Magazine of National Parks Association of Queensland state of the park 2016 why advocacy matters bunya mountains national park warrie circuit walk lamington spiny crayfish the national park experience Issue 7 February-March 2016 1 Welcome to Contents the February/ Welcome to Protected 2 March edition of State of the park 2016 3 Protected Why advocacy matters 6 Bunya Mountains National Park 8 Michelle Prior, NPAQ President Warrie Circuit walk, Springbrook 10 As this edition of Protected goes to Lamington spiny crayfish 12 press, NPAQ is eagerly awaiting the outcome of the Nature Conservation The National Park Experience 13 and Other Legislation Amendment Bill What’s On 14 2015, which if passed, will reinstate Letters to the Editor 15 the nature as the sole goal of the NC Act (which governs the creation and management of national parks Council President Michelle Prior in Queensland), and undo some Vice Presidents Tony O’Brien retrograde amendments made during Athol Lester the Newman term of government. Hon Secretary Debra Marwedel Asst Hon Secret Yvonne Parsons Another important issue currently Hon Treasurer Graham Riddell in the pipeline is the opportunity to Councillors Julie Hainsworth phase out sand mining on North Peter Ogilvie Stradbroke Island by 2019, supported Richard Proudfoot by an economic transition package. Des Whybird The Bill which proposes this end Mike Wilke date also serves to respect the rights Staff of the native title holders of North Conservation Principal: Stradbroke Island. The government Kirsty Leckie has a responsibility to protect and Business Development Officer: preserve what remains of the island’s Anna Tran remarkable natural environment and Project & Office Administrator: stem the tide of irreversible damage. Jeannie Rice The public debate and discussion about mining, Indigenous land Mission Statement rights and the environment on North The National Parks Association promotes the preservation, expansion, Stradbroke Island has lasted many, good management and presentation of many years. It is now time to finalise National Parks in Queensland. once and for all. This edition of Protected includes the Contact Details Unit 10/36 Finchley Street, Milton second article in our annual series of PO Box 1040, Milton QLD 4064 the State of the Park in Queensland. ABN: 60 206 792 095 Phone: (07) 3367 0878 Hopefully, the changes beginning to Web: www.npaq.org.au occur will ensure positive outcomes Email: [email protected] for protected areas. Disclaimer NPAQ welcomes Kirsty Leckie, our Articles in Protected do not necessarily reflect new Conservation Principal. Kirsty the opinion or position of the National Parks Association of Queensland. brings extensive experience and excellent qualifications and skills. Advertising enquiries Commencing in February, Kirsty has [email protected] already become a valuable member of team of staff and volunteers. Images Cover - Walking track in Bunya Mountains National Park (Yvonne Parsons). Strip pg2 - Mountain White gum bark (Eucalyptus dalrympleana subsp. heptantha). (Paul Donatiu). 2 Connect and Protect STATE OF THE PARK 2016 Michelle Prior, NPAQ President Don Marshall, NPAQ Member National parks protect our reinstated active communication with provision over national parks. natural heritage – a magnificent the community, including conservation 4. Reinstate public consultation in spectrum of spectacular organisations, underscored by a the development of management landscapes and unique policy commitment to consultation. plans for protected areas. This improved communication and wildlife, whilst also contributing 5. Remove Rolling Leases for grazing consultation has extended through significantly to our personal in national parks from the Land to departmental staff and is a health and well-being. National Act. parks are universally recognised welcome relief after three years in the as a key strategy in nature wilderness. As NPAQ had successfully Whilst the Bill has taken a very positive conservation and for their worked with all major political parties direction, and there remains the importance in conserving in its 85 year history, the previous promise of further amendments to biodiversity. Queensland’s banishment was difficult to understand. come, several key items are yet to be national parks protect areas addressed: that are critical in preventing Reinstating the Primacy of the 1. The full restoration of the Cardinal extinctions of some the world’s Conservation of Nature Principle in the Act - “to provide, threatened mammals, birds and In October 2015, amendments to to the greatest possible extent, amphibians. the Nature Conservation Act - which for the permanent perseveration of the area’s natural condition Despite this important role, in recent governs the