NSW NATIONAL PARKS & WILDLIFE SERVICE NSW Parks Eco Pass Operator handbook www.environment.nsw.gov.au © 2021 State of NSW and Department of Planning, Industry and Environment With the exception of photographs, the State of NSW and Department of Planning, Industry and Environment are pleased to allow this material to be reproduced in whole or in part for educational and non-commercial use, provided the meaning is unchanged and its source, publisher and authorship are acknowledged. Specific permission is required for the reproduction of photographs. The Department of Planning, Industry and Environment (DPIE) has compiled this handbook in good faith, exercising all due care and attention. No representation is made about the accuracy, completeness or suitability of the information in this publication for any particular purpose. DPIE shall not be liable for any damage which may occur to any person or organisation taking action or not on the basis of this publication. Readers should seek appropriate advice when applying the information to their specific needs. All content in this publication is owned by DPIE and is protected by Crown Copyright, unless credited otherwise. It is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0), subject to the exemptions contained in the licence. The legal code for the licence is available at Creative Commons. DPIE asserts the right to be attributed as author of the original material in the following manner: © State of New South Wales and Department of Planning, Industry and Environment 2021. Cover photo: Kanangra Boyd National Park, Simone Cottrell/Botanic Gardens Trust If you have any queries about your Parks Eco Pass, licensing policies, operations or developments not covered in this handbook, National Parks and Wildlife Service would be pleased to answer them for you. We also welcome any feedback you have on this handbook. Please contact the NPWS Visitor Experience Branch, contact details listed in Section 1.15, or visit the Environment, Energy and Science, Parks Eco Pass program for commercial tour operators webpage. Published by: Environment, Energy and Science Department of Planning, Industry and Environment 4 Parramatta Square, 12 Darcy Street, Parramatta NSW 2150 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 978-1-922318-69-5 EES 2021/0199 May 2021 Find out more about your environment at: www.environment.nsw.gov.au Contents List of tables iv 1. Introduction to operating in NSW national parks and reserves 1 1.1 NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service values 1 1.2 History of the Parks Eco Pass 1 1.3 Parks Eco Pass reforms 2 1.4 Objectives of the Parks Eco Pass program 3 1.5 Who needs a Parks Eco Pass? 3 1.6 Customer commitments 5 1.7 Applying for a Parks Eco Pass 6 1.8 Eligibility criteria to attain or maintain a licence 6 1.9 Licence length and terms 7 1.10 Selective licensing 8 1.11 About your licence 9 1.12 Renewing your licence 9 1.13 Cancelling or transferring your licence 10 1.14 How to use this handbook 10 1.15 Key contacts 10 2. Fees and reporting requirements 11 2.1 Annual licence fees 11 2.2 Daily use fees and Quarterly trip returns 12 2.3 High value parks 13 2.4 Insurances 13 3. Aboriginal cultural heritage 14 3.1 Aboriginal interpretation 14 3.2 Joint management agreements and Part 4A parks 14 4. Activity and location conditions 15 4.1 Matrix of activities permitted in parks and reserves 15 4.2 Blue Mountains Branch 17 4.3 Greater Sydney Branch 20 4.4 Hunter Central Coast Branch 23 4.5 North Coast Branch 30 4.6 Northern Inland Branch 41 4.7 South Coast Branch 49 4.8 Southern Ranges Branch 54 4.9 West Branch 59 5. NPWS Branches and Areas map 64 6. Frequently asked questions 65 iii 6.1 How do I apply for a licence and what is the process? 65 6.2 What are the benefits of partnering with NPWS? 66 6.3 What standards and conditions will be applied to my licence? 66 6.4 What is the minimum number of visitors I need to bring into a park to be eligible for a new licence or to renew my licence? 66 6.5 Do I need permission to conduct Aboriginal cultural heritage interpretation? 67 6.6 Do I need to obtain accreditation? 67 6.7 Will I receive industry support? 68 6.8 Can I transfer my licence if I sell my business? 68 6.9 Can I use the NPWS Parks Eco Pass logo? 69 6.10 Do I need a licence to operate in other locations not on park or different states/territories? 69 6.11 Do I need permission for a ‘one off’ event? 69 6.12 Where do I make a booking for a campsite in a NSW national park? 70 6.13 Where do I find more information on closures? 70 6.14 Where can I find more information? 