2017 1 Bunurong 2 100 2 Cape Howe 4 050 3 Churchill Island 670 4 Corner Inlet 1 550 5 Discovery Bay 2 770 6 French Island 2 800 7 Ninety Mile Beach 2 750 8 Point Addis 4 600 9 Point Hicks 4 000 10 Port Phillip Heads 3 580 11 Twelve Apostles 7 500 12 Wilsons Promontory 15 550 13 Yaringa 980 Total – Marine national parks 52 900

* Marine national parks extend only to 200 metres below the land surface. Some partly overlay parts of other parks under the Act.

I Marine sanctuaries (Schedule Eight)

There were no changes to the marine sanctuaries during the year.

Area (ha) Marine sanctuary 30 June 2017 1 Barwon Bluff 17 2 Beware Reef 220 3 Eagle Rock 17 4 Jawbone 30 5 Marengo Reefs 12 6 Merri 25 7 Mushroom Reef 80 8 Point Cooke 290 9 Point Danger 25 10 Ricketts Point 115 11 The Arches 45 Total – Marine sanctuaries 876

Annual Report 2017 29 Department of Environment, Land, Water and Planning

J Other areas (non-scheduled)*

There were no changes to the non-scheduled areas during the year.

Area (ha) Area Section of Act 30 June 2017 1 Bald Hills BR 19B 1 2 Collins Settlement Historic Site 19B 1 3 Flinders NCR 19B 1 4 Flinders Natural Interest Reserve 19B 4 5 Long Forest NCR 19B 283 6 Lower Glenelg PPR and SLR 19B 24 7 Main Ridge NCR 19B 64 8 Moreep BR 19B 10 9 Nyerimilang Park 19B 200 10 Wychitella NCR 19B 3 780 11 Mt St Gwinear access road 19C 35 12 Commonwealth land adjacent to Woodlands Historic Park 19D 31 13 Picnic area at McKenzie’s Flat (Lerderderg State Park) 19E # 14 Blackwood Ranges Track (Lerderderg State Park) 19E # 15 Glenample Homestead 32AA 8 Total – Other areas 4 442

BR Bushland Reserve NCR Nature Conservation Reserve PPR Public Purposes Reserve SLR Scenic Lookout Reserve * Only specific sections of the Act apply to these areas. # Area approximately 0.1 ha

30 Annual Report 2017 Department of Environment, Land, Water and Planning

K Summary – areas managed under the Act

No. of areas Area (ha) Area (ha) Category 30 June 2017 30 June 2016 30 June 2017 A National parks (Schedule Two) 45 2 904 757 2 905 482 B Wilderness parks (Schedule Two A) 3 202 050 202 050 C State parks (Schedule Two B) 26 156 822 156 829 D Other parks (Schedule Three) 18 76 595 76 605 E Other parks and reserves (Schedule Four) 8 55 365 55 365 H Marine national parks (Schedule Seven) 13 52 900 52 900 I Marine sanctuaries (Schedule Eight) 11 876 876 J Other areas (non-scheduled) 15 4 442 4 442 Total 139 3 453 807 3 454 549

L Unproclaimed additions

As at 30 June 2017 the following legislation provides for future additions to the parks system.

Act Provision of Act Park Area (ha) 1 National Parks Act 1975 50K Greater Bendigo National Park *16 2 National Parks Act 1975 78 Greater Bendigo National Park *245 Schedule One AA 3 National Parks Act 1975 Gippsland Lakes Coastal Park *2 clause 20 National Parks 4 29(3) 178 (Amendment) Act 1989 Total – unproclaimed areas 441

* Area will become part of the park on surrender of the title to the Crown.

Annual Report 2017 31 Department of Environment, Land, Water and Planning

Appendix 2 Location of parks and other areas National and other parks and 44 Collins Settlement HS 90 Nooramunga MCP areas 45 Mornington Peninsula NP 91 Tarra-Bulga NP 1 Murray-Sunset NP 46 Arthurs Seat SP 92 Morwell NP 2 Hattah-Kulkyne NP 47 Main Ridge NCR 93 Holey Plains SP 3 Murray-Kulkyne Park 48 Bald Hills BR 94 Gippsland Lakes CP 4 Big Desert WP 49 Flinders NCR 95 The Lakes NP 5 Wyperfeld NP 50 Flinders NIR 96 Mitchell River NP 6 Lake Albacutya Park 51 French Island NP 97 Nyerimilang Park 7 Little Desert NP 52 Langwarrin FFR 98 Snowy River NP 8 Mount Arapiles-Tooan SP 53 Churchill NP 99 Errinundra NP 9 Dergholm SP 54 Lysterfield Park 100 Coopracambra NP 10 Black Range SP 55 Bunyip SP 101 Lind NP 11 Grampians NP 56 Dandenong Ranges NP 102 Alfred NP 12 Deep Lead NCR (No. 1) 57 Warrandyte SP 103 Cape Conran CP 13 Lower Glenelg NP and 58 Organ Pipes NP 104 Croajingolong NP Cobboboonee NP 59 Woodlands HP and adjacent 105 Kings Billabong Park 14 Discovery Bay CP Commonwealth land 106 Gadsen Bend Park 15 Lower Glenelg PPR and SLR 60 Kinglake NP 107 Nyah-Vinifera Park 16 Mount Richmond NP 61 Haining Farm 108 Gunbower NP 17 Cape Nelson SP 62 Yarra Ranges NP 109 Lower Goulburn NP 18 Mount Eccles NP 63 Cathedral Range SP 110 Lake Tyers SP 64 Lake Eildon NP 19 Mount Napier SP Marine national parks and 65 Mount Samaria SP 20 Langi Ghiran SP marine sanctuaries 21 Mount Buangor SP 66 Reef Hills SP A Discovery Bay MNP 22 Paddys Ranges SP 67 Broken-Boosey SP B Merri MS 23 Kara Kara NP 68 Barmah NP C The Arches MS 24 Kooyoora SP 69 Warby-Ovens NP D Twelve Apostles MNP 25 Wychitella NCR 70 Chiltern-Mt Pilot NP E Marengo Reefs MS 26 Leaghur SP 71 Beechworth HP F Eagle Rock MS 27 Terrick Terrick NP 72 Mount Granya SP G Point Addis MNP 28 Greater Bendigo NP 73 Mount Lawson SP H Point Danger MS 29 Heathcote-Graytown NP 74 Burrowa-Pine Mountain NP I Barwon Bluff MS 30 Castlemaine Diggings NHP 75 Wabba WP J Port Phillip Heads MNP 31 Lerderderg SP and 76 Mount Buffalo NP K Point Cooke MS associated leased areas 77 Alpine NP L Jawbone MS 32 Long Forest NCR 78 Avon WP M Ricketts Point MS 33 Werribee Gorge SP 79 Baw Baw NP and N Mushroom Reef MS 34 Enfield SP Mt St Gwinear access road O Yaringa MNP 35 Moreep BR 80 Moondarra SP P French Island MNP 36 Brisbane Ranges NP 81 Tyers Park Q Churchill Island MNP 37 Steiglitz HP 82 Mount Worth SP R Bunurong MNP 38 Bay of Islands CP 83 Bunurong MP S Wilsons Promontory MNP 39 Port Campbell NP 84 Cape Liptrap CP T Corner Inlet MNP 40 Glenample Homestead 85 Shallow Inlet MCP U Ninety Mile Beach MNP 41 Tara Range Park 86 Wilsons Promontory NP V Beware Reef MS 42 Great Otway NP 87 Wilsons Promontory MP W Point Hicks MNP 43 Point Nepean NP 88 Wilsons Promontory MR 89 Corner Inlet MCP X Cape Howe MNP