creation and management and the protection of the areas’ years national parks in Queensland of national parks in Queensland - were cultural resources and values” came under siege from numerous introduced into Parliament by Minister – and hence the appropriate quarters. However, this past year Miles MP. The Nature Conservation management of Queensland’s has seen several improvements in the and Other Legislation Amendment national park estate. protected area arena. Bill 2015 represents progress in the direction of restoring the primacy of 2. The removal of the Special This is the second article of an annual nature conservation in Queensland’s Management Area (controlled series which explores the state of protected areas. The effect of action) from the Act. The current national parks in Queensland. the previous changes had led not situation allows the manipulation only to the downgrading of nature of national park tenure and not One Minister, Two Departments conservation in protected areas, but just detracts from the cardinal Although national park acquisitions to confusion of the very purpose of principle, but sends mixed and national park management remain Queensland’s national parks. messages, as this section can separated in different departments, easily be interpreted as allowing Specifically, the Bill proposes to: the joint ministerial portfolio of the development or inappropriate 1. Reinstate the conservation of environment, national parks and the activities on national parks. nature as the Act’s sole object. Great Barrier Reef has caused a 3. The removal of the ability to 2. Reinstate National Park (Scientific) significant reunification. establish tourist facilities in national and associated management Minister Miles MP - the Minister for parks. The concept of tourism principles, and Conservation Park Environment and Heritage Protection facilities (eco or otherwise) has categories. and Minister for National Parks and not been fully reviewed, and the Great Barrier Reef - has also 3. Remove the hardship grazing the potential impacts thoroughly 3 investigated. Tourism facilities inland Australia and several threatened continues to be a complex task, are incompatible with the species including Major Mitchell’s particularly within the context of cardinal principle of national park cockatoo, painted snipe, painted resource and financial constraints. management. NPAQ is of the honeyeater and grey falcon. This is exacerbated by the sheer area opinion that encouraging the of land to be managed both on-park Additions were made to Blackbraes continuation of developing tourism and state-wide; natural pressures such National Park (14,853 ha) and several facilities on private land adjacent to as damage from cyclonic activity and regional parks, including the dedication national parks would be more cost wildfires; and external circumstances of Mount Blandy (358 ha). Several effective and of considerably lower such as fewer windows of opportunity forest reserves were transferred to impact. for controlled burns to reduce fuel state forest. 4. The reinstatement of several loads due to a changing climate. A 586 ha expansion of Lamington abolished protected area National Park took the rugged World Grazing categories. Heritage listed park a total of more Cattle grazing is inconsistent with The Minister’s speech in Parliament than 21,000 ha. the management principles of a about the amendments to the Nature Eleven new nature refuges were national park. The previous LNP Conservation Act may provide an declared, bringing the total to more Government introduced provisions for indication of we may expect for the than 4 million ha - almost half the rolling term leases that allow leases rest of this term of office. size of the National Park Estate in for agriculture, grazing or pastoral National Parks Exceed 5% Queensland. purposes within nature conservation areas and specified national parks, to The long awaited magical five Whilst these acquisitions are more be extended beyond their expiry date. percent mark was achieved with the than welcome, additional funding Many of the current leases and permits gazettal of three properties (Boorara, for management is required to were issued before the land became Werewilka and Oolamon) in South maintain the national park estate to national park and recognised grazing West Queensland as national park. an appropriate standard; and ensure as a pre-existing interest. This extension to Currawinya National that national parks are not vulnerable Park, make the park one of the largest to threats from competing land None of these leases have been in Queensland at 344,000 ha. uses on the grounds of inadequate converted to rolling leases on national management on-park. parks and several leases have been