March 2002 Monga National Park—recreation concept plan Orchids in autumn Fire threat in Namadgi NPA BULLETIN Volume 39 number 1 March 2002 CONTENTS Early bush fire season caused park closures 3 Australian Bush Heritage Fund 11 Graeme Wicks Kate Fitzherbert Monga National Park—recreation concept plan 4 Christmas party 2001, pictorial 12 Len Haskew Max Lawrence Autumn orchids in Namadgi 5 Concern about Mulligans Flat 13 Jean Egan NPA letter to ACT Department of Planning NPA ACT Strategic Plan 2002-2003 6 Letter to the Editor 13 Neville Esau PARKWATCH 14 Environment Sub-committee report 8 Compiled by Len Haskew Robyn Barker Nature thrives at the home of black opal 16 Interim Namadgi Advisory Board 8 Graeme Wicks Dianne Thompson Association News 17 Betty Wakefield (Richardson) 1926-2001 9 Reg Alder Book Reviews 18 Boboyan Pine Plantation 9 Meetings and Calendar of events 20 International Year of Mountains 10 Syd Comfort National Parks Association (ACT) Incorporated Inaugurated 1960 The NPA (ACT) office is located in MacLaurin Crescent, Chifley, next to the preschool. It is staffed by volunteers but, at present, not Aims and objectives of the Association on a regular basis. Callers may leave phone or email messages at • Promotion of national parks and of measures for the protection of any time and they will be attended to. Mail from the post office box fauna and flora, scenery, natural features and cultural heritage in is cleared daily. the Australian Capital Territory and elsewhere, and the reservation of specific areas. Phone/Fax: (02)6282 5813 • Interest in the provision of appropriate outdoor recreation areas. Email: [email protected] • Stimulation of interest in, and appreciation and enjoyment of, Address: PO Box 1940, Woden ACT 2606 such natural phenomena and cultural heritage by organised field outings, meetings or any other means. Internet: http://sunsite.anu.edu.au/canberra/npaact • Cooperation with organisations and persons having similar interests and objectives. Subscription rates (1 July to 30 June) • Promotion of, and education for, conservation, and the planning Household membership $40 Single members $35 of landuse to achieve conservation. Corporate membership $30 Bulletin only $30 Office-bearers Concession $25 President Clive Hurlstone 6288 7592 (h) Advertising 040 778 3422 (m) The Bulletin accepts advertisements and inserts. The standard cost Vice-president Neville Esau 62864176 (h) of an A4 insert is $310 but some concessional rates may be arranged Secretary Judy Kelly 6253 1859 (h) through the Membership Officer. Treasurer Mike Smith 6286 2984 (h) NPA Bulletin Committee members Contributions of articles, line drawings and photographs, including Robyn Barker 6253 9964 (h) colour prints, are welcome and should he lodged with the office or Jacqui Cole 6262 2152 Syd Comfort (02) 6286 2578. Steven Forst 6251 6817(h), 6279 1326 (w) Deadline for June issue: 1 May 2002. Tom Heinsohn 6253 9964 (h) Max Lawrence 6288 1370 (h) Articles by contributors may not necessarily reflect association Janet Neale 6258 2398 (h) opinion or objectives. Timothy Walsh 6285 1112 (h) This Bulletin was produced by the NPA Bulletin Working Group with assistance from Green Words and Images. Convenors Printed by Copy-Qik, Canberra, ACT. Outings Sub-committee David Large 6291 4830 (h) Bulletin Working Group Syd Comfort 6286 2578 (h) ISSN 0727-8837 Environment Sub-committee Neville Esau 6286 4176 (h) contacts Robyn Barker 6253 9964 (h) Cover photo; Eriochilus cucullatus or Parsons Bands. One Membership Officer Jacqui Cole 6262 2152 of the orchids discussed in Jean Egan's article on page 5. 0408 231 903(m) Photo Tony Wood Email: [email protected] Early bushfire season caused park closures Looking back, you could see it that although drier periods had been safety risk, given the good vehicular coming. A hotter, drier and windier recorded in previous summers, they access and availability of permanent than usual early summer followed an had usually occurred later in the water. unusually hot, dry and windy season when winds were often lighter. The following areas were open, spring—and both seasons came at the Although the December fires were and were expected to remain open, end of a hotter, drier and windier year. brought under control quickly, the even during days of total fire bans: The month of December was among dangerous conditions remained and • Orroral Valley area of Namadgi the 20 per cent of the driest planned outings in the bush had to be National Park, including the Orroral Decembers on record in the ACT. put on hold or cancelled when parks and Honeysuckle Creek The climax came around Christmas and reserves were closed to the public Campgrounds, plus the Namadgi when major fires broke out in six for periods of up to several weeks. Visitor Centre and the Boboyan and locations. Environment ACT said Ten total fire ban days were Brindabella roads; some of the Christmas Eve and declared during a 24-day