National Parks Association of the Australian Capital ... 55 No 1 Mar 2018.pdf · British Columbia wilderness Macquarie Island adventure NPA Christmas party National Parks Association

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National Parks Association of the Australian Capital Territory Inc.

Volume 55 Number 1 March 2018

NPA Bulletin Volume 55 number 1 March 2018

CONTENTS

Thanks from the Editor ............................................................2

Kevin McCue

60th anniversary.......................................................................2

News from the committee

President’s report ................................................................3

Esther Gallant

NPA’s new website..............................................................3

Chris Emery

NPA draft Fire Management Policy 2018...........................4

Christine Goonrey

Innovation and ingenuity: NPA

grant to Dr Phil Zylstra................................................4

Christine Goonrey

Report: NPAC annual meeting............................................5

Kevin McCue

Monitoring the monitor.......................................................6

Kevin McCue

Strategy for managing feral horses in the

Alpine National Park....................................................7

Rod Griffiths

Selling NPA books at Jerrabomberra ........................................8

NPA Art Week(s) at Gudgenby Cottage....................................8

Marine scientist and sportsman Joe Baker dies in Canberra ....8

Di Thompson OAM..................................................................9

Annette Smith

Coming back.............................................................................9

Gerry Jacobson

Articles by contributors may not necessarily reflect association opinion or objectives.

What’s happening in NSW national parks? ............................10

Kevin McCue

Bushwalk. Yerrabi Pond ..........................................................10

Brian Slee

A subantarctic adventure .........................................................11

Doug Brown

In Patagonia.............................................................................12

Barbara Slotemaker de Bruine

NPA outings program, March – June 2018 ......................13–16

Book review. Seeing Through Snow.

By Matthew Higgins........................................................17

Philip Gatenby

Another book by Matthew Higgins soon to be launched........17

Bold Horizon

The top 150 km – hiking and paddling the

Upper Murray River ........................................................18

Mike Bremers

Walking the Tchaikazan – Yohetta Loop.................................20

Philip Gatenby

PARKWATCH ..........................................................................22

Compiled by Hazel Rath

News: Wineglass Bay Track...................................................25

A cure for Chytridiomycosis? ..........................................25

NPA notices.............................................................................26

Meetings and speaker information ..........................................27

NPA information and contacts.................................................27

2 NPA BULLETIN − MARCH 2018

Editing the Bulletin is a pleasure when somany of you are willing to provide copy.Many thanks to the regulars, like HazelRath, Steven Forst and his team, BrianSlee and Gerry Jacobson.

It is always refreshing to have articleson conservation, bushwalking and travelfrom occasional contributors – pleasekeep them coming.

Committee members provide a largepercentage of the material reporting whatthey have been doing on behalf of you,the members. I would especially like to

congratulate the Webmaster and SabineFriedrich for the flash new website(page 3).

Should anyone be tempted to help,please talk to a committee member ratherthan wait for a tap on the shoulder. Wecould do with another Bulletin editor, forexample, to spread the load, and all of theworking groups and subcommitteeswould welcome you with open arms.

We are all indebted to ChristineGoonrey whose contributions over manyyears culminated in last year’s bushfire

symposium, a draft NPA policydocument (page 4) and an ongoingproject that will rewrite the managementof bushfires in the ACT – the end ofMcArthurism.

Once again thanks to the team of EdHighley, Sonja Lenz and AdrienneNicholson who put this edition together.

Kevin McCue

Thanks from the Editor

NPA’s 60th anniversary noticeDear members

You might remember the celebrations we had in 2010 for NPA’s 50th anniversary. In March 2020 NPA ACT reachesanother milestone – the association turns 60!

Now is when we start planning for this great occasion – what suggestions do you all have for worthy and enjoyable waysof celebrating this anniversary? We could spread our celebrations over the whole year with some special bushwalks, a newpublication, a big party or much more ...

Your management committee is asking for your input – please let us know your thoughts. What can we all do together?Looking forward to your suggestions

Sonja Lenz, Secretary

NPA BULLETIN − MARCH 2018 3

You may have already noticed that ourNPA website has been completelyredesigned. The previous website wasabout 15 years old and, because the localIT firm that designed it went bust yearsago, there could be no updates of theunderlying software, making our websitevulnerable to hacking. Also, the ancienteditor program wasn’t working properlyand the website was far from mobile-friendly (which lowers our ranking onsearch engines like Google).

NPA member Sabine Friedrich hasdesigned us a new website using theopen-source (free) content managementsystem called Joomla, which is built andsupported by a worldwide team of ITvolunteers and is now mobile-friendly.For the IT gurus, it is Apache/PHP/MySQL based. There are over two

million Joomla websites in the world,including popular websites such as eBay,General Electric, IKEA, Pizza Hut,Kelloggs, Linux, United Nations(Western Europe), Energy Asia andHoliday Inn. All the existing content onour old website has been ported across tothe new one and additional content willbe added as it comes to hand.

Our website will continue to behosted (stored) by BluePackets Pty Ltd inFyshwick (we are happy to be supportinga local firm) and they provide us fastresponse times, download speeds andsupport. BluePackets is where thewebsite resides because they have highbandwidth connections to the internet.When anyone changes something on ourwebsite they are changing data held atBluePackets which also runs daily

backups and scans for hackers. Sabinealso runs occasional backups to ourhome data storage units.

Please pass any comments to me (aswebmaster), using the website contactform.

Chris Emery

Welcome to the first issue of the 2018Bulletin. While many of you enjoyed thesummer holidays, your committee hasbeen hard at work. (Well to be honestmany of us have had some significantholiday time as well.) Since the lastissue, we have enjoyed a well-attendedChristmas party in fine weather atGudgenby Cottage. This followed onfrom another successful though delayedart week at the cottage. Plans areunderway for the next art week in May(see page 15).

Books

The Christmas party featured anopportunity to buy the newly revisedand updated NPA Field Guide to theNative Trees of the ACT – a stunningaddition to our catalogue of titles. Theofficial launch will occur shortly. Andspeaking of stunning, the butterfly fieldguide has sold so well that it is alreadybeing reprinted with a few correctionsand additions. Look for it in March orApril.

We sold books and distributedinformation in celebration of WorldWetlands Day at JerrabomberraWetlands on 3 February (see photo onpage 8). We also plan to have a bookstallat the ACT Connect and ParticipateExpo at the end of March. Thebooksellers were disappointed when theCanberra Environment Centre’sEcoElves Market in early December wascancelled at the last minute but glad theyweren’t out in the downpour.

Research

The first research project funded by ourrecent generous bequest is well underway. Two Rosenberg’s Monitors havebeen fitted with tracking devices andhave amazed and delighted thevolunteers and scientists working on theproject (see article on pages 6 and 7). Anenlarged study seems likely to follow.

Website

Be sure to check out the newlyredesigned and updated NPA ACTwebsite. This much needed makeovermakes it easier to find us with onlinesearches and is easy to navigate once youget to the website. Thank you, Sabineand Chris!

Honour

What a pleasant surprise to find one ofour own, Di Thompson OAM, on theAustralia Day honours list. And a doubletreat to find that volunteer work onbehalf of conservation and theenvironment was being rewarded.Congratulations and well done Di!

Feral horses

Feral horses in national parks is a moresobering topic. The VictorianGovernment has drafted a proposal forreducing feral horses in their AlpineNational Park and asked for comments.The problem with their plan, as with the2016 NSW plan for Kosciuszko NationalPark, is that they are proposing only totrap and rehome horses. Victoria has,however, left the door open for other

means ofreductionif (when) thisplan does notwork. NPA ACT submitted acomprehensive response to the proposaldrafted by the EnvironmentSubcommittee (see the NPA ACTwebsite). Thanks to all the individualmembers who wrote submissions and/orfilled in the online survey. TheVictorian National Parks Associationappreciates our support on this mostvexing issue.

Taxing threat

And another issue for your attention.There are currently discussions amongpoliticians on legislation which wouldmean any organisation involved inlobbying could lose its charitabledonation status. If you disagree withthis, tell the Prime Minister. Theenvironment needs as strong a voice aspossible!

Celebrating 60

Finally, discussions are underway aboutthe 60th anniversary of NPA ACT in2020 and how to celebrate thismilestone. If you have ideas and/orwould like to help, please contact acommittee member.

Esther Gallant

News from the committeePresident’s report

NPA’s new website


Following the successful NPA ACT July2017 Symposium, Bushfire Management – Balancing the Risks, the followingdraft policy is proposed to guideNPA ACT’s approach to firemanagement in the ACT.

Key statements:

1. Fire management in the ACT musthave as one of its key priorities theprotection of environmental valuesacross the territory.

2. Responsibility for fire prevention,mitigation and management must beshared across relevant agencies andthe general public, with a clear focuson scientific research, practicalexperience of land managers and clearcommunication across all sectors.

Sound fire management requires

commitment to the following

strategies:

• Designing fire management regimessuited to different ecosystems,species, compositions and age classes.

• Building resilience to climate changeinto long-term bushfire planningprocesses including addressingpotential threats to local species.

• Robust annual monitoring andreporting on all fire managementstrategies and practices.

• Support for a cultural burnsframework and practice.

• Increased research to provide a local

NPA draft Fire Management Policy 2018scientific base to inform operationalbushfire management

• Developing greater understanding inthe community of the competingvalues and responses to firemanagement and wildfires.

• Recognition that the urban/bushinterface is a special zone whereresidents may experience a higherrisk. This requires an appropriatezoning classification for newbuildings and extra precautions inestablished building, e.g. rooftopsprinklers; fire resistant windowshutters on exposed sides; replacingtile with metal roofs and woodenfences with colourbond fences andkeeping backyards free ofcombustible material.

• Building community preparednessand resilience through sharedunderstanding of varied impacts ofbushfires.

• Integration of knowledge andstrategies and communicationsbetween Community Fire Units,Parkcare groups, Parks andConservation Service, andEmergency Services.

In order to support community

responsibilities in fire manage-

ment, the government needs to

ensure there is:

• a clear outline of processes andtimetable for community engage-

ment well in advance of the nextround of ACT Bushfire Planning –the Strategic Bushfire ManagementPlan (SBMP), Regional FireManagement Plans (RFMP) andsubsequent annual BushfireOperational Plans (BOP).

• recognition of the role of localLandcare groups in fire managementand appropriate inclusion ofLandcarers in planning and deliveryof fire management in their areas.

• a dedicated community based ‘fire inthe environment’ platform andnetwork supported by the ACTGovernment which:

* shares references, resources,knowledge, activities, andresearch,

* organises follow-up events tofacilitate community connectionsand promote sharing and learning,and

* encourages active involvement ingovernment planning processessuch as the SBMP and RFMP.

Christine Goonrey

Innovation and ingenuity: NPA grant to Dr Phil ZylstraDr Phil Zylstra has updated thecommittee on his work on his ForestFlammability Model (FFM) followingreceipt of an NPA ACT grant late lastyear.

Using our grant funds he haspurchased lab equipment to measure leafdensity, an important trait in determiningboth time to ignition and burning timefor leaves. With a colleague atMacquarie University, he is preparing forpublication a paper which will integratethis factor into the FFM. This willimprove the model’s accuracy and moveit towards becoming globally applicable.

Phil built this equipment in the greatAussie tradition of innovation. Instead ofmany thousands of dollars for a state ofthe art LiCor leaf analyser, he combineda flat-top scanner with his existingmoisture analyser and micrometer. It’sslower but just as accurate, and muchcheaper.

He has also purchased a terrestrialLiDAR (laser scanner). Generally these

cost in the range of $20k+, but againcreative ingenuity has been at work, withcrowd-funded inventors using 3D printersand open-source software to build aninstrument for about $3,000. A test scanof the blue-gum forest at the back ofPhil’s house shows how the device can beused to calculate fuel density. Phil isworking on automatically feeding suchinputs into the FFM program.

The importance of this work is that,whereas previous fire behaviourprediction models have focused onconverting what they measure intoweights of fuel or subjective indices, Philis calculating the actual plant dimensionsthat you can see in the picture. Crossingthat line will mean that not only is theFFM the only peer-reviewed model forour forests but also that measuring inputswill be faster than for the old models, andcompletely objective.

Phil is being helped in this importantwork by a number of programmers at theUniversity of Wollongong who are giving

their own time to make user-friendlysoftware for the model. A researcher inChina is looking at validating rate offire spread against data from a Japanesesatellite. Once the software is availableand the LiDAR data are incorporated,Phil will move into the next phase ofsetting up and training some labs inAustralia, New Zealand and Argentina,and possibly also Siberia. He willpresent the results of his work tomembers of the ecological societies ofAustralia and New Zealand at theEcoTas conference at the end ofNovember.

This is a genuinely innovativegrassroots project relying on thecontributions of like-minded people. Itstarted with Phil and a candle at hiskitchen table and could go on to savelives and millions of dollars in moreaccurately predicting fire behaviour.NPA ACT is proud to be one of hismany supporters.

Christine Goonrey

News from the committee (continued)


The 2017 National Parks AustraliaCouncil (NPAC) meeting and AGMwere held in Adelaide at the office of theNature Conservation Society of SA(NCSSA), from Friday morning10 November 2017 to Sunday noon12 November. Member groupsrepresented included the NPAs fromQueensland, NSW, Victoria, Tasmaniaand the ACT, as well as NCSSA.

