Official Opening of the Bibbulmun Track
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...-· .. _, ·' ... Print post approved PP665002/00001 • Great Sausage Drop • Young author makes a explained - page 3 tracks - page 5 splash - page 7 • Mammoth tree • Potti-putki people in CALM commitment to planting - page 3 Narrogin - page 5 quality - page 7 • CALMweb winning • Field Officers from • CALM Scholarships awards - page 4 class of '96 - page 6 - page 8 Official opening of the Bibbulmun Track Left: Environment Minister Che1yl Edwardes cuts the ribbon to officially open the track. Above: Bibbulmun Track walkers set offfrom Sand Patch, near Albany. Photo by Annie Keating THE cast of thousands who have worked together to 'build a better bibbulmun' were able to celebrate a Bush Rangers are raring to go! job well done last month, as Environment Minister Cheryl Edwardes cut a ribbon and farewelled the -ALM's Bush Ranger CALM Bush Ranger possums, black gloved first team of 'end to enders' from the southern ter 'rogram is proving to be Program Coordinator, wallabies, woylies and minus in Albany. a big hit, with more than Bronwyn Goble, said it ring-tailed possums were The new track extends from Kalamunda on the out 300 secondary school had been an exciting pro brought out." skirts of Perth to Albany on the south coast, winding students already signed ject to be involved in. The cadets also tried 960 km through WA's magnificent forests and spectac up, and five more schools "The response has been their hands at mixing bait ular southern coastline. getting involved from the wonderful. We had a and setting traps for wild "The Bibbulmun Track is one of WA's great natural beginning of Term 4. group from Duncraig life monitoring programs. tourist attractions," Mrs Edwardes said. Two schools - Duncraig Senior High School take Other training during the "While it's enjoyed by thousands of people every and John Forrest Senior part in a hands-on educa program will include First year for picturesque short walks and weekend camps, High - have been trialing tional wildlife recovery Aid, bush-craft and sur others see it as one of the world's great long-distance the voluntary program, session to mark National vival, navigation skills, adventures. which gives young people Threatened Species Day park management, threat "It will attract thousands of tourists, and provide a the opportunity to partici recently. ened plant and animal significant boost to small towns along the way." pate in nature conserva 'They went to The Hills conservation, leadership The Building a Better Bibbulmun Project is a CALM tion projects that promote Forest in Mundaring, and interpersonal skills. initiative and has involved a wide range of local com personal development and where they were given an Bush Rangers will be munity groups, other Government agencies and corpo practical life skills. overview of Western able to assist in a range of rate sponsors. The program is aimed Shield, CALM's wildlife projects, from remnant Funding for the project has come from almost $2 mil at 13 to 17-year-olds, with recovery program, and bushland conservation to lion in sponsorship and grant funds and approximately parents and community then learnt how to identify flora and fauna monitor $3 million of 'in kind' contributions from CALM, the leaders being invited to and monitor native ing, research, and inter Ministry of Justice, DEET programs, bush walking join in leading, instructing wildlife." pretation within WA's clubs, volunteer groups; service clubs, the Army and supporting cadets in "It was great to see their Regional Parks. A first-hand experience for this CALM Bush Reserve and individuals. programs. eyes light up as the pygmy continued page 2 Range,: Photo by Rolf Perey continued page 2 rAT.MNPWS s;,,,,,,,.,,/,,,,._n,.,n/,o,· TOOR 1 ::.~~~ · ,, ..•... FROM MY DESK c. ...... Official opening of the Bibbulmun Track ·- . (from page 1) .·.-- .. ..... ·~ ~ Sponsors include the Commission). produced two videos that "The whole project been produced and are I Ministry of Justice, Trails The Federal Govern promote the track and tell has been a team effort, available to the public. \ West, the Friends of the ment's Regional Deve intending walkers how to with support from CALM These maps, along with ' Bibbulmun Track, Alcoa lopment Program has con have a safe and enjoyable staff, prisoners, and peo other CALM publications ~ 4 of Australia, Regional tributed $1.38 million adventure. ple in employment and such as the popular Bush Development Com through the Southern Project Coordinator, training programs. It's a Books, help walkers inter missions, Employment Province Projects Group Peter Bidwell, said that credit to everyone pret the many different Over the past several years I have been Training programs, over two years for the pro since work began on the involved." aspects of the forest they developing an hypothesis about management which Worsley Alumina, Griffin