NSW NATIONAL PARKS & WILDLIFE SERVICE National Park, Mount Royal National Park and Barrington Tops State Conservation Area Draft Amendment to the Plan of Management

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Published by: Environment, Energy and Science Department of Planning, Industry and Environment Locked Bag 5022, Parramatta NSW 2124 Phone: +61 2 9995 5000 (switchboard) Phone: 1300 361 967 (Environment, Energy and Science enquiries) TTY users: phone 133 677, then ask for 1300 361 967 Speak and listen users: phone 1300 555 727, then ask for 1300 361 967 Email: [email protected] Website: www.environment.nsw.gov.au Report pollution and environmental incidents Environment Line: 131 555 (NSW only) or [email protected] See also www.environment.nsw.gov.au ISBN 978-1-922493-99-6 EES 2021/0039 February 2021

Find out more about your environment at: www.environment.nsw.gov.au Contents

Have your say 1 What happens to your feedback? 1 Your privacy 1 Why amend the plan? 2 Improvements to visitor facilities and management 2 Updates required for currency 3 How to read the amendment 3 Proposed amendments 4 1. Improving visitor facilities at camping and day use areas 4 2. Updates required for currency 8 References 14

iii List of tables Table 1 Camping area facilities 5 Table 2 Day use facilities 6

List of figures Figure 1 Figure 5 Seasonal Road Closures in the Planning Area 7 Figure 2 Map 1 Vehicular Access 9 Figure 3 Map 2 Recreational Facilities 10 Figure 4 Map 3 Cycling and Horse Riding 11

iv Have your say We want to know what you think about this draft plan amendment. To give us feedback, please send a written submission via: the online submission form at www.environment.nsw.gov.au/get-involved/have-your- say email to [email protected] post to Manager, Planning Evaluation and Assessment, Locked Bag 5022, Parramatta NSW 2124. Written submissions must be received by 22 March 2021. To help us make the best use of your feedback: • Please tell us what issue or part of the amendment you are talking about. One way you can do this is to include the section heading and/or page number from the amendment in your submission. • Tell us how we can make the amendment better. You may want to tell us what you know about the park or how you or other people use and value it. We are happy to hear any ideas or comments and will consider them all, but please be aware that we can’t always include all information or ideas in the final plan.

What happens to your feedback? Step 1: At the close of the public exhibition period, we consider all submissions and prepare a submissions report. Multiple submissions received by the same author will be counted as a single submission. Step 2: We provide the relevant local advisory committee and the National Parks and Wildlife Advisory Council with the draft plan, all the submissions and the submissions report. They consider the documents, make comments on the plan or suggest changes, and provide advice to the Minister for Energy and Environment. Step 3: The Minister considers the plan, submissions and advice, makes any necessary changes and decides whether to adopt the plan under the National Parks and Wildlife Act 1974.

Your privacy Your submission will be provided to two advisory bodies. Your comments on the draft plan may include personal information. The Department of Planning, Industry and Environment complies with the NSW Privacy and Personal Information Protection Act 1998, which regulates the collection, storage, quality, use and disclosure of personal information. For details see Privacy and security. Information that identifies you may be gathered when you use our website or send us an email. If you indicate in your written submission that you object to your submission being made public, we will ask you before releasing your submission in response to any access applications under the Government Information (Public Access) Act 2009.

1 Why amend the plan? Plans of management are legal documents that are prepared, in consultation with the community, as outlined in Part 5 of the National Parks and Wildlife Act 1974. Once a plan of management is adopted by the Minister for Energy and Environment, operations in a park must be carried out in accordance with the plan. The Barrington Tops National Park, Mount Royal National Park and Barrington Tops State Conservation Area Plan of Management was adopted in 2010. Section 73B of the National Parks and Wildlife Act enables the Minister to amend a plan of management. The proposed changes to the Barrington Tops National Park, Mount Royal National Park and Barrington Tops State Conservation Area Plan of Management will enable: • improvements to visitor facilities and management at camping and day use areas • improvements to walking tracks • updates to park information for currency.