NPAC President Michelle Priorchaired the meeting for the 3 days;VNPA Executive Director Matt Ruchelled the work plan update. Alix Goodwinwas welcomed as the new CEO of theNPA (NSW) as was Esther Gallant, thenew NPA ACT President. TNPAPresident Nick Sawyer was there andLaura Hahn from QNPA, as well asGraeme Bartrim from VNPA. NPAACT’s Kevin McCue attended as NPACPublic Officer. NPAC Treasurer EuanMoore was an apology, as were RodGriffiths, NPAC Vice-president, andSonja Lenz, NPA ACT.

The main agenda items were theAGM on Sunday morning, at which anew executive committee was elected,and the drafting of a new work plan forthe year ahead. In between, memberssummarised their program over the pastyear, after which guest speakersdiscussed a number of topics of interestto members: Prescribed Burning inProtected Areas (Kirstin Abley – FireEcologist, Department of Environment,Water and Natural Resources), TheAdelaide International Bird Sanctuary(Ian Falkenberg – Operations ManagerAdelaide International Bird Sanctuary,Department of Environment, Water andNatural Resources) and Nature-basedTourism in Protected Areas (ChrisThomas – Parks and Tourism Manager,Department of Environment, Water andNatural Resources). Nick Sawyer leddiscussion on nature-based tourism fromTNPA’s experience, certainly not allpositive.

Over the 3 days we developed the2018 work plan, building on theexcellent work of consultant Dr SarahMay who had polished the Jewel in theCrown document that has now morphedinto papers on five topics:• Connecting Nature• National Parks – Maintaining their

Conservation Values• Marine Protected Areas• A Matter of National Significance• Completing the CAR Terrestrial

Reserve Networks.Each of the NPAs offered to edit and

complete one document and make a one

page summary. NPA ACTwas allocated theconservation topic. Thework plan was circulatedin December, and includesbriefing federal and stateministers on these five keytopics.

On Saturday afternoonwe joined a field trip toOnkaparinga RiverNational Park to look atsites being developed toallow increased visitoraccess to the park andassociated management issues. Olivetrees have seriously invaded the area.

We continued on to the StipiturusConservation Park near MountCompass on the Fleurieu Peninsulawhere we liaised with Ben Taylor,Nature Glenelg Trust, to look atGlenshera Swamp restoration work.The old drainage ditches have beenblocked off at several places with weirsmade from sandbags draped withenviro-fabric, and the diverted waterencouraged to flow along the originalpaths back into the bog, the largest onthe peninsula.

Luke Price, DEWNR ThreatenedFauna Ecologist, accompanied us andthen described the prescribedecological burn intended to assist therecovery of a small Emu Wrenpopulation (~ 4 breeding pairs)inhabiting the threatened FleurieuPeninsula Swamps. The burn brokecontainment lines, burned at leastdouble the planned area and was hotterthan planned. Luke said the resultwasn’t all bad and has causeddeferment of the next planned burnwhile the system readjusts, but timewill tell.

At the AGM Michelle Priorrecontested the election as President,her last year she promised, and GraemeWiffen was elected Vice-president andSecretary. In his absence Euan Moore(VNPA President) was re-electedTreasurer and Kevin McCue remainedPublic Officer.

NCSSA’s Nicki de Preu and herteam, Julia Peacock and NCSSAPresident Michael Stead, were thankedand commended on their excellenthosting of the 2017 meeting. The venuefor the next meeting, Brisbane, wasannounced, starting 9 November. Nickiwas presented with a copy of thepopular NPA ACT butterfly book andwished all the best for her ‘retirement’.

Esther and Kevin flew on the 6 amflight direct to Adelaide arriving in timefor the meeting start and returned toCanberra on Monday morning. Afterthe NPAC meeting closed at noonSunday they joined Neil and BronwynStrong in the Adelaide Hills who hadarranged for them to meet a couple ofNational Trust Natural Environmentstalwarts to talk about work in generaland to visit a couple of local reserves.

Simon Lewis, previously anemployee of the SA EnvironmentDepartment and still involved in avoluntary capacity with a number ofreserves, as well as FOMS (Friends ofMound Springs) in the far north of SA,led a walk through the HK Fry Reserve,near Crafers. pointing out theremarkable progress they had madewith weeding. The area hasn’t burnedin living memory.

Russ Sinclair, physicist turnedbotanist/ecologist, a former lecturer atAdelaide University, also toured theHK Fry Reserve with us and thenguided us around the EngelbrookReserve, further afield. Russ is alsoinvolved in the long-term KoonamoreProject in east central SA for which hehas been responsible scientist for manydecades. We are grateful we don’t haveweeds like Watsonia and an AfricanWeed Orchid that they had to deal within addition to Hawthorn and St John’sWort. A bushfire did scorch some of thereserve some 25 years ago, triggered bya local using a brush cutter. We spottedsome beautiful Spider Orchids,butterflies and moths, skinks and manybirds including Adelaide Rosellas. Fan-tailed Cuckoos were very vocal butunseen. We have used their techniqueof eradicating Prickly Pear at a site nearBega (cut and dab and hang out allplant material to dry on plasticsheeting) and await confirmation ofsuccess.

Kevin McCue

Quentin Moran (far left) and Esther Gallant (far right) at the

Glenshera Swamp restoration work. Photo by Kevin McCue.

Report: NPAC annual meeting



The dawn chorus at Horse Gully Hut inthe Naas Valley in mid December waspalpable, led by kookaburras and astrident oriole, supported by a chorus oflyrebirds, magpies, tree-creepers,whistlers and small birds; it lasted agood half hour. The four campers sogloriously awakened were preparing fora long day, arming the southern half ofthe 21 monitor traps distributed at400 m intervals along the Naas Firetrailfrom a few hundred metres south ofHorse Gully Hut. They were half of theproject team. They met the other half atthe midway point after it had‘commuted’ from the northern endarming traps. We then did the roundstwice more each day to clear anycaptures, record details of the capturedanimals, and finally close the traps forthe night ahead.

Don Fletcher (retired, but now anANU researcher) led the field trip anddid most of the preparatory work,assembling the traps, collecting therabbits and baiting the traps. The othercampers were Katherine Jenkins akaKat (ACT Conservation Research),Matthew Higgins (independentresearcher) and Kevin McCue (NPA).The second group of researchers,commuters from Canberra, includedBrian Green and Enzo Guarino(University of Canberra), and DeklynTownsend (ACT Parks andConservation) or Melissa Snape (ACTConservation Research).

Once distributed from east to westcoasts of southern Australia,Rosenberg’s Monitor is now found injust three unconnected patches; at eachend and in the centre of its formerrange. Its status in NSW, Victoria andSA is threatened, so the precautionary

principle would dictate that we assume itis equally threatened in the ACT, at leastuntil proven otherwise. Its close relative,the Lace Monitor, has all but disappearedfrom the ACT.

Most of the only published researchon these amazing, large (to 1.5 m),ground-dwelling reptiles has beenundertaken by our co-worker BrianGreen and colleagues, on the KangarooIsland (KI) population. These are onlytwo-thirds the size of ACT specimens.Little research has been done on thelocal population before now and the firstthing that needs to be established is theirabundance. Insights into their lifehistory, home range, nesting sites, size,weight etc. will be a bonus.

Because the home range of femaleswas presumed to be smaller than that ofmales, and their use of habitat andbreeding site of more interest toresearchers, we had hoped to attachwireless trackers purchased by NPA totwo large females (minimum weight1.6 kg). Only one of the nine capturedlizards was female (same ratio on KI),however, and its weight was too close tothe minimum. The males were all about2.5 kg, so after painting ID numbers ontheir backs (sloughed off at the nextmoult), Brian kitted up two of them withtransmitters. We kept them captive for asshort a time as possible and, afternumbering them 0 to 8, released themwhere they were trapped. Two of thenine lizards Deklyn and Enzo managedto run down or snag with Don’s ‘nooseon a fishing pole’; one escaped aftercapture.

At least we answered one question –can Rosenberg’s Goannas climb trees?One example may not mean that all ofthem can or could, unlike their cousin

the Lace Monitor. Some were carryingticks and others were scarred, hadbroken ribs, or had lost the tips of theirtails (cars, fighting or predator?) but allappeared to Brian to be in good shape.They were very quiet after beingtransferred to the hessian or denim bagsand didn’t rush away on being released.In fact, we caught one twice, so muchdid he like the dead rabbit bait on offer.

There are now two numbered, randymale Rosenberg’s Goannas carryingtracking equipment wandering NassValley looking for love and we hope tomonitor their activity for as long aspossible to establish a database of theirmovements. If anyone spots a largegoanna with a white number on its backwe would appreciate a report giving thedate, time and location. They mate inDecember, the females every secondyear, and lay about a dozen eggs in anest excavated by the female in a termitemound. The clutch is guarded for 2–3weeks by their mother, sometimes withhelp from her mate (see MatthewHiggins’ article in the June 2017 NPABulletin). The young, not always fromthe same male progenitor, hatch afterabout 8 months and feed on their hosts,the termites, before digging themselvesout of the mound.

Kat, Deklyn and/or Mel drove usskilfully on the trip and around the traps.So interesting are these creatures thatBrian is planning to publish a book onthe Rosenberg’s Monitor this year. Wewill notify you when it happens.

In January and February, under DonFletcher’s guiding hand, new teams,including NPA members Sonja Lenz,Philip and Jan Gatenby, Isobel Crawfordand John Brickhill, installed 56 camerasat 19 sites along the central part of theNaas Valley, the cameras focussed on abait of putrid chicken, to start studyingthe monitors’ distribution and density.We have downloaded data and resitedand reset the cameras and traps, Don andEnzo even reattached the collar on oneof the monitors and retrieved thediscarded collar of the other. Invaluable,interesting information has already beenobtained on our Monitors in the NaasValley guaranteeing the success of thepilot project to trap, mark and trackthem.

Kevin McCue

Rosenberg’s Monitor No 1 marked and measured

before return to its capture site.

Photo by Kevin McCue.

(continued next page)

Monitoring the monitor




research on key feral horse controlissues.

The NPA ACT was concerned thatthe Plan:• severely limits the number of feral

horses to be removed from the easternAlps over the next 3 years, given thelevel and extent of damage that theyare causing to this area

• excludes ground and aerial shootingas a control method during the first 3years of Plan implementation, solelyon the basis of public expectations,when there is evidence that, whenproperly done, it is the mostinexpensive and humane way ofmanaging feral animals

• fails to recognise the importance ofprioritising the removal of all feralhorses from the Murray Rivercatchment area.

The full version of the NPA ACT’ssubmission can be found at http://www.npaact.org.au/.

Rod Griffiths

utilising a strategic and evidence-basedapproach. However, the NPA ACTquestioned whether the long timescaleinvolved in reducing the feral horsepopulation and the size of the proposedremnant population will lead to efficient,effective and economic management ofthe feral horse population in the ANP.

In general, the NPA ACT supported:• the expanded horse control program,

which would focus on increased feralhorse removal and the prevention ofthe establishment of new populationswithin the ANP

• the five key core conservationobjectives of the Plan

• the Plan’s recognition of, andemphasis on, protecting Aboriginalcultural heritage and working withtraditional owners

• the removal of all horses from thehighly ecologically sensitive BogongHigh Plains–Cobungra area

• the introduction of a systematic andrealistic monitoring and evaluationsystem, featuring annual reviews ofthe efficiency and effectiveness of theferal horse control operations

• plans to undertake practical, applied

All of the national parks acrossAustralia’s alpine region are facingsustained pressure from feral horses.NPA ACT members have first-handexperience of the degradation of some ofAustralia’s most iconic sites. So the NPAACT was pleased to see the issue of adraft strategic action plan (‘the Plan’) forferal horses in Victoria’s Alpine NationalPark (ANP). The Plan outlined fiveobjectives:• Reduce damage to alpine wetland and

other vegetation communities byexpanding and improving feral horsecontrol.

• Improve knowledge of therelationship between feral horseimpacts and environmental conditionthrough monitoring and research.

• Protect Aboriginal cultural heritage.• Prevent the establishment of new

populations of feral horses in theGreater Alpine national parks.

• Remove small populations.

In its recent submission to ParksVictoria, the NPA ACT welcomed thegeneral thrust of the Plan, being theactive and humane reduction of thenumbers of feral horses in the ANP,

some of them (e.g. cattle, horses,rabbits and probably sheep) havebecome food for the lace monitor, butthe provision of grazing land for theseexotic animals has dramaticallyreduced the mature forest available insouth-eastern Australia for V. variusand its native prey. Additionally,introduced exotic mammals such asdogs, cats and foxes prey on smallerV. varius.

• Many types of large food itemse.g. rabbits, adult birds, macropod

carrion, and small fooditems e.g. arthropods areall taken by V. varius of awide range of lengths. Thevery smallest V. varius haddined on grey kangaroo(Macropus giganteus)while large Lace Monitorswere recorded takingLepidoptera larvae as wellas larger items.

38 per cent of the samples containedcarrion. Cat (Felis cattus) was theonly species of mammal, exotic ornative, observed at Bendethera thatdid not appear in the dietary samplesfrom the site.

• Clearly, introduced mammals are nowa major part of the diet of V. varius inthe study areas. However, it shouldnot be assumed automatically that theintroduction of exotic mammals tosouth-eastem Australia has been ofnet benefit to V. varius. Certainly

References

Gogerley, H. 1922. Early breeding ofground or low-nesting birds. Emu 21,222–223.

Weavers, B.W. 1989. Diet of the LaceMonitor Lizard (Varanus varius) insouth-eastern Australia. AustralianZoologist, 25(3), 83 (September1989).