BR Bushland Reserve MNP Marine National Park NIR Natural Interest Reserve CP Coastal Park MP Marine Park NP National Park FFR Flora and Fauna Reserve MR Marine Reserve PPR Public Purposes Reserve HP Historic Park MS Marine Sanctuary SLR Scenic Lookout Reserve HS Historic Site NCR Nature Conservation Reserve SP State Park MCP Marine and Coastal Park NHP National Heritage Park WP Wilderness Park

32 Annual Report 2017 Department of Environment, Land, Water and Planning X 150 7 . 102

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V River 94 HWY 96

VALLEY Y River A Mitta River Mitchell KING Mitta Dargo ellington

77

R MUR Lake W Lake Hume

River U Bairnsdale 72

Kiewa PRINCES River Sale •

ALPINE River HWY • T Avon GREA River 93 71

78 River

76 HWY 77

odonga AND HYL 90 W 70 River Macalister • raralgon River T T 87 Thompson

King 91 HWY 81 92 angaratta

S •

W HWY 86

• 89

Ovens I

79 K C

Moe

65 E D 80 88

FWY

69 L N

Lake Mulwala

E A Z L 87

64 Y robe R S 85

Lake Eildon T

W T P

River 82 Benalla La S F IP Lake Mokoan

• G arragul • W

66 63 HWY Broken 62

Y 84

SOUTH

River

ALLE HWY H

V A

D

67 N

55

R O

O PRINCES 83

R 61

HWY A

HWY M

BASS

Shepparton HWY

Y

56 MELBA

E

• ALL Y

V A P Q National or other park greater than 1000 ha National or other park/area less than 1000 ha Marine national park greater than 1000 ha Marine national park or marine sanctuary less than 1000 ha 54

51

30 June 201 7 N 57

R MUR R U

B 60

arra O

L

Y G U O • Seymour 53

Dandenong

52 • HUME 109 49 10 48 Murray River 68 N - X M

•

AND L A MID 47 aranga 1 - L Goulburn W Reservoir 50 29 46 HWY 59

K River 45 •

58 FWY NORTHERN J 44 MELBOURNE

River 43

32 FWY

Campaspe I

Y

Echuca W H erribee

108 W PRINCES H 31 • 28 Lake Eppalock 36 River 27 HWY G 30 •

River 33

AD

N O Y F

R R W E

HWY T H

S

Moorabool 37

35 E

HWY D

Lorne W

•

N

ALLEY River

LODDON V A

L

Geelong

Loddon D

I River M 42

• Bendigo

HWY Y Barwon E 34 • 22 W H 25 26 ALDER Areas managed under the National Parks Act C HWY • Swan Hill

24 Colac

• Lake Corangamite River Ballarat

Maryborough

Creek 42

107

A Y voca

VALLE 21

AY S 40

MURR E

E

N

23 E 20 Mt.Emu SIA D

AY R 39 Y P

SUNR C N

Lake Buloke S

E A

C E •

HWY N I C

R O P

Murray yrrell HWY

Lake T River HWY 12 T

WY A H HWY E R

G HWY Ararat 106 Hopkins 38

HWY HOPKINS • HWY River ON

T B IA

S 1

3 Y

NRA

SU 1 HAMIL HWY

Y

T 2 HEN

CALDER • UNG

•

105

R

BO River Y H W arrnambool 19 Mildura • • W Ouyen Lake Albacutya 10

6 Wimmera 18 Lake Hindmarsh HWY

G N

L Y

R Horsham

Rocklands Reservoir E

T HWY E N HEN

T E

S 8 L

1 E A G

Portland W R Hamilton

5 annon E •

W 17

M

M

I W 7 16 13

PRINCES MALLEE 15 1

A

River Glenelg 14

9 T

4

R STU

Annual Report 2017 33 delwp.vic.gov.au