period from • the Murrumbidgee River recreation Christmas Day fires were "amongst the December 20 to January 12. This areas: Cotter Reserve, Pine Island most significant and hazardous since compares with an average fire season Picnic Area, Point Hut Picnic Area, February of 1985". during which the number of total fire Tharwa Bridge Reserve, Kambah According to the Emergency bans declared is only about three over Pool Reserve, Casuarina Sands Services Bureau the six fires burnt an the entire fire period. Reserve, and Uriarra Crossing area totalling 1682ha. By far the Readings taken by the Risk Reserve; largest single fire was in Stromlo Management Unit in Namadgi • Wood's Reserve; and Forest, where about 1220ha were National Park suggested extremely • Murrays Corner swimming area. burned and large numbers of pine trees low moisture levels and it advised on It was declared that the following were killed. Other fires occurred at 4 January that: areas would only close during days of Bruce Ridge (lOOha burnt), Huntly The highland forests may appear to total fire bans: (80ha), Red Hill (170ha), Oaks Estate be consistently extremely flammable. • all of Tidbinbilla Nature Reserve; (95ha) and Mount Wanniassa (17ha). Action needs to be taken to protect • Googong Foreshores on days of total There was minimal damage to them, especially the Cotter fire bans in NSW; structures. Catchment area. Cigarettes and • the Lower Molonglo Corridor; and It so happened that the windiest campfires now pose a high risk. • Deek's Drive. day in December was Christmas Day, Weather forecasts at the time were with wind gusts up to 76kmta. The predicting continuing dry conditions Early February rain three-month period October to with the chance of higher than average December was the second windiest temperatures and low humidity. Finally, it was decided that the following areas, which were already October-to-December period on Fire weather conditions were closed, would remain closed record. recorded at their most extreme during irrespective of total fire bans, until the December was also one of the the period from December 26 to end of February or the arrival of driest Decembers on record; this was January 11. Against this background, soaking rains: compounded by most of the rain the Executive Director of Environment falling in the first week of the month, ACT, Dr Maxine Cooper, determined • all ACT Forest areas (excepting with dry and warm conditions in the that Namadgi National Park, except Wood's Reserve and Murrays second half. This followed one of the through roads, would be closed to the Comer), namely: Laurel Camp; driest 30 per cent of ACT annual public. Vanity's Crossing, Molonglo Gorge, rainfalls, when only 500mm of rain Gibraltar Falls and Blue Range reserve; was recorded at Canberra Limited re-opening Airport—well below the average of • most of Namadgi National Park 630.2rnrn. Although fire dangers remained very except the areas mentioned above; high to extreme during the period, they and had eased sufficiently by January 11 to • mountain areas of Tidbinbilla Nature Windier and drier allow numbers of parks staff to return Reserve. The 2001-02 bushfire season started to normal duties, and this, together Several days of flooding rains early in November with windier and drier with the slight easing of fire weather in February enabled the order to be than average conditions. The Bureau conditions, enabled the limited re­ revoked and the Namadgi National of Meteorology reported also that, as opening of Namadgi. Park was reopened to the public on recorded at the Canberra Airport, "As conditions are predicted to February 5. December and January recorded continue to present a high fire risk we Environment ACT has advised that higher than average evaporation rates have decided to put in place a simpler its policy is to close five areas of and lower than average relative regime for the closure of parks and Namadgi National Park to the public humidity. reserves until the end of February," Dr during periods of declared total fire The effect was to produce very Cooper said. ban. They are the Mount Franklin high fire danger days very early in the Dr Cooper announced that from Road at Piccadilly Circus, Old Mill season. January 12 die lower lying areas of the Road, Bulls Head, Corin Dam Road at Commenting on what was "not Orroral and Honeysuckle valleys Smokers Gap, and Warks Road at the normal" about this season, Rick would remain open even during Bendora Road intersection. McCrae, of the Emergency Services periods of total fire ban. These areas Graeme Wicks Bureau's Risk Management Unit, said were seen as representing a low public Monga National Park - recreation concept plan Towards the end of last year the NSW allowing for short walks along the for 4WD vehicles and trail bikes National Parks and Wildlife Service river suitable for families and school who access the "challenging" Turtle (NPWS) sought comments from groups.