Notes from Weavers’ paper:

• Gogerley (1922) speculated that somespecies of ‘low-nesting birds’including the superblyrebird (Menura superba),nest during winter to avoidpredation by the Goanna(Varanus varius).

• Weavers collected stomachcontents or scats from52 trapped V. varius andfour samples fromspecimens at the AustralianMuseum. Remains ofexotic mammals wereidentified in 38 per cent ofthe samples, nativemammal remains were in36 per cent, and allmammals combined wererepresented in 78 per centof samples … At least

Taking the vital statistics.

Photo by Kevin McCue.

Monitoring the monitor (continued)


Strategy for managing feral horses in the Alpine National Park

Selling NPA books at Jerrabomberra

Yet another successful NPA Art Week at Gudgenby Cottage was held

last December (postponed from October).

Maria Boreham again generously provided tuition to interested

participants (Bruce Boreham’s feathers at right), as well as spending

some time on her own botanical art work. Hazel Rath also worked on a

beautiful painting of native flora. John Brickhill produced an amazing

‘boat mat’ by coiling rope in a celtic knot-like pattern (photo left).

Another week for enjoying the inspiration provided by this

wonderful location is planned for May this year.. See Outings Program

for information.


From an obituary by JenniferKing, ABC News website

Professor Joseph Thomas Baker,inaugural Commissioner for theEnvironment of the ACT, died inCanberra on 16 January 2018, aged 85.Joe was a world leader in his field and atrusted advisor to governments.

In his 50-year scientific career, hechampioned environmental sustain-ability and was deeply involved inachieving World Heritage status for theGreat Barrier Reef in 1981. His researchfocused on preserving the marine lifearound Australia and promotingsustainable resource management.

Joe Baker was born at Warwick,Queensland on 19 June 1932 andmoved to Brisbane in 1950 as a cadetwith CSIRO and to study chemistry atthe University of Queensland. DrBaker’s 1967 PhD thesis examined thepharmacology of purple dyes inmolluscs, the Tyrian purple of theancients.

He married in 1955 and is survivedby his wife Val, their four children andnine grandchildren.

In 1959 he played lock in theQueensland Rugby League side inmatches against NSW and NZ teams. In

1961, Dr Baker started the James CookUniversity (JCU) Rugby LeagueFootball Club as coach.

In 1982, Dr Baker was awarded anOBE for services to marine science and,in 2002, the Order of Australia for hiscontribution to environmental studiesand chemistry.

In 2001 he was named one of thefirst five Queensland Greats, and wasnominated for an Australian of the Yearaward in 2006.

Dr Baker was reportedly greatlysaddened in 2017 to see the GreatBarrier Reef Marine Park Authority(GBRMPA) forced to argue a case to theWorld Heritage Commission to avoid thereef being listed as ‘in danger’. ‘To me

this was a terrible insult to Australia andAustralians’, he said. ‘It told us we werenot able to look after one of our mostvaluable natural assets.’

Among his many achievements,Dr Baker founded aquaculture andmarine biodiscovery research at theAustralian Institute of Marine Science inTownsville, resulting in a significantcontribution to the growth ofQueensland’s prawn industry. He was afounder of the GBRMPA and of theQueensland Academy of Sport, and afoundation staff member at James CookUniversity.

Other highlights of his career.

Director, Roche Research Institute ofMarine Pharmacology

Director, Australian Institute of MarineScience

Director, Sir George Fisher Centre forTropical Marine Studies at JCU

Chief Scientist, Queensland DPI andFisheries

Chairman, National Landcare CouncilChairman, Australian Heritage

CommissionPatron, Australian Marine Sciences

Association.

To celebrate World Wetlands Day 2018, the Jerrabomberra Wetlands and

Canberra City Farm had their Open Day on Saturday 3 February. The

NPA ACT was invited to have a stall, so a small number of members

gathered to sell our ACT nature field guides and the Namadgi book. We

were able to roster selling books with browsing the other displays of plant-,

animal- and water-related products and issues in the ACT. The Canberra

City Farm is only 2 years old but has developed into a productive system.

It was a pleasant evening with mild weather. We managed to sell a few

books and, with a good view of the wetlands, we also witnessed a spoonbill

frantically feeding in the shallow water. The stalls also provided healthy

food options for a light meal.Julie May, photo by Kevin McCue.

Reference:

https://jerrabomberrawetlands.org.au/event/world-wetlands-open-day-2/

Marine scientist and sportsman Joe Baker dies in

Canberra

NPA Art Week(s) at Gudgenby Cottage


improve walking tracks in theBudawangs in NSW.

Dianne maintains an activemembership of the CanberraBushwalking Club (since 1967) andKosciuszko Huts Association (since1982) but has always held a majorallegiance to NPA ACT.

For 6 years Dianne was theconservation representative on theNamadgi Interim Board of Management.She is a strong advocate for Aboriginalpeople to have a real say in themanagement of parks and other naturalareas, and in decisions that affect theirrights and the maintenance of theircultures.

Increasingly, Dianne realised thatKNP on our doorstep was far from thepristine park it should be and became anactive member of the NSW NPA and thepeak body Nature Conservation Council(NCC) where she plays a major role infamiliarising their leadership with theissues in KNP. She is the NCCrepresentative on a number of bodiesincluding:• Southern Ranges Regional Advisory

Committee (formerly SnowyMountains Region AdvisoryCommittee), since 2000

• Snowy Monaro Bushfire ManagementCommittee, since 2007

• Perisher Range Resort EnvironmentalManagement Committee, since 2012

• Environmental Water AdvisoryGroup, since 2010

The Medal of the Order of Australiaawarded to long-term NPA ACT memberDianne Thompson on Australia Day2018, for ‘service to conservation andthe environment’, is the most recent of anumber of awards that she has receivedover the past few years.

In 2014 the NSW NPA presented herwith the Prudence Tucker StateConservation Award, for ‘substantialcontributions to significant state-wideconservation outcomes’. In 2015 theNPA ACT presented her with the firstPresident’s Award for her environmentaladvocacy work against high-impact useof natural areas, especially inKosciuszko National Park (KNP),addressing the threats from feralanimals, especially horses, and for herwork to identify outbreaks of noxiousOrange Hawkweed.

Dianne’s involvement with theenvironment began with a love of theoutdoors and camping. She took up anactive role with NPA ACT in the mid1980s, leading day, then adventurousmulti-day pack walks and popular familycar camps, activities many of us havebeen lucky enough to share with her. Sheheld roles as Vice President and OutingsConvener in the 1990s. She hascontributed to many work parties,including the restoration of OrroralHomestead in the early 1980s, throughto removing pine wildings and briarroses in the ACT. From 1989 sheorganised several work parties to

Di Thompson OAM

And in real life it never was. Or werethere glimpses? Skiing was always aneffort. Hard work. And I didn’t like goingdownhill; falling over. And running wasalso hard work. I did jog for a few years,but it was an effort. I got breathless and hadtendon problems.

It was hillwalking where I reallyflowed. Early on that was hard work too,but later I tuned in. Every hill has itsmantra. Love that micro-navigation. Bodyknowing where it’s going to be in a fewsteps time.

loping downthe forest trackthrough moonlight –in my body the rhythmof descending scales

Gerry Jacobson

*Denise Ferris, ‘The Colour of Snow’, inkjet

print, 2013, Canberra Museum and Gallery

Coming back

• National Parks and Wildlife ServiceAdvisory Council, New South Wales,since 2014.Dianne’s love of the mountains is

reflected in her tribute to the power ofrecovery from natural events in Ring ofFire 2003, a publication of stunningphotographs she took in the weeks andmonths after the devastating 2003bushfires through KNP and the ACT.

Dianne has continued her advocacyfor the environment with integrity andcourage to preserve our Australianenvironment for all to share into thefuture. It is fitting that this honour tosuch an inspirational Australian wasawarded on Australia Day.

Congratulations from the NPA.

Annette Smith

It looks cold out there. Out there is in here.On the gallery wall with images of snow,snow people, snow mists.* I have thisdream. I’m skiing back and it’s gentlydownhill. I glide with no effort. PerhapsI’m not even on skis. Just glissading on myfeet. Just the right speed. Gentle,controlled, running out. Coming back.Coming back to what?

twilight descendsbefore the afternoonhas finishedthis short day endslong night begins

I have another dream. I’m running crosscountry. Competing, perhaps. My runningis effortless, smooth, contained. I’m full ofbreath, mobile, flexible and I’m out infront. The countryside may be a bit roughbut I flow over it. This dream never lastsvery long.

Photo by Esther Gallant.


What’s happening in NSW national parks?national park in the world, has a fractionof the staff that it had when it first cameunder NPWS management in 1967. Thishas been repeated in parks likeKosciuszko, Warrumbungle and NewEngland.

It is telling that only nine new parkshave been created since the Liberal stategovernment came to power in 2011.Compare that to the previous Laborgovernment, which created 500 newparks. The government has slashedbudgets as well as jobs, allocating lessthan $8 million for land acquisition fornational parks under permanentprotection this year. That’s a third of thefunding allocated to administer newland-clearing laws that will doirreparable damage to biodiversity inNSW.

Last year NPWS celebrated the 50thanniversary of the service, but therewere no celebratory announcements; nonew iconic national park, no upgrade toan existing park’s infrastructure, noincrease in staffing or funding. Nothingbut cuts.

Kevin McCue

Since then there have been evenmore reorganisations and redundancies.The number of rangers employed hasdropped from about 300 to just over 200under the present government. Threehundred rangers was alreadyinsufficient.

In the latest restructure, theorganisation is claiming that there willbe more frontline staff but, in reality,frontline staff numbers are being cut,along with back office staff who supportthose on the front line. Those whosurvive will have their pay cut. AroundTaree, field officers will suffer pay cutsof up to $12,200 a year, while stillhaving to do the same work. Hundredsof staff are being affected, includingthose responsible for invasive speciesand fire management.

Services in Botany Bay NationalPark have dropped dramatically and thisis being repeated all over NSW. SturtNational Park in the far north-westerncorner of the state and KinchegaNational Park near Broken Hill havehistoric infrastructure that is fallingapart due to lack of money formaintenance.

Royal National Park, the jewel of theNSW park system and the second-oldest

The following is compiled fromnewspaper articles. Ed.

Last year marked 50 years since a NewSouth Wales Liberal premier establishedthe National Parks and Wildlife Service(NPWS) to protect the jewels in thecrown of NSW’s natural environment.

In 1986, the NSW NPWS waslauded as one of the top five nationalpark agencies in the world. It hosts morethan 40 million visits in New SouthWales each year, and an overwhelming94 per cent of visitors describethemselves as satisfied or very satisfiedwith their experience, and yet, despitethis endorsement, an experienced rangerlike Michael McFadyen, who joined theNPWS in 1975, was made redundant in2015.

NPWS rangers, firefighters,ecologists and pest control officers areprotectors of nature with conservation atthe heart of their responsibilities. In the2015 redundancy round, theorganisation lost so many experiencedstaff at once that it has never recovered.All these people had no time to pass ontheir knowledge and experience to thosewho were left. The combined loss wasincalculable.

Bushwalk

Date: 4 February 2018Participants: Brian Slee (leader),

Francesca Bate, Mike Bremers,Max Lawrence

Weather: Sunny, mild.

Yerrabi Pond’s pelicans have gone. Notthe real ones, they are still plentiful, butthe pair of lifelike Neil Dickinsonsculptures which have perched on asemi-submerged tree trunk near BizantStreet for many years. No one in thepassing parade could tell us their fatebut a Google search reveals they wereremoved for restoration in Decemberand will soon be returned.

Something else to celebrate: a newwalker! Welcome Francesca. We hadgathered at 9 am at Phyllis AshtonCircuit, Gungahlin, for a morning walkaround the lake, with an extension intoForde. All went well for a few minutesas we followed the path east. WhereHorse Park Drive crosses GinninderraCreek, the bridge is being duplicatedand pedestrians are abandoned to theirfate. So, dodging fences and tapes, werock-hopped into Lyall GillespieCorridor, which leads into Forde.

Here the impounded water, as in thelake, was remarkably clear. However,the most delightful aspect of walking inForde is seeking out its ancientEucalyptus melliodora, Yellow Boxes.One beautifully shaped example inLomax Street, behind the shops, isregistered with the ACT Government:19 m high, 3.6 m in circumference. Andanyone who thinks Gungahlin’s suburbsare crowded ghettos should check outthe open spaces of Forde.

After wandering the area we returnedto the shops only to find Frankies hadlots of customers but no power.Distressing for the owners but we had apleasant break, sans coffee. From therewe slipped down Francis FordeBoulevard, hazarded our way backacross Horse Park Drive and followedthe path along the western side of thelake in Amaroo. A black swan waddledup the bank, nodding to display itsbrilliant red bill. Quickly discerning thatbread was not on offer, it floated off, allthe while elegantly probing the grassydepths.

We took an unscheduled diversion atBarrington Crescent up past Palmer Trigto visit the super massive (but unlisted)Corringle Close Yellow Box beforereturning to the lake via Lett Place. Thelake still teems with waterbirds, but acouple in the group also spied a SuperbParrot resting in a tree. Back about noon.Coffee was at Da Nunzio – nice place tolinger at the end of an easy 9 km walk.