Improvements to visitor facilities and management In 2018, Barrington Tops National Park received an estimated 120,000 visits. Visitation to the park continues to increase. Gummi Falls camping and day use area receives an estimated 3000 visits per annum, which exceeds the capacity of existing visitor facilities. Competition for space, overflow bush camping and driving off-trail has negatively impacted native plants, the adjacent Manning River and the visitor experience. Existing outdated toilet facilities pose a safety risk to staff and visitors. The proposed upgrades to the Gummi Falls camping and day use area will enhance the visitor experience, improve camping amenity and reduce safety risks to staff and visitors, maintenance requirements and adverse impacts on the park’s significant values. Visitor and vehicle movements into sensitive areas next to the river will be restricted. Improvements to visitor facilities at several other camping and day use areas and walking tracks across the parks are also proposed, subject to economic feasibility, to enhance the visitor experience, manage increasing demand for visitor facilities and recreation opportunities and reduce impacts to park values. Amendments to the plan will additionally enable: • provision of additional camping sites and visitor facilities at Gummi Falls, Youngville, Little Murray, Junction Pools and Devils Hole camping areas • year-round entry to Gummi Falls camping area, subject to access upgrade • provision of additional visitor facilities at Falls, Williams Top, Gummi, Williams River and Lagoon Pinch day use areas • development and implementation of a walking track strategy for Mount Royal National Park • inclusion of facilities that have been established, in line with the plan, at Youngville, Cobark Park and Jerusalem Creek and removal of outdated or completed visitor infrastructure actions from the plan.

2 Updates required for currency The proposed amendment to the plan will also: • correct trail names (on maps and in text) • correct map symbology • remove reference to pigs in Mount Royal National Park • correct the Pieries Peak walking trail classification.

How to read the amendment The proposed amendment, if adopted, would change the Barrington Tops National Park, Mount Royal National Park and Barrington Tops State Conservation Area Plan of Management and should read in conjunction with the adopted plan. Section numbers referred to in the amendment refer to the adopted plan of management.

3 Proposed amendments The following changes are proposed to the Barrington Tops National Park, Mount Royal National Park and Barrington Tops State Conservation Area Plan of Management (NPWS 2010).

1. Improving visitor facilities at camping and day use areas

Section 9.3 Camping Plan reference: page 61, under Guidelines Add: 9.3.4b Configure and manage facilities in camping areas in accordance with Table 2.

Section 12. Implementation and review of plan Plan reference: page 96, Table 6: Summary of Guidelines, under 9.3 Camping Add: 9.3.4b Configure and manage facilities in camping areas in accordance with Table 2.

Section 9.4 Day Use Plan reference: page 63, under Guidelines Add: 9.4.2b Configure and manage facilities in day use areas in accordance with Table 3.

Section 9.5 Walking tracks Plan reference: page 67, under Actions Add: 9.5.12 Develop and publicly exhibit a Mount Royal National Park Walking Track Strategy. Establish and maintain walking tracks and visitor facilities in line with the strategy, subject to environmental assessments and economic feasibility. Review and update the strategy as required.

Section 12. Implementation and review of plan Plan reference: page 96, Table 6: Summary of Guidelines, under 9.4 Day Use Add: 9.4.2b Configure and manage facilities in day use areas in accordance with Table 3.

4 Plan reference: page 61, Table 2 Replace Table 2 with:

Table 1 Camping area facilities

Designated Camping Area

camper

/ ed

Maximum number of of number Maximum campsites (1) 2WD vehicular access 4WD vehicular access Large Caravans / Campervans permitt Small caravans (2) permitted trailers Horse camping permitted Toilet facilities Gas BBQs permitted Woodfires in fireplaces (3) Communal fireplace (4) Tables / panels Information shelter