70 Appendix A: Definitions and key terms 71 List of tables Table 1 Eligibility criteria 6 Table 2 Fee structure 11 Table 3 High value parks and reserves 13 Table 4 Key to activity codes used in the matrix tables 15 Table 5 Triggers for management of events by the Visitor Experience Branch 69 iv NSW Parks Eco Pass: Operator handbook 1. Introduction to operating in NSW national parks and reserves 1.1 NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service values The NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service (NPWS) is part of the Department of Planning, Industry and Environment (the Department). Our key goal is to maximise the long-term wellbeing of New South Wales. We do this by protecting and improving the State’s: • prosperity • environmental sustainability • safety and security • social inclusion and cohesion, and • attractiveness as a place for recreation and relaxation. We bring together the environment, economy, work and play, industry and recreation. This helps ensure that economic growth and job security considers the environment and character of our neighbourhoods and communities. We make decisions based on advice and analysis that are transparent, efficient and reflective of the diversity of New South Wales. We strive to be a global leader in the planning and management of resources, environmental and socioeconomic security, financial affordability, land use and carbon emissions. In our workplace we value collaboration, humility, accountability, kindness and reflect the diversity of our communities. By working together, we will make New South Wales a better place for all. As an organisation, we share the NSW public sector values of integrity, trust, service and accountability. These values guide not only the actions and behaviours of NPWS staff, but also those of our trusted partners including Parks Eco Pass licence holders. 1.2 History of the Parks Eco Pass NPWS manages over 880 protected areas in New South Wales, covering over seven million hectares and representing more than 9% of the land area of the State. This includes national parks, nature reserves, flora reserves, World Heritage areas, rainforests, beaches, alpine areas and sites of great cultural and historic significance. These distinct and outstanding assets make New South Wales a highly desired visitor destination and the leading provider of nature-based visitor experiences. NPWS is responsible for protecting the values of these special places while providing a wide range of experiences for all visitors. Nature-based tourism and recreation are major contributors to the NSW economy. Commercial operators play an invaluable role, in partnership with NPWS, in promoting our parks and encouraging visitors to appreciate, understand and enjoy them. There are currently over 300 commercial operators that hold a Parks Eco Pass licence taking visitors into parks to participate in a wide range of activities from bushwalking, abseiling, cycling, surfing, kayaking, to cultural or educational tours. The Parks Eco Pass licensing program was launched in July 2009 as a tool for realising a sustainable role for our parks in social spheres to maintain the natural and cultural heritage of our parks, encourage visitor enjoyment and appreciation of park values, and nurture our nature-based tourism and recreation industry. 1 NSW Parks Eco Pass: Operator handbook NPWS wants to work with licensed operators who share our values, run professional operations and deliver enjoyable experiences. We know that commercial operators who are fully invested in our parks will help us protect these valuable places for future generations to enjoy. The visitor experience underpins each and every visit to NSW national parks. Every visit should be an unforgettable one that inspires and encourages visitors to keep exploring, learning, sharing and returning. Developing unique experiences, delivering authentic and high-quality services and providing relevant and compelling destination information are key to making NSW national parks a compelling and competitive visitor attraction. High-quality experience plays a critical role in creating a positive image of New South Wales and NPWS by inspiring visitors to explore our distinctive tourism product, including cultural heritage, high-quality produce, the natural environment and our people. The Parks Eco Pass program is designed to streamline processes and ensure consistency in the licensing of commercial tour activities in national parks and reserves across New South Wales. It offers: • one licence (obtained through one application) that allows your business to operate all your licensed activities, in more than one park • a single fee structure for the whole State • the ability to transfer your licence if you sell the business • licence terms of up to five years • a dedicated team and key contact point.