Brian Slee

Yerrabi Pond


Expeditions. There was a strongemphasis on health and safety(necessary given the rough seaconditions and the sometimes trickytransfers to Zodiacs) and biosecurity(regular checks for seeds in gear andclothing, routine boot-washing) was alsoa high priority to guard againstintroduction of weeds and pests.Frequent lectures by expedition staffprovided detailed information about thehistory of the islands and their values.

These sorts of trips are certainly notfor everybody – they are, after all,expeditions not cruises. I was fortunatein that the weather for my trip wasunusually favourable but it is importantto remember that access to the islands isdependent on the prevailing conditionsand is by no means guaranteed. Thosecontemplating going should do theirresearch to be sure it is the right type oftrip for them. But, for anyone fascinatedwith wildlife and drawn to the world’sfew remaining wild places, I can heartilyrecommend a visit to the subantarctic!

Doug Brown**

*A forest tree, Metrosideros umbellata,endemic to New Zealand.

**Doug is an original member of theGudgenby Bush Regeneration Group

landings, at all times escorted by TPWSand Antarctic Division staff to guardagainst disturbance to breeding penguinsand other wildlife. While it may soundlike a long way to travel for such a brieftime on-island, these restrictions in noway diminished the immense sense ofachievement in setting foot on thisremote speck of land in the middle ofthe ‘Furious Fifties’. It was an absoluteprivilege to walk along the black sandbeach at Sandy Bay surrounded byliterally thousands of King and RoyalPenguins and hundreds of enormousElephant Seals, as well as maraudingskuas, Giant Petrels and other seabirds,all oblivious to human presence. Thiswas truly an amazing wildlifeexperience which I shall never forget.

While Macquarie Island wasundoubtedly my personal highlight,‘Macca’ was actually only a small partof the overall trip. The voyage alsovisited three (the Snares, the AucklandIslands and Campbell Island) of the fiveisland groups that together comprise theNew Zealand Subantarctic IslandsWorld Heritage site. All provided greatexperiences, each having its ownspectacular flora and fauna. Zodiaccruises at all three provided close-upviews of wildlife, and extended walks atthe Auckland Islands and CampbellIsland allowed expeditioners to reallyexperience both the harshness and

beauty of these placesthat are so remotefrom humanhabitation. Whilenothing was going tobeat ‘Macca’, aparticular surprise forme was the diversityof vegetation, such ason the AucklandIslands where lowstands of rata* forestalong the moresheltered east andsouth coastline werean unexpected delightto walk through (evenwhen pursued by agrumpy New ZealandSea Lion!).While the NPABulletin is not apromotional organ, Ican’t speak too highlyof the quality of thetrip run by Heritage

During the 2017–18 Christmas holidayperiod I was able to scratch alongstanding ‘itch’ with a visit toMacquarie Island in Australia’ssubantarctic.

Located half-way between Australiaand Antarctica, Macquarie Island andthe surrounding waters to three nauticalmiles is managed as a nature reserve bythe Tasmanian Parks and WildlifeService. It was inscribed on the WorldHeritage List in 1997 in recognition ofits outstanding geological and naturalvalues. Scientific research is a majorfocus for the island and the AustralianAntarctic Division has maintained abase there since 1948.

Readers of the NPA Bulletin may befamiliar with the ecological restorationwork carried out on ‘Macca’ over thepast few decades, culminating in thesuccessful eradication of rabbits androdents in 2011 – arguably one of ourgreatest conservation achievements. Theisland is also (justly) famous for itswealth of wildlife and its challengingweather. I was keen to experience theisland for myself and a 12-day voyageto the islands of the subantarctic withNew Zealand company HeritageExpeditions on the Spirit of Enderbyallowed me to do just that.

Visitor access to Macquarie is tightlycontrolled to protect its values, and ourstay was restricted to two 4-hour

The author with part of a colony of Royal

Penguins, Macquarie Island.

A subantarctic adventure

King Penguins on a stony beach, Macquarie Island.

Photo by Doug Brown

was raining heavily but the intrepidtrekkers still set off to reach a viewpointof Cerro Torre (needle-like pinnacle)and Fitzroy Base Camp. It is part of achain of massive glaciers that basicallyfollow the line of the Chilean/Argentinian border and from allaccounts was quite spectacular.

Continuing on our journey, wemoved on to view the superb PeritoMoreno glacier. This is 4 km wide andthe park management has built excellentviewing platforms and developed raisedmetal paths (not unlike the ones going toMount Kosciuszko).

A few hours were spent here beforewe travelled on to El Calafate, our finaldestination before departure. En routewe were fortunate to see a group ofcondors feasting on a kill. We alsomanaged to see some flamingoesfeeding in a lake – the ‘icing on thecake’!

Our adventure was over and we allwent our separate ways after anincredible 28 days of visiting some ofthe most pristine areas in the world. Itwas time to reflect on the wonderfulsights we had experienced and to hopethat these areas are preserved for futuregenerations to enjoy. As I said at thestart of my account, this was, for me, thetrip of a lifetime.

Barbara Slotemaker de Bruine

treated to magnificent weather. I did ashorter walk with Lelia after lunch,while the others tackled a more difficultwalk in preparation for their treksfurther into the trip. Lelia and I weretreated, as we saw over 100 guanacosgrazing, as well as some lesser rheas(similar to our emus). We also saw somecondors and a harrier. There was muchevidence of pumas hunting in this areaas there were many carcasses on theground. They are quite elusive, and wewould be lucky to spot one. That night abeautiful barbecue awaited us back atthe hotel. Like the Aussies, mostArgentinians enjoy their meat!

The next day, after a relaxing night,the others set off into the Torres delPaine National Park. The weather wassuperb. I did shorter walks around thehotel and had a massage for some backissues I was having. The others cameback exhilarated and we were treated toanother superb meal in the hotel. Wethen moved eastwards across thePatagonian Steppe. It’s not unlikeoutback Australia in many respects,except the soil is grey. The roads are stillstraight, the cafes isolated (300 kmbetween them and their nearestopposition) and there is evidence ofprehistoric remains. We arrived in LosGlaciares to absolutely superb weather,and Lelia warned us that this is notalways the case (just like the Snowies).Just as she predicted, the next morning

This trip of 10 days (8–17 February2017) was an add-on to the Antarcticatrip reported in the December NPABulletin. Eight passengers from theAntarctic trip had booked as well andsix more joined us (two from the UK,two from New Zealand and two moreAussies), so it was a compact group of14. Our leader this time was LeliaCataldi (an Argentinian) and she provedto be very capable indeed! The purposeof the trip was to explore the Torres delPaine National Park (Chile), the PuertoMoreno Glacier and Los GlaciaresNational Park (Argentina). This waspart trekking (three treks of 22 km), parttouring and I had established, beforeleaving Australia, that the longer trekswere optional, as these, unfortunately,are now beyond me. The others were asfit as fiddles and coped admirably withwhatever life threw at them, including avery wet day (the only one) in LosGlaciares National Park.

We met up with the new group inPunta Arenas and I made use of theextra day by going to an ethnic park inwhich was traced settlement fromprehistoric times (12,000 years ago) upuntil the influx of outsiders in the 19thcentury. This was a history not unlikeour own, as gold had been discoveredand suppression of the indigenouspeople followed the incursion.

The next day we started ourPatagonia tour. Initially we travelled bybus to Puerto Natales and then bymodern catamaran up the fiord, UltimoEsperanza, to view the MonteBalmaceda Glacier. We saw condors enroute, evidence of cattle ranching and asmall cormorant colony. The next daywe travelled by bus to view Toro Lakeand then on to the Pehoe Lookout. Thiswas a very windy spot, with assistanceneeded in many places. The Pehoe Hotelwhere we had lunch had a superb viewof Torres del Paine and again we were


In Patagonia

Guanacos grazing.

El Chalten and Los Glaciares National Park,

Face of Perito Moreno Glacier where it calves into Lago Argentino.

Photos provided by the author.

Points to notePlease help keep our outings program alive by volunteering to lead outings. New leaders are welcome. The Outings Convener ishappy to suggest locations suitable for a walk if you do not have something in mind. Feel free to send in suggestions for outingswith a suggested date to the Outings Convener by email to [email protected]

All persons joining an outing of the National Parks Association of the ACT do so as volunteers in all respects and as suchaccept responsibility for any injury howsoever incurred and the National Parks Association of the ACT, its office bearers andappointed leaders, are absolved from any liability in respect of injury or damage suffered whilst engaged in any such outing.

In voluntarily participating in these activities conducted by the NPA ACT, participants should be aware that they could beexposed to risks that could lead to injury, illness or death or to loss of or damage to property. These risks could include but are notlimited to slippery and/or uneven surfaces, rocks being dislodged, falling at edges of cliffs or drops or elsewhere, risks associatedwith crossing creeks, hypothermia, heat exhaustion and the risks associated with any of the Special Hazards listed on the Atten-dance Record and Risk Waiver Form provided by the leader at the activity.

To minimise these risks participants should endeavour to ensure that the activity is within their capabilities and that they arecarrying food, water, equipment, clothing and footwear appropriate to the activity. Participants should advise the leader if they aretaking any medication or have any physical or other limitation that might affect their participation in the activity. Participantsshould make every effort to remain with the rest of the party during the activity and accept the instructions of the leader. By sign-ing the Attendance Record and Risk Waiver Form participants agree that they understand these requirements and have consideredthe risks before choosing to sign the form and waiver any claim for damages arising from the activity that they might have againstthe association, the leader or any other participants in tort or contract.

Children under 18 years of age are welcome to come on NPA ACT activities provided they are accompanied by a parent,guardian or close relative. Parents or Guardians will be required to sign a specific Risk Waiver for a Child form.

Leaders to note. Please send copies of completed Attendance Record and Risk Waiver Formsto Brian Slee, contact 6281 0719 or [email protected] has a Personal Locator Beacon (PLB) available to leaders. The PLB can be obtainedfrom Steven Forst, contact 0428 195 236 or [email protected]

NPA outings programM a rc h – J u n e 2 0 1 8

Bushwalk Grading Guide

Distance grading (per day) Terrain grading1 up to 10 km A Road, fire trail or track E Rock scrambling

2 10 km to 15 km B Open forest F Exploratory

3 15 km to 20 km C Light scrub

4 above 20 km D Patches of thick scrub, regrowth

Day walks Carry lunch and snacks, drinks, protective clothing, a first aid kit and any required medication.

Pack walks Two or more days. Carry all food and camping requirements. CONTACT LEADER EARLY.

Car camps Facilities often limited. Vehicles taken to site can be used for camping. CONTACT LEADER EARLY.

Work parties Carry items as for day walks plus work gloves and any tools required. Work party details and location sometimes

change, check NPA website, www.npaact.org.au, for any last minute changes.

Other activities include ski trips, canoe trips, nature rambles and environment or field guide studies.Wednesday walks (WW). Medium or somewhat harder walks arranged on a joint NPA, BBC (Brindabella Bushwalking Club)

and CBC (Canberra Bushwalking Club) basis for fit and experienced club walkers. Notification and details areonly emailed to members registered for WW. Only NPA-hosted WW are shown in this program. For WW emailregistration, contact the Outings Convener.

Transport The NPA suggests a passenger contribution to transport costs of 40 cents per kilometre for the distance drivendivided by the number of occupants of the car including the driver, rounded to the nearest dollar. The amountmay be varied at the discretion of the leader. Drive and walk distances shown in the program are approximate forreturn journeys.

NPA ACT members undertaking walks or other activities in this program are advised they should have PRIVATE HEALTH

INSURANCE or, at least, AMBULANCE COVER in case of an accident requiring evacuation by ambulance or helicopter.


Tasman National Park. Photo by Ed Highley.