Polblue 60 Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Polblue 5 Y N Y P Overflow Gloucester 25 Y Y Y Y Y Y P Y Y River Gloucester 5 Y N Y Y River Overflow Horse 8 Y Y Y Y P Y Y Swamp Devils Hole 5 Y N Y P Y Youngville 4 Y Y Y Y Y Y Cascades 3 Y Y P Little Murray 10 Y N Y Y Y Y Junction 10 Y N Y Y Pools Gummi Falls 20 Y N Y Y P P Y 5 Y Y Creek (remote, walking access only) Black 5 P Y Swamp (remote, walking access only) Y - facility provided, P - facility proposed, N – not permitted 1 - Campsites at camping areas with vehicle access will accommodate 6 people and campsites at camping areas with walking access only will accommodate 2 people 2 – Infrastructure (roads, vehicle parking and turning bays) will not accommodate large caravans 3 - Fireplaces may be shared between multiple campsites 4 - Communal fireplaces are larger fireplaces associated with shelter infrastructure.

5 Section 9.4 Day Use Plan reference: page 65, Table 3 Replace Table 3 with:

Table 2 Day use facilities Designated Day Use Area

viewing ion panels / / panels ion /

2WD vehicular access 4WD vehicular access Gas BBQs in permitted Woodfires fireplaces Toilet facilities Informat shelter Tables Disabled access Lookout platform

Gloucester Y Y Y Y Y Tops Polblue Y Y Y Y Y Y Honeysuckle Y Y Y Y Devils Hole Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Williams River Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Cobark Park Y P Y Y P Youngville Y Y Y Y Y Y Gloucester Y Y Y Y Y Y River Thunderbolts Y Y Lookout Jerusalem Y Y Y Y Y Y Creek Polblue Falls Y Y Barrington Trail Y Y Y Lagoon Pinch Y Y Y Williams Top Y Y Y Burraga Swamp Y P P Gummi Y Y Y Gummi Falls Y Y P P P Youngs Trail Y Y Y Mount Y P P P P Barrington Middle Ridge Y P Carters Brook Y P Y Y – facility provided, P – facility proposed

6 Plan reference: Figure 5, page 56 Replace Figure 5 with:

Figure 1 Figure 5 Seasonal Road Closures in the Planning Area

7 2. Updates required for currency

Proposed changes

Maps and figures Maps 1 – 3 have been corrected to reference the Gummi Road and Wombat Trail (both referred to as the Gummi Trail in the adopted plan of management) and to remove a road that does not exist (north of Cascades). Map 3 has been corrected to illustrate horse riding access to Cascades via Wombat Trail (permitted but not symbolised in the adopted plan of management).

8 Plan reference: Map 1, page 117 Replace Map 1 with:

Figure 2 Map 1 Vehicular Access

9 Plan reference: Map 2, page 118 Replace Map 2 with:

Figure 3 Map 2 Recreational Facilities

10 Plan reference: Map 3, page 119 Replace Map 3 with:

Figure 4 Map 3 Cycling and Horse Riding

11 Barrington Tops National Park, Mount Royal National Park and Barrington Tops State Conservation Area Proposed Amendment to the Plan of Management

Section 7.2 Introduced Animals Plan reference: page 43, below the sixth paragraph Delete: There have been no recordings of feral pigs in Mount Royal National Park.

Section 9.2 Vehicle Access Plan reference: page 58, under Guidelines Replace: 9.2.1 Maintain the public and park roads illustrated on Map 1 (pg. 120) for two and four- wheel drive access. This provides 75km of roads available for unsealed two-wheel drive access and 59 kilometres for four-wheel drive access. With: 9.2.1 Maintain the public and park roads illustrated on Map 1 (pg. 120) for two and four- wheel drive access. This provides 75 kilometres of roads available for unsealed two-wheel drive access and 61 kilometres for four-wheel drive access.

Section 12. Implementation and review of plan Plan reference: page 96, Table 6: Summary of Guidelines, under 9.2 Vehicle Access Replace: 9.2.1 Maintain the public and park roads illustrated on Map 1 (pg. 120) for two and four- wheel drive access. This provides 75km of roads available for unsealed two-wheel drive access and 59 kilometres for four-wheel drive access. With: 9.2.1 Maintain the public and park roads illustrated on Map 1 (pg. 120) for two and four- wheel drive access. This provides 75 kilometres of roads available for unsealed two-wheel drive access and 61 kilometres for four-wheel drive access.