gram. new track four years ago, The new Bibbulmun will encounter along the is simply that far too often "the bleeding obvious" is Coal, Hedges Gold, The Lotteries Com there had been major Track is part of an inte way. ignored. It is obvious that training and development Random Access, CSBP mission also has granted improvements to facili grated program by CALM A new track guide for is a critical factor in the performance of all and Farmers, Mountain $136,500 to the Friends of ties. to create greater opportu the northern section from organisations, yet far too often, despite the plethora Designs, BP Australia, the Bibbulmun Track for a "There are now 48 new nities for nature-based Kalamunda to Brockman of words about it, opportunities for training and Alpha West, Midland range of maintenance, campsites with sleeping tourism in WA. To further Highway has been re development after initiation into departments or Brick, Cullity Timbers management and market shelters, toilets, rai nwater enhance the Bibbulmun leased and a guide for the private companies are limited. and the Gordon Reid ing initiatives. The tanks, tent areas and experience, a new series southern section is cur Training and development has always been Foundation (Lotteries Friends and CALM have tables," he said. of coloured maps have rently in production. critical to CALM because of our diversity, the constant need to produce more with constraints on financial resources, the rate of change of technology Staff Movements and the myriad of disciplines that we encompass. It Contract Staff is easy to get excited (as I do) about how new technology is opening up new horizons for us, but it Jay Huang to Information Services Section is sobering to recognise that we won't capitalise on Clerical Officer, Level 1; Gillian Stack to Nature this new technology unless we have the training Conservation, Woodvale, as Project Officer, Level programs in place which permit people to use it. 2; Robyn Phillimore to Nature Conservation, Training in special disciplines will always be Woodvale, as Project Officer, Level 3; Rebecca important to CALM, but it is even more important Evans to Nature Conservation, Woodvale, as Project that we have people in the organisation who are Officer, Level 2; Dorian Moro to Woodvale as multi-skilled because integrated management Research Scientist, Level 2/4; Sheila Hamilton depends on people who can be "quarter-backs". Brown to Woodvale as Project Officer, Level 2; That is, people who can take information from a Myles Mulvay to Perth District as Field Officer, variety of sources and marshal the resources to Level 1/2; Neville Walliss to Wildlife as Technical implement management on the ground. Officer, Level 2; Chantal Laval to Dwellingup as One of the core areas of training in the Assistant Training Officer, Level 1/2; Jan Gathe to Department is the fourteen weeks of competency Herbarium as Project Co-Ordinator, Level 5; training over a two year traineeship period that we Warren Boggs to Karratha as Assistant provide our new recruits. There were concerns Conservation Officer, Level 2/4; Nadine Guthrie to when we abandoned our own cadet scheme, Woodvale as Technical Officer, Level 2; Meriel because of costs, that the new scheme would not Falconer to Herbarium as Database Operator, Level produce the same quality of field officers we have 1; Kirrily White to Calmscience Busselton as enjoyed for so many years. I am extremely pleased Wetlands Review Officer, Level 2/4. that the new system, which has resulted in the Permanent Staff induction of over 60 outstanding graduates into Tony Eddleston, Marine And Coastal District, as CALM, is working very well. Park Management Officer, Grade 2 Year 1; Lyal Training is also about providing opportunities for Woods, Marine And Coastal District, as Park people to undertake training at different stages of Management Officer, Grade 2 Year 1; Peter their career. I am very pleased that a number of Vickridge, Kirup, as Administration Officer, Level AWU staff (we currently have 12 AWU employees 3; Malcolm Burton, Millstream-Chichester NP, " S enrolled at CYO O'Connor College of TAFE) have National Park Ranger, Grade 1; Dave Griff '"-. taken the opportunity to get the appropriate Plantations Albany, as Assistant Area Co-Ordinator. qualifications to progress into other career pathways Level I; Ingrid Hunt, Karijini NP, as National Par); in CALM. Corporate Executive have recently Ranger, Grade l; Enid Moore, Albany, as Clerical approved funding to appoint a coordinator to further Officer, Level I; Pauline Leeson, Albany, as develop this program and to develop other AWU Bush Rangers from Duncraig Senior High School lend a hand on Threatened Clerical Officer, Level 1; David Bastiani, to Albany training projects. Species Day at the Hills Forest. Photo by Rolf Perey from Walpole, as Clerical Officer, Level 1; Adam I was always grateful to the Forests Department Meyer, Exmouth, as Reserve_s Officer, Level 2.