4 March Sunday walkThree Mile DamDepart 7 am. Drive via Kiandra to ThreeMile Dam. Walk north along GreatDividing Range and Wallaces Creek FireTrail and return via local hills. Inafternoon, follow Ravine Road toWallaces Creek Lookout. Spectacularviews to western depths of KosciuszkoNational Park. Afternoon tea Adaminaby.Contact leader by Saturday morning formeeting place.Drive: 280 km, $112 per car.Maps: Cabramurra, Ravine 1:25,000;Rooftop’s Kiandra–Tumut MapGrading: 2 A/B/C/FLeader: Brian SleeContact: 6281 0719 (h) [email protected]

10 March Saturday work partyGudgenby Bush RegenerationGroupMeet at the Namadgi Visitor Centre,Tharwa at 9:15 am. Car pool toGudgenby Valley. Weeding and sprayingnorth of Gudgenby Cottage towardsPeppermint Hill. Tools provided.Leader: Michael GoonreyContact: 0419 494 142 [email protected]

18 March Sunday walkTidbinbilla RangeA walk along the Tidbinbilla Range fromthe north. Parking at the locked gate atnorthern end of the Tidbinbilla RangeFire Trail and following the trail alongthe upwardly undulating ridgelinethrough alpine groves and meadows.Expect good views along the way. Thelunch spot will be determined by thespeed of the group and how manyinteresting things we find along the way.Potential to return via same route oralternative fire trails as available. Meet atCooleman Court (behind McDonald’s) at8:15 am.Drive: 50 km, $20 per car.Maps: Tidbinbilla, Cotter Dam 1:25,000Grading: 2/3 ALeader: Rod GriffithsContact: 0410 875 731 [email protected]

24 March Saturday walkMount Major and MinorsThis walk in Tallaganda National Parkoffers a variety of terrain, vegetation andgeology, and some good views. It startsand ends on the Jinglemoney Fire Traileast of Rossi, climbs to the summit ofMount Major with its Snow Gums andSnow Grass, descends to a saddle beforeclimbing again to the summit of the firstof the two ‘minors’. A descent to anothersaddle follows and the final climb to the

this year. Registration $75 for adults ($50concession and teens) or $35 a day ($25concession and teens), under 13s free.Contact the leader so we know who isgoing from NPA ACT and to discusstransport arrangements.Drive: 600–800 kmMap: Rooftop’s Cann River–Orbost–Delegate Adventure MapLeader: DiContact: 0401 590 046 [email protected]

8 April Sunday walkRob Roy FallsA walk from suburban Banks along arocky creek with gorge, to a usually drywaterfall down a rock face west of RobRoy. Climb to the top of the falls andcircuit around over Rob Roy to Big MonkTrig and back steeply down to Banks.Some of this walk is across opengrassland without shade.Meet at Kambah Village Shops to leave at8:30 am.Drive: 30 km, $12 per car.Map: Tuggeranong 1:25,000Grading: 2 A/ELeader: Mike SContact: 0412 179 907

14 April Saturday work partyGudgenby Bush RegenerationGroupMeet at the Namadgi Visitor Centre,Tharwa at 9:15 am. Car pool toGudgenby Valley. Weeding and sprayingaround Frank and Jacks Hut. Check onplantings. Tools provided.Leader: Clive HurlstoneContact: 6288 7592 [email protected]

15 April Sunday walkIsaacs RidgeMeet 9:00 am at Callemonda Rise,O’Malley, near intersection with AkameCircuit (UBD map 78, Q2). After a quicklook at Scrivener Hill, climb steeplysouth-east up Isaacs Ridge to SheaffeTrig (793 m) and then past a series ofugly communication towers on top ofridge to Stanley Trig (841 m). Retracepart of way, descend and then climbMount Mugga (812 m). Circle peak andreturn to start. Huge trees, great views.Maps: Canberra, Tuggeranong 1:25,000Grading: 2 A/B/ELeader: Brian SleeContact: 6281 0719 (h) [email protected]

Week starting 16 AprilMid-week 3-day work party atDananbillaContact: Martin Chalk on 0411 161 056for details and arrangements.

2nd ‘minor’, which is really a long ridgewith some scrambling and rainforest.From there we have a long descent backto the cars. About 12 km and 600 mclimb. High clearance vehicles needed.Meet at Spotlight car park, KingsHighway, Queanbeyan, for a promptdeparture at 8:30 am.Drive 90 km, $36 per car.Map: Bombay 1:25,000Grading: 2 A/C/D/ELeader: Barrie RContact: 0437 023 140

24 March Saturday work partyPoplar Control – Blundells FlatNPA commenced work on this site inMarch 2017. The area has heritage-listedexotics but the weeds include wildingexotics and the usual suspects – plenty todo. Some tools provided but a bush sawand/or loppers and gloves would behandy. Meet at Cooleman Court (behindMcDonald’s) at 8:15 am.Drive: 45 km, $18 per car.Leader: Martin ChalkContact: 6292 3502 or 0411 161 056

28 March Wednesday walkJoint NPA / BBC / CBC activityDetails are emailed to those on theWednesday walks email list. Otherwisecontact the leader.Leader: Steven ForstContact: 0428 195 236 [email protected]

30 March – 2 April Easter campForests Forever Easter EcologyCampEaster in the heart of East Gippsland’sforestsBe guided by expert ecologists revealingthe delicate workings of these ancientecosystems, be awed by the diversity of apristine rainforest and be outraged by thelogging and continuing destruction. Seethe interesting write up by Judy Kelly inthe September 2015 NPA ACT Bulletin ofher Easter 2015 trip: http://www.npaact.org.au/res/File/Bulletins7/Vol%2052%20No%203%20Sep%202015.pdf. The camp is on the ErrinundraPlateau in East Gippsland CentralVictoria. You will see and learn aboutspectacular forest threatened with loggingand be helping the campaign for vitalforest protection. Some of the places to bevisited are mountain tops, old growthforests, rainforests, alpine wetlands, andwe learn about these areas (and thepolitics of their management) from expertbiologists and forest campaigners. Formore information see: http://eastgippsland.net.au/forestsforever. Makeyour own bookings and associatedpayments early as numbers are limited

NPA outings program March – June 2018 (page 2 of 4)

? ?


21–22 April Weekend of walksMount Banks and MountSolitaryTwo wonderful walks to iconic BlueMountains peaks over 2 days. We willlikely do the shorter, easier Mount Bankson the first day and the harder, longerMount Solitary on the Sunday. This will,however, depend on weather. MountSolitary is a 5-hour 14 km walk involvingclambering over sandstone. Therefore thisis a walk for fit walkers only. I will bestaying at the Carrington Hotel inKatoomba on the Saturday night, butother participants might prefer alternativeaccommodation. Departure Canberra at8:30 am Saturday. Contact leader byMonday 16 April to indicate interest.Drive: 660 km, $264 per car.Map: Jamieson 1:25,000Grading: 2 A/ELeader: David DedenczukContact: 0417 222 154 [email protected]

25 April Wednesday walkJoint NPA / BBC / CBC activityDetails are emailed to those on theWednesday walks email list. Otherwisecontact the leader.Leader: Philip GatenbyContact: 0401 415 446 [email protected]

28 April Saturday work partyWeed control, Brandy Flat FireTrailThis will be the second NPA work partyin this area. The location is about 1 kmalong the fire trail from Glendale Depot.All tools provided, but bring gloves. Meetat Kambah Village at 8:30 am.Drive: 74 km, $30 per car.Leader: Martin ChalkContact: 0411 161 056

5 May Saturday walkRound MountainRound Mountain is on the north-westernside of the Budawangs and offers goodviews of the mountainous country to theeast. The walk is from the Nerrigaentrance to Morton National Park and ismostly off-track, with patches of thickscrub and a cliff line to negotiate. Anumber of creek and river crossings arealso involved. Total climb of about 400 m.Early start needed. Contact leader byThursday 3 May, preferably by email, forstart time and transport arrangements.Drive: 250 km, $100 per car.Map: Endrick 1:25,000Grading: 3 A/D/ELeader: Philip GatenbyContact: 0401 415 446 [email protected]

12 May Saturday work partyGudgenby Bush RegenerationGroupMeet at the Namadgi Visitor Centre,Tharwa at 9:15 am. Car pool to GudgenbyValley. Hawthorn removal aroundGudgenby Cottage. Tools provided.Leader: Kevin McCueContact: 6251 1291 [email protected]

13 May Sunday walkPabral Road to Mount CoreeWalking on the ACT border straight lineoff Pabral Road. Hiking up to PabralRoad from Blundells Flat, then SWthrough the top of Musk Creek towardsMount Coree. This is very rough countrywith strong regrowth and will involvesome scrambling near Mount Coree.Return via roads. Up to 13 km and 600 mclimb. Fit and experienced walkers only.Contact leader by Thursday 10 May toindicate interest. Meet at Weston Creek(Cooleman Court) car park 8:00 am.Drive: 45 km, $18 per car.Map: Cotter Dam 1:25,000Grading: 2 A/D/ELeader: David DedenczukContact: 0417 222 154 or [email protected]

18–25 May Friday to FridayArt Week at Gudgenby CottageA comfortable, warm cottage whichsleeps 6 people overnight. Takeinspiration to work on any artisticendeavour with convivial company at thecottage, or explore the valley during theday with a cosy base each evening. Paint,draw write, weave, photograph –anything; the inspiration is yours. Stay forone or several nights. Contact leader forfurther information and to book a place.Day visitors welcome.Leader: Adrienne NicholsonContact: 6281 6381

20 May Sunday walkGudgenby ValleyDepart 8.30 am from LanyonMarketplace, Conder (off Tharwa Drive,near McDonald’s). Drive via OldBoboyan Road and park at entrance gateto Gudgenby Cottage (aka Readycut).Climb hill east of road to treeline andfollow Hospital Creek south beforecrossing it and heading to Forestry Hutfor morning tea. Follow Yankee Hatwalking track to base of mountain beforeturning north and crossing plain toMiddle Creek. Climb hill to north forlunch. Return to car via GudgenbyHomestead and Cottage. Great views,lovely trees. 12 km. Afternoon tea atCoffee Guru, Lanyon Marketplace.Drive: 75 km, $30 per car.Maps: Rendezvous Creek, Yaouk1:25,000; Rooftop's Namadgi MapGrading: 2 A/B/CLeader: Brian SleeContact: 6281 0719 (h) [email protected]

23 May Wednesday walkJoint NPA / BBC / CBC activityDetails are emailed to those on theWednesday walks email list. Otherwisecontact the leader.Leader: Barrie RContact: 0437 023 140

26 May Saturday work partyPlanting – Point Hut areaThis is a new site for the NPA. Theobjective is to plant shrubs on thewestern bank of the Murrumbidgee in thevicinity of Point Hut Reserve. Tools willbe provided but suggest you bring glovesif you have favourite ones. Meet atKambah Village at 8:30 am.Drive: 22 km, $9 per car.Leader: Martin ChalkContact: 0411 161 056


Week starting 14 or 28 MayMid-week 3-day work party atDananbillaContact: Martin Chalk on 0411 161 056for details and arrangements.

30 May Wednesday walkJoint NPA / BBC / CBC activityDetails are emailed to those on theWednesday walks email list. Otherwisecontact the leader.Leader: Steven ForstContact: 0428 195 236 [email protected]

3 June Sunday walkRob Roy ReserveFrom the ACTEW substation south ofTheodore we will follow track/fire trail toCallaghan Hill (200 m climb) thencontinue to Mount Rob Roy (aboutanother 250 m climb after dropping abit). Off-track short cut down hill, andmaybe, depending on time and party, aside trip to Rose Trig, then on to BigMonks Trig and down to back ofsuburban Banks before road and off-trackwalk back to start. Longish 13+ km walk(excluding 2 km side trip) but mostly ontrack or road. Good views from the high


17 June Sunday walkLake Burley Griffin – EasternCircuitMeet at National Carillon car park at9:30 am. Follow path east under KingsAvenue Bridge and proceed via ACTHospice and Molonglo River toJerrabomberra Wetlands. Sit-down lunchat Kingston Foreshore. Return to Carillonvia Kings Avenue Bridge. There will betime to linger at the wetlands and the newdevelopments in the foreshore area.Map: Canberra street directory; Barrow'sWalking Canberra, Walks 60–63.Grading: 1 ALeader: Brian SleeContact: 6281 0719 (h) [email protected]

23 June Saturday work partyFence removal – GudgenbyValleyThis will be the first fence removal workparty at Gudgenby this year. We willconcentrate on the fence line to the north-west of the valley that runs towards thesite of Rowleys Hut. All tools will beprovided. Meet at Kambah Village Shopsat 8:00 am.Drive: 80 km, $32 per car.Leader: Martin ChalkContact: 0411 161 056

points. Meet at Kambah Village Shops8:30 am.Drive: 25 km, $10 per car.Map: Tuggeranong 1:25,000Grading: 2 A/BLeader: Mike SContact: 0412 179 907

9 June Saturday work partyGudgenby Bush RegenerationGroupMeet at the Namadgi Visitor Centre,Tharwa at 9:15 am. Car pool toGudgenby Valley. Blackberry and Briarspraying and Hawthorn removal alongMiddle Creek south of GudgenbyCottage. Tools provided.Leader: Kevin McCueContact: 6251 1291 [email protected]

9–11 June Pack walkThe VinesA walk in Morton National Park mainlyon fire trail from the Nerriga entrance. Atwo-night camp in the forest clearing atthe former site of Piercys Cabin in TheVines area between Quiltys Mountain andGalbraith Plateau. The second day wewill visit the Bora Ground on QuiltysMountain and Hidden Valley beforereturning to the camp site. Walk out onthe third day. Contact leader early fordetails.Drive: 256 km, $102 per car.Map: CMW Northern Budawang Range,Endrick 1:25,000Grading: 2 A/B/ELeader: Steven ForstContact: 0428 195 236 [email protected]

Park managers everywhere face

similar sorts of problems. Sign in

Jiuzhaigou National Park, Sichuan

Province, south-western China.

Photo by Ed Highley.



Seeing Through Snowa novel by Matthew Higgins

Ginninderra Press, Port Adelaide

2017 158 pp.

Matthew Higgins’ first novel tells thestory of Les Leong who grew up inKiandra in Australia’s High Country.

In the big blizzard of 1891, infantLes is abandoned on the doorstep of Samand Edie Leong who adopt and raisehim, along with four other children.Les’s adopted parents (he never learnsthe identities of his biological parentsand isn’t interested in finding out) runthe local store in the village which,typical of stores in small isolated countrytowns, sells just about everything andserves, according to Les, as Kiandra’sgossip factory. The book recounts in aseries of anecdotes Les’s life in Kiandraand the local region, paralleling hisdevelopment with that of the town.

His experiences growing up inKiandra, his friendships and scrapes, aswell as the characters who influence hischildhood and his varied working life arerecounted. So too are some of thesignificant events in the history ofKiandra, including the annual snowshoe(aka. ski) races and the arrival in 1915 ofthe motor car.

Les has a multitude of jobs. He doesa stint at the local police station cleaningout the holding cells, which seems to

endear him somewhat to the inmates. Atother times he works as a goldminer(including with a dredging operation onthe Gungarlin River), in a sawmill, andrunning sheep and cattle on snow leases.He goes to Sydney to buy provisions forthe general store and to catch up with hissister but loses out gambling and returnsto Kiandra with a debt to pay off. Whenthe work becomes too much for hisparents, Les runs the general store. Afterthe store shuts down he gets a job on thenew Snowy Mountains hydro scheme.

