Commercial Operator Handbook terrestrial The official manual of licence conditions for commercial operators entering waters and lands managed by the Department of Environment and Conservation Effective from 1 July 2011 E R N V M E O N G T E O H F T W A E I S L T A E R R N A U S T This handbook must be carried in all operator vehicles or vessels while conducting commercial operations. Published by: Department of Environment and Conservation Design: DEC Photos: DEC and Tourism WA © Copyright 2011 If you have any queries about your licence, the Department of Environment and Conservation’s licensing system or any of its tourism policies, operations or developments not covered in this handbook, we would be pleased to answer them for you. Please phone (08) 9334 0119, fax (08) 9334 0221 or email [email protected] or visit DEC’s website at www.dec.wa.gov.au 17 Dick Perry Avenue Technology Park Western Precinct KENSINGTON WA 6151 Locked Bag 104 Bentley Delivery Centre BENTLEY WA 6983 Table key NP - National Park NR - Nature Reserve CP - Conservation Park SF - State Forest MNR - Marine Nature Reserve * Bushwalking includes short sight seeing walks as well as long distance treks ** Mixed Tenure *** 5 (1) g Reserve 1 July 2011 Page ii Contents 1 Introduction 2 Frequently asked questions 3 Important maps 4 Definitions and interpretation 5 General conditions 6 Operations specific conditions 7 Issues and extra conditions 8 Area specific information and conditions 9 Kimberley Region 10 Pilbara Region 11 Midwest Region 12 Goldfields Region 13 Wheatbelt Region 14 Swan Region 15 South West Region 16 Warren Region 17 South Coast Region 18 State forest, Bibbulmun Track and Munda Biddi Trail 19 Visitor entry fees for commercial operators 20 Camping fees for commercial operators 21 Customer service standards 22 Publications Page iii 1 July 2011 Contents 1 Introduction 1.1 Background in accordance with conditions. Part 7 of the Conservation and Commercial operations licences Land Management Regulations allow operators to legally carry out 2002 (the Regulations) allows the tours on public conservation estate. Director General, with the approval This handbook outlines the licence of the Minister for Environment conditions operators need to abide (the Minister), to issue commercial by when in Western Australia’s operations licences to private conservation reserves and state forest. individuals and companies that Western Australia has one of the wish to operate on CALM Land. most magnificent natural and The conditions that T class licensed cultural environments on Earth. It commercial operators operating on encompasses remnant rainforests, terrestrial reserves must abide by are karri and jarrah forests, mangroves, in the licence issued to the operators heathlands, wetlands, coral reefs together with the conditions set out and deserts. These are combined in this handbook. with bizarre landscapes, beaches and The Commercial Operator Handbook gorges, masses of wildflowers and – Terrestrial serves a number of features such as the Pinnacles, the purposes: striped beehive domes of the Bungle • to educate and inform terrestrial Bungle Range, the meteorite crater at based operators as to how they Wolfe Creek and the Coral Coast of can help maintain and protect Ningaloo Reef. Western Australia’s natural and To maintain an equitable balance cultural values for the long-term between conservation of these benefit of the Western Australian spectacular environments and tourism industry commercial recreational use, the • to minimise risks to park visitors Director General of the Department • to outline opportunities that are of Environment and Conservation available to operators who are (DEC) issues licences to operators already conducting, or wish to conducting commercial activities on conduct, commercial activities on lands vested in the Conservation CALM Land Commission of Western Australia • to clearly identify the licence (Commission) and managed by DEC conditions which apply to specific (referred to as CALM Land). operations and areas Licences are the legal basis that • to clearly identify the licence allows approved commercial conditions that operators must operations to occur on CALM Land abide by or risk penalty. Page 1.1 1 July 2011 Section 1 - Introduction DEC also publishes the Commercial flora and fauna and achieving Operator Handbook – Marine, management plan objectives which also may be relevant to tour • advising the Minister on the operations. This can be downloaded development of policies for the from www.dec.wa.gov.au. conservation and management of biodiversity 1.2 Vested bodies • inquiring into and advising the The Conservation Commission Minister on any matter on which of WA (the Commission) and the the Minister requests advice Marine Parks and Reserves Authority • providing advice to any body or (MPRA) are the bodies in which WA’s person on matters relating to conservation reserves are vested. lands and waters vested in the Commission, if the provision is in The Commission and the Marine the public