Section 9.5 Walking tracks Plan reference: page 68, Table 4 Replace:

No. Walking Track Distance Current Proposed Standard Standard 25 Mount Royal: Pieries Peak Walking track 2.6km Marked Route Marked Route return (Class 5) (Class 5)

With:

No. Walking Track Distance Current Proposed Standard Standard 25 Mount Royal: Pieries Peak Walking track 2.6km Marked Route Hiking Track return (Class 5) (Class 4)

12 Barrington Tops National Park, Mount Royal National Park and Barrington Tops State Conservation Area Proposed Amendment to the Plan of Management

Section 9.6 Horse Riding Plan reference: page 70, first paragraph Replace: 9.6.1 Horse riding will be permitted in Barrington Tops State Conservation Area on the Bicentennial National Trail along Tubrabucca Road, Butchers Swamp Trail, Paddys Ridge trail, Green Gap Trail, Barrington Trail, Pheasant Creek Road and Gummi Trail; and on Tubrabucca Road, Bullock Brush Trail, Tugalow Trail, Thunderbolts Trail and Gummi Trail; and in Mount Royal National Park on Mount Royal Road, Cassels Road and Cedar, Timberlea and Bunyip trails. Horses will only be permitted within the road corridor of all these designated trails as shown on Map 3. With: 9.6.1 Horse riding will be permitted in Barrington Tops State Conservation Area on the Bicentennial National Trail along Tubrabucca Road, Butchers Swamp Trail, Paddys Ridge trail, Green Gap Trail, Barrington Trail – Central, Pheasant Creek Road and Gummi Road; and on Tubrabucca Road, Bullock Brush Trail, Tugalow Trail, Thunderbolts Trail and Wombat Trail; and in Mount Royal National Park on Mount Royal Road, Cassels Road and Cedar, Timberlea and Bunyip trails. Horses will only be permitted within the road corridor of all these designated trails as shown on Map 3.

Section 12. Implementation and review of plan Plan reference: page 96, Table 6: Summary of Guidelines, under 9.6 Horse riding Replace: 9.6.1 Horse riding will be permitted in Barrington Tops State Conservation Area on the Bicentennial National Trail along Tubrabucca Road, Butchers Swamp Trail, Paddys Ridge trail, Green Gap Trail, Barrington Trail, Pheasant Creek Road and Gummi Trail; and on Tubrabucca Road, Bullock Brush Trail, Tugalow Trail, Thunderbolts Trail and Gummi Trail; and in Mount Royal National Park on Mount Royal Road, Cassels Road and Cedar, Timberlea and Bunyip trails. Horses will only be permitted within the road corridor of all these designated trails as shown on Map 3. With: 9.6.1 Horse riding will be permitted in Barrington Tops State Conservation Area on the Bicentennial National Trail along Tubrabucca Road, Butchers Swamp Trail, Paddys Ridge trail, Green Gap Trail, Barrington Trail – Central, Pheasant Creek Road and Gummi Road; and on Tubrabucca Road, Bullock Brush Trail, Tugalow Trail, Thunderbolts Trail and Wombat Trail; and in Mount Royal National Park on Mount Royal Road, Cassels Road and Cedar, Timberlea and Bunyip trails. Horses will only be permitted within the road corridor of all these designated trails as shown on Map 3.

13 Barrington Tops National Park, Mount Royal National Park and Barrington Tops State Conservation Area Proposed Amendment to the Plan of Management

References NPWS 2010, Barrington Tops National Park, Mount Royal National Park, and Barrington Tops State Conservation Area Plan of Management, NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service, accessed 29 July 2020, https://www.environment.nsw.gov.au/-/media/OEH/Corporate-Site/Documents/Parks- reserves-and-protected-areas/Parks-plans-of-management/barrington-tops-mount-royal- national-parks-barrington-tops-sca-plan-of-management-1008.pdf

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