Les’s childhood and most of the jobs

he holds bring him into contact with theBush of Australia’s High Country. Healso spends time with an Aboriginalcommunity on the south coast. Fromthese experiences, as well as from hisadopted heritage, he develops anappreciation, love of and ‘spiritual’connection with the Bush, and a deepconcern about its degradation.

While the book is Les’s story it’salso the story of Old Kiandra. The townflourishes after 1860 during the goldrush. It’s hard to believe that a centuryago, as well as a general store and pub,there was a school and police station atKiandra. We’re told of the town’sdecline and brief resurgence during thedepression, as people without jobs turnto gold panning as a way of makingmoney, then steady decline again afterthe 1940s to its eventual dismantling inthe 1970s by the Park Service.

Seeing Through Snow is anenjoyable read and provides food forthought on at least two counts. Itrecounts an important part of our localhistory – the rise and fall of a gold rushtown. Through Les, it’s also a cleverway of drawing attention to concernsfor the future of the Australian HighCountry.

Philip Gatenby

Book review

Bold Horizon High-country Place, People and

Storyby Matthew Higgins

Rosenberg Publishing Pty Ltd, 2018

Matthew Higgins traces his decades-longmountain experience in the alps as abushwalker, cross-country skier,historian and oral-history interviewer.Then, mostly through interviews,Matthew profiles a range of people whohave worked, lived or played in themountains: stockmen, skiers, Indigenousparks officers, rangers, brumby runners,foresters, authors, tourism operators andothers. Central themes of place, peopleand story are interwoven with concernsabout environmental impact and climatechange. Beautiful images help to tell themagnificent mountain story, fromKosciuszko to Kiandra, Brindabella toBimberi and Bogong, to Tidbinbilla andbeyond.

Matthew has worked at some of theleading national cultural institutions inCanberra and written books and articles,while regularly speaking aboutAustralia’s Alps to a range of audiences.

Another book by Matthew Higgins soon to be launched


In 2013 I hiked from the Murray Sourceto Bringenbrong Bridge near Corryong,generally following the river, tocomplement my earlier paddlingjourneys down the river downstream ofBringenbrong Bridge near Corryong, asdescribed in the December 2013 NPABulletin 1. This included an arduous 8-day walk from the Source to TomGroggin, which was also described indetail in Wild 2 in 2015. However, duringthese walks I was often a kilometre ormore away from the river and missedseeing how its character changed alongthe way.

Challenges

According to Murray–Darling Journeys3,paddling journeys on the Murray Riverupstream of Tom Groggin are rare. Thecommon theme of the few accountsavailable is that upon launching at thehighest navigable point at The Poplarscamping area, about 60 km upstream ofTom Groggin, lilos or rafts often neededto be dragged through the cold, shallowwater and over log jams down the riverbordered by near impenetrable scrub forthe first couple of days. Downstream ofTom Groggin is the Murray Gates, whichincludes a series of grades 3 and 4 rapidsas the river passes between mountainsthat tower 800 m above water level. Thissection requires a high level ofwhitewater paddling skill to negotiate. Inthe accounts available of journeysbetween the Murray Source andBringenbrong Bridge, details aresometimes sketchy; some did not hikeclosely along the river between theSource and The Poplars, and someresorted to motorised craft somewheredownstream of the Murray Gates.

7–11 day prospect

In early 2017, Richard Swain (Swainy)of Alpine River Adventures4 advertisedthat he was wanting to conduct a reccefor a hiking/kayaking trip for the top150 km of the Murray River from theSource to Bringenbrong Bridge and waslooking for ‘fit intrepid adventurers’ tojoin him. Swainy is a very experiencedwhitewater guide and has been throughthe Murray Gates countless times overseveral decades. The trip was set to starton 12 December and expected to takeanywhere between 7 and 11 days. Theparty included guides Swainy andKristian Cargill (Kribba) and whitewaternovices Matty Hunter and myself. ForMatty it was the start of his source-to-sea

journey. He israising money5 forthe Secret CreekWildlife Sanctuarynear Lithgow andis due to reach thesea in early March2018. For me itwas an opportunityto paddle theMurray River fromthe highestnavigable point atThe Poplarscamping area downthrough the MurrayGates to Bring-enbrong Bridge toadd to the 2,400km that I had already paddled over thepast 22 years. Swainy and Kribba weregoing to have a big job getting Matty andme up to speed to handle the MurrayGates. But first of all we needed to hikefor 2 days from the Murray Source toThe Poplars following the river closelyall the way.

Murray Source to The Poplars

Matty and Swainy had organised ahelicopter drop off at Cowombat Flat.Day 1 started with the flight fromJindabyne that was spectacular on a clearday. As we approached the Flat, inaddition to scaring some brumbies, wesaw four hikers walking off to the west.After landing, we left our packs at theFlat and headed upstream where wefound the pole marking the MurraySource (S36.79704° E148.19676°),signed the notebook and then headed upForest Hill to Cairn No. 1 (S36.79887°E148.20128°) of the Black–Allan Line(the straight part of the NSW/Vic.border). We retraced our steps to the poleand followed the trickle that was theMurray River downhill to CowombatFlat. We visited the exclosures whichdemonstrate how well vegetation growswhen feral animals are excluded from anarea, and visited the wreckage of a DC3that crashed on the Flat in the 1950s.After lunch we walked for about 3 hoursdown along the Murray, crossing manytimes and sometimes walking in the riverand made camp at 5:30 pm about 9 kmdownstream of the Murray Source.

Day 2 continued much the same asday 1 finished, with much river walkingand frequent crossings. Occasionally wewent high to avoid cliffs but at all timeswe were within a stone’s throw of the

river. We had afternoon tea at theLimestone Creek confluence, which is amajor tributary of the Murray. Anotherhour or so of river and bank walkinghad us at The Poplars camping area at4:30 pm where Joe and Justin (Matty’smates and our support crew) werewaiting with the inflatable kayaks andsupplies. A most enjoyable evening washad by all and included a delicious roastpork and vegetable meal cooked by Joe.The only downside was stiff musclesand joints for us walkers every time wegot out of our seats, legacy of a toughcouple of days of walking 19 km downthe river.

Chance encounter

At 10 am on day 3 we launched theinflatable kayaks. The water level wasquite good after decent rain the previousweek and we made steady progress.Occasionally Matty and I got stuck onrocks and sometimes we needed todisembark and pull our kayaks off.Swainy and Kribba didn’t seem to havethe same problem – no doubt due to theability to ‘read’ the river and theirsuperior control of their kayaks. Duringthe afternoon somewhere before TinMine Creek we came across the fourhikers whom we had seen 2 days earlierat Cowombat Flat. They were about tocross the river when we paddled past. Itwas quite a coincidence as we wouldnot have been able to see them if theywere a few metres back due to the thickbush. They had walked from DeadHorse Gap to Cowombat Flat and werenow headed for Tom Groggin along theriver. Having done the walk in 2013, Ifelt sorry for them for the tough

The top 150 km – hiking and paddling theUpper Murray River


The group at the pole marking the source of the Murray River.

Day 1 of the trip. Photo by Mike Bremers.


The top 150 km – hiking and paddling the Upper Murray River (continued)

quickly, easily doing 8 km per hour.After lunch and packing up we saidfarewell to Matty as he launched forTowong and eventually the sea 2,400 kmand two-and-a-half months away.

Achievement

Overall it was a great feeling to havehiked and paddled the top 150 km of theriver – a feat rarely accomplished. Wehad expert guidance in Swainy andKribba and we had the right equipmentfor the task. We had good land supportand we had luck on our side, the recentrain boosted the river level after a dryspring such that we made very goodprogress on days 3 and 4, which enabledMatty and me to get some practice onthe rapids. The scary moments in theMurray Gates also had happy endings.

Mike Bremers

References/Footnotes:

1. NPA Bulletin, Vol. 50, No. 4,December 2013

2. Wild, Issue 146, March 20153. Bremers, Angela & Bremers, Mike,

2017, Murray–Darling Journeys:Two hundred years of significantrowing and paddling journeys on therivers of the Murray–Darling Basin:1817 to 2016,http://www.vividpublishing.com.au/murraydarlingjourneys/

4. Alpine River Adventures,http://www.riverguide.com.au/

5. Australian Ecosystems FoundationInc., Everyday Hero,https://give.everydayhero.com/au/m-a-t-e-s

(renamed ‘Mike’sMistake’ for theday). A couple oftimes we lined thekayaks down arapid and therewere a few scarymoments, butMatty and I hadenough skill torecover fromthese trickysituations. Westopped for lunchonce we hadpassed all of thegrade 3 and 4rapids. Theremainder of theway to BunroyCreek was veryenjoyable withrelatively easyrapids and definite feel of a river goingdownhill. On arrival at Bunroy Creekcamping area we were greeted by Mattand, a bit later Scotty (another one ofMatty’s mates), with lots of cold beers.For the second time in the day the nextfew hours were a blur but it is safe tosay we were all satisfied with ourselvesfor getting safely through the MurrayGates.

Degraded farmland

After a few kilometres on day 6 we leftKosciuszko National Park and enteredfarmland. It was like another world withthe sudden degradation of the banks.There were no native trees on the riverbank at all, willows were hanging lowover the river becoming a navigationhazard, in many places the banks hadbeen trampled by the cattle; often thecattle were standing in the water andthere were noisy pumps. Even in placeswhere paddocks had been fenced alongthe river, we often saw cattle on the riverside of the fence! Eventually we arrivedat our destination of Indi Bridge Reserveafter about 4 hours and 24 km. Matt andScotty had more cold beers waiting,which were very welcome on a hotafternoon. Swainy’s wife Alison alsoarrived in preparation to drive us homethe next day and with more beer whichis just as well because we no longer feltlike drinking the river water untreated.

On day 7 it took only 2 hours topaddle the final 12 km to BringenbrongBridge. It was a narrow river with sharpbends and overhanging willows until wearrived at the Swampy Plains Riverconfluence. There was a strong flowcoming down the Swampy Plains andthe Murray was significantly wider. Thefinal few kilometres were covered

conditions they were about to encounter.Later I wondered whether they had readabout the walk in the 2015 Wild article.

This is the most beautiful part of theriver, with tree ferns lining it in parts,but the most difficult to access. In 2013I was quite certain I would never return,but here I was again! We were makingmuch better progress than in thoseaccounts of earlier paddling journeys, sowe kept going until 6:30 pm to make thebest of the conditions on a falling river.Campsites were difficult to find so afterpaddling 30 km for the day we made thebest of a rocky beach and made sometent sites in the scrub. A Murray crayfishwith its white claws and eggs was foundin the water at our campsite and wasreturned to the river. That night I beganto worry about the Murray Gates – I hadnot felt like I was in good control of thekayak during the day and the rapidswere only going to get a lot bigger andmore difficult downstream!

Tackling the Murray Gates

We again made good progress on day 4,clocking up 37 km. After LeatherbarrelCreek we began to encounter somegrade 2–3 rapids and practised somedrills. Matty and I survived these andour confidence grew. Furtherdownstream, before the bridge to TomGroggin Station, there is a waterfallwith a drop of about 6 feet. Going overwas fun but my enjoyment wastempered by the thought of the MurrayGates which we would pass throughtomorrow. We arrived at our campsite atGrassy Flat at 5 pm. I was feeling a bitmore confident about the Murray Gatesthan 24 hours previously and I sleptbetter.

Swainy said Matty and I were doingwell but the Murray Gates were anotherlevel up and we needed everything inour favour; i.e. lighter, more responsivecraft, so Matt (Matty’s mate) arrivedearly on day 5 to pick up our campinggear and transport it to our planneddestination of Bunroy Creek campingarea 27 km downstream. Kribba gaveMatty and me a safety briefing includingthe use of the rope throw bag forrescuing capsized paddlers. You couldnot have found two more attentivestudents! I wondered how many times Iwould be rescued during the day. Welaunched at 9:30 am and I tried kneelinginstead of sitting in the kayak. It feltgood and the kayak definitely was moreresponsive with less cargo. The next fewhours were a blur but we passed throughnumerous grade 3 and 4 rapids withnames such as ‘Head Banger’, ‘SharksTooth’, ‘Hole in the Head’, ‘SouthAfrican Swim’ and ‘Guides Mistake’

Walking the river, day 2 of the trip. Photo by Mike Bremers.

be preoccupied with fishing at the outletof Chilko Lake about 40 km from wherewe were walking. Our hosts alsomentioned the danger of cougars whichit seems ‘get you from behind’.

The drop-off point for the walk onthe milky Tchaikazan River was over3 hours drive from the ranch (and aboutan hour beyond the pick-up point onYohetta Creek 6 days later) where theroad, which had been deterioratingprogressively, became impassable tovehicles. We walked upstream from thedrop-off on a track which in placesresembled a horse trail, in others afootpad and at times disappearedentirely. Our progress was accompaniedby a cacophony of noise, mostly yellingand whistle blowing, to ward off anygrizzlies that may have been in the area.Mid-afternoon we reached a hut. It waslocked but showing signs of recentrestoration. By now rain, which hadthreatened for much of the day, wassteady. Pines offer reasonable shelter inwet weather so we pitched tents anddined in the shelter of trees, with dueregard of the need in bear country toseparate the bedroom and dining roomby about 100 m. Food was either storedin bear barrels or hung from trees inbear-proof bags called Ursacks, therequisite distance above the ground andaway from tents and dining area (a ritualrepeated each night).