interest and is practical Parks and Reserves Authority were for the Commission to provide it established under sections 18 and 26A of the Conservation and Land • submitting proposed Management Act 1984 (the Act) management plans to the and are the vested bodies of all of Minister for lands vested and the state’s conservation estate. For to develop guidelines for areas managed by the Swan River monitoring and assessing the Trust and also vested in the MPRA, implementation of management consultation with the Swan River plans by DEC, as well as setting Trust is required on management performance criteria and issues. assessing and auditing DEC in its implementation and compliance The Commission has vested in it with management plans. all of Western Australia’s national parks, conservation parks, nature 1.3 The department’s reserves, State forest and timber responsibilities reserves. The MPRA has vested in it all Western Australia’s marine parks, DEC manages WA’s conservation marine nature reserves and marine estate, including marine conservation management areas. Both bodies reserves. have a number of state functions It is DEC’s mission that: defined in the Act. Some functions of the Commission include (see “Working with the community, we section 19 (1) of the Act): will ensure that Western Australia’s environment is valued, protected and • developing policy for preserving conserved, for its intrinsic value, and the natural environment, for the appreciation and benefit of providing facilities, promoting future generations.” 1 July 2011 Page 1.2 Section 1 - Introduction To facilitate this mission, DEC is with management plans (and responsible for managing more than their management is subsequently 27 million hectares of lands vested in monitored and audited by the the vested bodies and for on-ground Commission and MPRA), the Director management of 89.1 million hectares General can only grant a commercial of unallocated Crown land and operation licence if the commercial unmanaged reserves. DEC manages operation is consistent with the this land, under the direction of the relevant management plan. Minister, the Commission and the MPRA, in accordance with the Act Management plans for terrestrial and Regulations and on behalf of or marine parks and reserves the people of Western Australia. All can be downloaded from of DEC’s land management activities www.dec.wa.gov.au. are derived from management plans If a person wishes to conduct a prepared by DEC for the Commission commercial operation in a nature and the MPRA or as necessary or reserve that does not have a compatible operations. management plan, the proposed commercial operation can only 1.4 Management plans as be approved if it is a necessary guidelines for licensing operation. In section 33A(1) of the The issue of licences must be Act, necessary operations are defined consistent with a park’s management as those operations necessary for plan or be a necessary or compatible the preservation or protection of operation. persons, property, land, waters, flora and fauna or for the preparation of Management plans prepared by DEC the management plan. for the Commission and the MPRA in consultation with the community Similarly, if a person wishes to have the objective of achieving or conduct a commercial operation promoting the purpose for which in a national or conservation park land is vested (see section 2.2 for that does not have a management vesting purposes). Such plans may plan, the proposed commercial be prepared for either an individual operation can only be approved park (such as Serpentine National if it is considered a compatible Park Management Plan) or a region operation. Under section 33A(2) (such as the South Coast Region of the Act, compatible operations Management Plan). Management include necessary operations and plans guided by the vested those operations approved by purposes provide the guidelines for the Minister as being in his or licensing commercial operations her opinion compatible with the on CALM Land. As CALM Land purposes for which the park is must be managed in accordance managed under the Act. Page 1.3 1 July 2011 Section 1 - Introduction 1.5 licence approval 1.6 Why the department All licences require approval from the licenses operators Minister and consultation with the Licensing is a mechanism that helps vesting body. ensure sustainable use of WA’s conservation estate. To ensure that all proposed commercial operations are consistent Commercial operation licences are with the relevant management strategically linked to achieving plans or are necessary or compatible DEC’s corporate objectives, one of operations (as determined by the which is to generate social, cultural Minister), all licence applications and economic benefits through the must be endorsed by the relevant provision of a range of services that vested body (the Commission or are valued by the community and MPRA) and approved by the Minister. are consistent with the principles of The Director General can only issue ecological sustainability.