A fine morning ushered inspectacular views over river flats andnot-so-distant mountains. To begin with,we climbed through pine forest thengrassland, to Spectrum Pass, andexplored here for a while. It’s a desolateplace, with bare earth, virtually devoidof vegetation and with rocky crags eitherside. Somewhat alarmingly a fresh set oflarge footprints was defined clearly inthe soft surface of the pass, heading inthe same direction as us. Just to the westof the pass is a relatively flat grassy areawhere we decided to camp.

Next morning most of the partyclimbed the ridge north of SpectrumPass. Four of us then continued upSpectrum Peak (2,646 m). The weatherbegan to deteriorate as we approached

several years old, comment on thedifficulty of keeping to the track largelydue to the amount of treefall seeminglyfrom wasp attack on the indigenousconifers. The track itself involves a walkupstream beside the Tchaikazan River,over Spectrum Pass and into the ChilkoLake catchment, then crossing theYohetta Divide and down Yohetta Creek(see map).

Getting to the start of the walk was abit of an adventure in itself. We flew bysmall plane from Vancouver to WilliamsLake (our supply post) where we weremet by the owners of the Elkin CreekGuest Ranch, our base for the walk. Theranch, located on the southern end ofVedan Lake and close to the park, was a2.5 hour drive to the south-west, with aspectacular view of Mount Tatlow. Alsoknown as Ts’il?os, this peak isspiritually significant to the XeniGwet’in. The night before the walk, inthe context of our hosts’ concern aboutus disappearing into the wilderness, weadded ‘bear bangers’ (a cylindricaldevice that makes a noise like a gunshotand is fired into the air to scare a bearaway) to our whistles and bear spray as adefence against possible encounters withgrizzlies. We took some comfort fromthe fact that the salmon were runningand the hope that all the grizzlies would

In September 2016, Jan and I joined agroup from the Canberra BushwalkingClub on a number of multi-day walks inthe Pacific North-west of North Americaon a trip led by Linda Groom. One ofthe walks was in a very remote part ofBritish Columbia. The location waschosen by Linda who thought that thearea looked wonderful on Google Earth.

Mention Ts’il?os (pronounced ‘sigh-loss’) and even many Canadians look atyou blankly, such is its remoteness.Ts’il?os Provincial Park, which wasestablished in February 1994, protects233,000 ha of wilderness in an isolatedpart of British Columbia, on the easternside of the coastal mountains. It’sroughly 250 km north of Vancouver and160 km south-west of Williams Lake,the closest regional centre. The park isjointly managed by the provincialgovernment of British Columbia (BC)and the Xeni Gwet’in First NationsGovernment. A central feature of thepark is Chilko Lake, the largest high-level natural lake in Canada.

While information on the BC Parkswebsite notes that ‘back country hikingand camping … is a cornerstone of therecreational opportunities offered by thisremote park’, the website also notes thattracks are not maintained. Trip reports ofthe Tchaikazan – Yohetta Loop, albeit


Walking the Tchaikazan – Yohetta Loop


Unnamed lake. Photo by Philip Gatenby.


treefall, but once over the indistinctYohetta Divide there were signs ofrecent work to clear the track, whichnow started to improve. We approachedanother cabin, also locked up but with anice view over Yohetta Lake, an outsidetoilet and altogether larger and moreelaborate than the hut we’d camped nearat the end of day one. From here thetrack had been recently cleared. Lessthan an hour further along the lake weheard the unmistakeable sound of ahorse and soon arrived at another hut,described in track notes as a good placeto camp. There was a woman at the hut,part of a group of local hunters whowere there for a few days. She told usthat we’d most likely see one of hercompanions, Tom, who had been trackclearing, and his dog, Noon, as weheaded east. Her other companions, ahunter and guide, were in the nearbyhills after deer. Our progress along thenow open track was swift and soon afterlunch Noon, a husky-like dog, boundedup, seemingly delighted to see us. Tomwasn’t far behind. Just as well we’dbeen forewarned as his appearance wasformidable, almost threatening. He wason horseback and armed with a rifle andpruning saw (for cutting back coniferbranches to allow horses easy accessthrough the forest). After the exchangeof pleasantries we thanked Tom for thetrack clearing, he told us aboutcampsites ahead of us and asked aboutthe condition of the track besideDorothy Lake. Early afternoon, and nowon a well-maintained track and less than10 km from our pick-up point, weselected a campsite on an unnamedsmall lake to the east of Yohetta Lake.At about 7 pm, soon after we’d settleddown for the night, the hunter and guidearrived. The guide was unhappy and saidwe’d scared the deer away with all thenoise we’d made to ward off grizzlies.He became a bit friendlier, however,once we told him what we were doingand that we’d spoken with Tom.

Our last day in this remarkable areainvolved an easy walk on a good track tothe Taseko River Road. We’d only justgot to the road when our pick-upvehicles from the ranch were heardapproaching. This was a relief as I’d notlooked forward to a long wait in grizzlycountry.

Philip GatenbyReferencesTs’ilʔos Provincial Park,

http://www.env.gov.bc.ca/bcparks/explore/parkpgs/tsilos/

Map modified from:Park Map, Ts’ilʔos Provincial Park,

http://www.env.gov.bc.ca/bcparks/explore/parkpgs/tsilos/tsilos_map.pdf?v=15165843343

west going down the valley towardsDorothy Lake. Spectrum Peakdisappeared behind us. ApproachingRainbow Creek, the lake’s outlet, thetrack again became indistinct.Eventually we found where it crossedthe creek but crossing looked like itwould involve a swim. It was hardly theweather for it. About 100 m upstream atree had fallen over the creek and itprovided a means of crossing.Unfortunately, the height of the tree wasmarginally less than the width of thecreek. Still everyone got across, mostlydry. We soon again regained the elusivetrack which now turned to the north-easton the western edge of Dorothy Lake.There was no sign of a track to thesouth-west to Chilko Lake. BesideDorothy Lake the track was hard tofollow, in places disappearing beneathpiles of treefall. Once the obstructionwas either climbed under or over thetrack then had to be found again. Thatnight our campsite overlooking thenorthern end of Dorothy Lake wasspectacular and the weather cleared aswe reclined around our camping stoves.

More showers in the morning andthe track was again obstructed by

the peak. From the top the view wasspectacular, including nearby peaks, alarge glacier to the south and ChilkoLake to the west. A snowstormaccompanied our return to camp, wherewe waited in our tents for it to pass thenmoved further down the valley,concerned at the likelihood of more badweather. A few kilometres down thecreek I was out in front and, rounding asmall ridge, was confronted by threebears, grizzlies, two cubs andpresumably their mother who stood upwhen she saw me. I retreated, withknees knocking. Fortunately, the bearstook off in the opposite direction,probably because there were seven ofus. Jan wanted to know why I didn’t geta photo! From here we continued morecautiously and noisily, occasionallylosing the track and admiring theabundant colours, shapes and sizes ofthe forest fungi. Towards day’s end thetrack disappeared altogether amongmoist conifers and a plethora of animalpads.

Soon after our start on the fourth daythere was a tricky crossing of a fast-flowing unnamed creek, after which wesoon re-found the track and turned to the

Walking the Tchaikazan – Yohetta Loop (continued)

Camping at Spectrum Pass.

Photo by Jan Gatenby.

Tchaikazan River Valley.

Photo by Jan Gatenby.


News from state-based associationsand agencies.

NPA welcomes Koala-ity Nature

Reserve in Southern Highlands

The National Parks Association of NSW(NPA) welcomes an addition to ourreserve system: a 402 ha nature reserveon the bank of the Wollondilly River inCanyonleigh. This new reserve isstrategically placed between BlueMountains and Morton National Parks.The acquisition was formed by theSouthern Highlands Koala ConservationProject, a collaboration betweenWingecarribee Shire Council, the NSWOffice of Environment and Heritage, andcommunity volunteers and landholders.

The Southern Highlands KoalaConservation Project has been trackingkoalas and mapping their habitat andfeed trees since 2013 in response todevastating bushfires. They estimate thatthe Southern Highlands hosts apopulation of 3,000 koalas,approximately 10% of the state’spopulation. While welcoming theannouncement the NPA called on thegovernment to finalise and release itsWhole of Government Koala Strategy toprotect koalas from logging, landclearing and urban development. As theOffice of Environment and Heritage’swebsite states: ‘Koala populations areunder increasing pressure and havedeclined in NSW by an estimated 26%over the past 15 to 21 years. Withoutactive intervention, this level of declineis likely to continue … and threats willbe exacerbated by climate change’.

‘Habitat protection is the mosteffective way to protect threatenedspecies, like our Koala,’ said NPA CEOAlix Goodwin. ‘It is reaffirming to seethat partnerships, like the SouthernHighlands Koala Conservation Project,can put their research into actionresulting in a gazettal of a new nationalpark’.

NPA has been running ‘Who’s livingon my land?’ workshops withWingecarribee Shire Council since 2015to help private landholders discover,using infrared cameras, what species areon their property. ‘Many landholdersparticipating in our workshops havesubsequently joined the council’s Landfor Wildlife program, adding hundredsof hectares of quality bushland to theSouthern Highlands’ conservationnetwork,’ said Ms Goodwin.

https://npansw.org(22 December 2017)

treatment to the native forest industry.There are five RFAs in Victoria whichstart expiring from March 2018: EastGippsland (signed 3 February 1997),Central Highlands (signed 27 March1998), North East (signed 9 August1999), West Victoria – west of the HumeHighway to the South Australian border(signed 31 March 2000), and Gippsland(signed 31 March 2000). RFAs allow forthe logging of public native forests.Logging that occurs under theseagreements does not require approvalunder federal environmental laws, unlikemost other industries or activities.

None of the Victorian RFAs has metits objectives. Numbers of forest-dependent species listed as threatenedcontinue to rise, and forest health isdeclining and will only get worse underclimate change. Even the native forestindustry is stagnating and in decline astheir main resource runs out or isreduced through landscape-scale fire.

Some reasons why Regional ForestAgreements have failed:Obsolete and out of date – Many of the

RFAs’ standards for the protection ofecosystems fall below internationaland national benchmarks. Theagreements do not even mentionclimate change and its potentialimpacts.

Threatened species and ecosystems –In 2015, Mountain Ash forest, one ofthe key target species for logging, waslisted as critically endangered on theInternational Union for theConservation of Nature (IUCN) RedList of Ecosystems. The Leadbeater’sPossum has been up-listed to criticallyendangered, and the Greater Glideradded to federal and state lists asvulnerable to extinction. While theRFAs have been in effect in EastGippsland, populations of the GreaterGlider have declined by 50 per cent inthat region.

Ignore fire impacts – RFAs ignore thesuccessive or cumulative impact ofbushfire, even though there have beenextensive fires in the past 10 years.

Ignore other forest values – They donot recognise, include or account fornon-wood forest values (such as water,ecosystem services, recreation andtourism) that are contributingsignificant sums to the state’seconomy, and could contribute further.

Ignores their own previous reviews –Recommendations relating toimproved threatened species outcomes,from the previous RFA five-yearly

Current threats to national

parks in NSW

Over the past 60 years our NPAcommunity of members and supportershas successfully influenced theestablishment of most of the world-classnational parks and protected areas inNSW, but today, very real threats to ournational parks have emerged. Thesethreats are being driven by thegovernment’s continuing pursuit of costcutting and development above all else,and timber industry demands for accessto national parks for logging.• Murray Valley National Park – It took

30 years of persistent NPAcampaigning to create the MurrayValley National Park. Today, theNational Party is trying [to] turn it intostate forest so it can be logged.

• Royal National Park – Earlier in 2017we saw a proposal to put a motorwaythrough Royal National Park.Overwhelming opposition from ourcommunity led to the NSWGovernment stepping back from thisproposal. However, we can take thisas only a reprieve.

• Greater Blue Mountains National Park – The government is proposing toraise the Warragamba dam wall by anunbelievable 14 metres to open moreland for development. This puts theworld heritage listed Greater BlueMountains National Park and its wildriver system at risk of inundation.

• Logging – Timber NSW is running a‘beyond tenure’ campaign that seeksaccess to protected areas to shore upsupplies by logging national parks.

• National Parks and Wildlife Service –Funding cuts are setting the NationalParks and Wildlife Service up to failin what appears to be part of a strategyto revert parks to state forests to better‘manage’ them – but in whoseinterest?NPA will continue to oppose these

and any other threats to national parks inNSW through ongoing environmentaladvocacy and strong community action.Join us and together we will make surenational parks remain there for all of usand that the native wildlife within themsurvives and thrives.

https://npansw.org

No renewal of Regional Forest

Agreements

Regional Forest Agreements (RFAs) aretwenty-year-long agreements betweenthe Victorian and Commonwealthgovernments and provide special

PARKWATCH



review in 2009, have still not beencomplied with.

Stifles innovation – The method ofharvesting native forest, clear-felllogging, has not changed significantlyin 30 years and has a dramatic impacton the native habitats and drinkingwater production. The amount of sawtimber used in construction hasdropped dramatically and supply isshaky, to the point that the VictorianGovernment had to buy out the mainnative hardwood sawmill in 2017.

The five Victorian RFAs must beallowed to expire, and not be extendedor rolled over. Right now, there is awoefully overdue, legally mandated,five-yearly review of Victoria’s fiveRFAs underway. The looming expirationof the RFAs provides a once-in-two-decades opportunity to put in placeimproved, modern and transparentarrangements for management ofVictoria’s publicly owned native stateforests – based on current science, andon community views about how our stateforests should be valued, used andmanaged.

This overdue five-yearly reviewshould recommend the RFAs beabandoned and, at a minimum, end thespecial treatment this industry enjoysunder the RFAs by:• ending the regulatory relic which is

the Western Regional ForestAgreement and comprehensivelyreview proposed logging plans

• discontinuing the industry’sexemption from national environmentlaws in all RFAs

• accounting for other forest-dependentindustries – such as conservationrecreation, tourism, agriculture, water,and carbon – in any arrangement oragreements going forward

• strengthening managementprescriptions for threatened species,climate change impacts, and fire

• making substantial additions to theformal reserve system

https://vnpa.org.au/category/ News,15 December 2017

Victorian Government moves

on invasive animals

The Victorian Government has acceptedmost of the recommendations of aparliamentary inquiry into the Control ofInvasive Animals on Crown Land. In itsresponse the government has committedto reducing the impact of deer onbiodiversity in Victoria across all landtenures, using a range of managementtools. The government will also seekfederal funding for research intoeffective deer control methods.

forest and any other public land plans(let alone agendas for private land) haveno clear, overarching biodiversitymanagement context in which to sit.

One significant problem with thecurrent highly consultative national parkplanning process is that a park plan isgenerally the only process invitingpublic participation in a region. So,tourism developers, sporting shooters,trail bike or mountain bike enthusiasts,or anyone else wanting access to publicland, is more or less invited to putpressure on Parks Victoria for access tothe park or parks in question. If ParksVictoria’s plans were truly landscape inscale (rather than simply planning forseveral parks in a broader landscape),decisions could be made to allocateactivities incompatible with theconservation priorities of parks tosuitable public or private land nearby.Or, even better, if we had overarchingstatewide or regional land managementplans, park plans could fit into thatframework, allowing their importantminimal impact recreation priorities toproceed unchallenged. It’s fair enoughthat people should have access to publicland for many activities, but it’s not verysensible if the only land for an activity isthe land most valuable for the protectionof nature. It might also be time to beclear about what a park plan shouldactually contain.

One of the inevitable effects of asteady reduction in park funding overthe last decade or so has been the loss ofexperienced park managers. Thatsituation has improved somewhat underthe current state government, butbuilding workable levels of expertisewill take more time and money.

When the Alpine National Park wasproclaimed in December 1989, fiveexperienced staff, all with a goodknowledge of the park, could be sparedfrom their duties to draft themanagement plan. A comprehensive fourvolume plan emerged by September1992, firmly establishing a managementregime designed to put the much-abusedalpine landscape on the path to recovery.In 2008, when a revised alpine plan wasinitiated, the availability of expertisewas greatly reduced. Even though fourmore national parks, the AvonWilderness and several historic areas hadbeen added to the Alpine National Park’splanning area, not one experienced parkmanager could be spared to take on thejob. The process inevitably struggleduntil a much depleted plan appeared 8years later, towards the end of 2016.

In recent years a series of native title

‘Current estimates for Victoria’s feraldeer population is around one millionand they are having a considerableimpact on many of our finest nationalparks, including rainforests, wetlandsand alpine regions,’ the VictorianNational Parks Association’s PhilIngamells said. ‘This is a very welcomeresponse from the government.’

Importantly, the VictorianGovernment has acknowledged thatrecreational hunting is generally anineffective means of invasive animalcontrol. While it supports ParksVictoria’s strategic control programsusing skilled amateur shooters, thegovernment says such programs shouldbe in addition to funded programs usingprofessional pest animal controllers.

In other key recommendationssupported by the government:• there will be complementary control

programs between parks and privateland

• amateur hunters will have access tomeat processing facilities for personalconsumption of deer

• feral cats will be declared pest animalson public land, allowing moreeffective control programs.However, the Victorian Government,

for public safety reasons, has notsupported a recommendation to allowamateur hunters access to more powerfulfirearms and noise suppressors(silencers). ‘These recommendationsrecognise the important role our landmanagers must play to halt the fast-growing threat of feral animals in ournatural areas,’ Mr Ingamells said. ‘Wecan no longer pretend recreationalhunting is the solution.’

https://vnpa.org.au Media release15 December 2017

What’s the plan?

National park management plans arenoble in ambition, but they are short oncommitment and lack a true landscapecontext, writes Phil Ingamells.

With the Victorian Government’s newBiodiversity 2037 strategy in the startingblocks, it might be a good time to fixsome national park managementplanning dilemmas.

While the strategy’s four-yearimplementation plan is being developed,Parks Victoria might be in a position toput park management plans into a moreusefully comprehensive planningframework. There’s been a lot of talkabout ‘cross-tenure’ or ‘landscape-scale’planning over the last few years, aprocess that recognises that pest species,for example, don’t recognise parkboundaries. But national park, state (continued next page)

PARKWATCH (continued)


connectivity between protected areas,enabling species movement andmigration along continuous habitat areas.

Nature NSW, Vol. 61, No. 4(Summer 2017)

Gardens of Stone – the other

Blue Mountains

The Gardens of Stone is a wonderland.Only 2 hours from Sydney, its accessiblebut unprotected public forests are foundon the western edge of the BlueMountains above Lithgow, adjoining theGreater Blue Mountains World HeritageArea.

Photographers, bushwalkers andnaturalists strive to capture, understandand explore its rare wildflowers,threatened wildlife, nationallyendangered highland swamps andcomplex landscapes of ancient stonepinnacles, called pagodas. Forgenerations these spectacular andconstantly changing sandstonelandscapes have been proposed forreservation.

Yet the Gardens of Stones remainsunder threat. Its cliffs and pagodas havefallen: its swamps are drying out; itscreeks have stopped flowing or brimwith toxic mine water – all caused byexcessive longwall coal mining. A39,000 hectare Garden of Stone Reserveproposal seeks to stop this damage. Thealliance will fight for pure drinkingwater. It will seek to overturn the NSWGovernment’s new laws that allow theSpringvale mine to continue pollutingSydney’s water catchment. Requiring theresidents of Lithgow to drink treatedwater is not a solution.

Lithgow’s coal industry will be gonein 20 years. A transition policy isurgently needed. A Gardens of StoneReserve will not throw coal workers ontothe scrap heap, but facilitate thetransition to a healthier and diversifiedtourist economy. With protection of itsoutstanding heritage values, Lithgow hasa bright and happy future. A big, new,Gardens of Stone State ConservationArea is not a hard thing to do when muchof the area is currently public forests. Itwill permit responsible underground coalmining that protects outstanding heritagevalues and water resources.

Nature NSW, Vol. 61, No. 4(Summer 2017)

Tasmanian wilderness update

Normally, no news is good news, but inthis case it’s because all deliberations onproposed developments are beingconducted behind closed doors, thanks to

(concluded next page)

http://www.environment.nsw.gov.au/alpineresorts/NSWARER.htm

The report summarises the efforts ofalpine resort operators to manage theirenvironmental impacts while providingsustainable tourism destinations.

Resort Round-up Newsletter,Issue 37 (Winter 2017)

Endangered New Holland Mice

disappear from Great Otway

National Park

A species of native mouse hasdisappeared from the Great OtwayNational Park, sparking fears for itssurvival in Victoria. Populations of theNew Holland Mouse had been recordedat 42 sites in the eastern part of thenational park, south-west of Melbourne,up until 2003.

A team led by Associate ProfessorBarbara Wilson from Deakin Universityrevisited the sites to record numbers for anew study published in the journalAustralian Mammalogy. ‘In a veryworrying surprise, we were unable tofind a single mouse’, Dr Wilson said.

ABC Radio Melbourne,23 December 2017

Western NSW arid and semi-

arid mysteries

Arid and semi-arid environments arevery harsh, with low rainfall that occurssporadically. Plants have evolved to copewith these conditions in a variety ofways. Many animals cope by adopting amore nocturnal lifestyle, particularlyduring the summer months. Night timeand just after seasonal rain are the besttimes to view the flora and fauna of thedesert.

There are a number of landmanagement issues in arid and semi-aridlands. Grazing by sheep and cattle, andhigh populations of feral species such asrabbits, horses, camels and especiallygoats, have a heavy impact on thelandscape. While there are someeconomic benefits, they devastate thelandscape by over-grazing native plants,compacting the soil and causing erosion,and out-competing native animals forfood and shelter. Weeds and non-nativepasture plants out-compete nativegrasses and alter the vegetation systems.

Travelling Stock Reserves representone of the prime opportunities forconservation of native habitats. Inwestern NSW TSRs intersect or abut anumber of existing protected areas,including Sturt NP, Mungo NP,Nocholeche NR, Yathong NR andCocoparra NP and NR. Corridors such asTSRs are the best opportunity for

determinations have been made, andothers will appear in the near future.They require national parks within theareas determined under Victoria’sTraditional Owner Settlement Act, or afederal determination, to be jointlymanaged between the TraditionalOwners and the Victorian Government.The Act establishes various rights ofaccess to Country, and other culturalrights, but the overall objectives of theNational Parks Act remain, including theobligation for a plan.

In practice, the Traditional Ownerorganisations develop a draft inconsultation with the government, whichthen goes to the public for consultation.This could well be the breath of fresh airour parks need. Gippsland’s draftGunaikurnai and Victorian GovernmentJoint Management Plan is the mostrecent. It demonstrates, once more, theconsiderable contribution Indigenousvoices can bring to park management.Hopefully, future plans will also givepark managers the clarity and cleardirection required to ensure our naturalheritage survives and thrives for thebenefit of future generations.

https://vnpa.org.au/category/ News,15 December 2017

Drones in Kosciuszko

Drones are more formally known asunmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) orunmanned aircraft systems (UASes).With the rapid increase in the number ofpeople using drones it is important tounderstand the responsibilities that comewith their use. Australia’s Civil AviationSafety Authority (CASA) classifiesdrones as aircraft and therefore, inaccordance with the KosciuszkoNational Park Plan of Management, theycan only be operated in the park forcommercial and management purposes.Recreational drone use is restricted forreasons of safety, operational risk and tominimise disturbance to other visitors.

For further information contact theResorts Environmental Liaison Officeron 02 6450 5616 or refer to the NPWSdrones in parks policyhttp://www.environment.nsw.gov.au/topics/parks-reserves-and-protectedareas/park-policies/drones-in-parks.

Resort Round-up Newsletter,Issue 37 (Winter 2017)

Environmental performance

report

The NSW Alpine Resorts EnvironmentalPerformance Report 2014–16 is nowavailable for download on the OEHwebsite, at



the Tasmanian Government’s secretiveExpression of Interest (EoI) process.

The 1999 Management Plan for theTasmanian Wilderness World HeritageArea left no doubt about the importanceof wilderness. The 1999 plan alsocontained requirements for the protectionof wilderness that proved adequate toprevent major developments during thelifetime of the plan. The 2014 draftmanagement plan omitted any mentionof wilderness. This was greeted withpublic outrage which resulted in the 2016(final) management plan containing someencouraging statements about wildernessvalues. However, the plan contains norequirements to consider the impact ofnew developments on wilderness quality,although it does continue the 1999 plan’sban on new visitor accommodation in thewilderness zone.

But, compared to the 1999 plan the‘recreation’ or ‘self-reliant’ recreationzone has been extended into the formerwilderness zone to facilitate threespecific proposals:• Lake Rodway Commercial Hut

(adjacent to Cradle Mt) – theTasmanian Walking Company whichoperates the commercial huts on theOverland Track proposes a new hut atLake Rodway so that it can offer ashorter alternative to the full OverlandTrack experience. There is little doubtthat this proposal would placeadditional pressure on an alreadyheavily used area.

• Cradle Canyons – a proposal for heli-canyoning commencing on a tributaryof the Hartnett River adjacent toWaterfall Valley on the OverlandTrack. The helicopter flights would bea major intrusion into the wildernessexperience of walkers on the track.

• Lake Malbena (south-eastern CentralPlateau) – a proposal to refurbish anold privately owned hut for use as a

in South Australia to determine whetherit appropriately supports ecologicalprocesses and abates species extinction.A wide range of issues were consideredthrough the Inquiry including theexisting status of native vegetation andkey biodiversity indicators along withcurrent and emerging threats.

Not surprisingly, the ERDCconcluded that in spite of the efforts ofthe State and Federal governments,industry and private landholders in SouthAustralia, the condition of biodiversity inthe State continues to decline. Speciesextinctions have occurred in the past anda further “extinction debt” still exists.

Several key themes emerged from theInquiry including the following:• Biodiversity conservation needs to be

everyone’s responsibility – State andFederal government, industry, thebroader community, and privatelandholders.

• Biodiversity conservation needs tooccur across both public and privateland, with actions coordinated at alandscape scale.

• A range of measures [is] required toaddress the decline in biodiversityincluding legislative reform andimproved management of threats.The report was tabled in Parliament

in March and though a response on keyrecommendations was expected fromMinister Hunter by the end of July, hehas not yet responded regarding whetherand how the key recommendations in thereport will be taken forward.

The full report is accessible on theERDC Website under CompletedInquiries (Number 78):https://www.parliament.sa.gov.au/Committees/ Pages/Committees.aspx?CTId=5&CId=174

Xanthopus Winter-Spring 2017Volume 35 : Part 2/3

Compiled by Hazel Rath

small, exclusive lodge for flyfishermen. Access to be by floatplanefrom Lake St Clair.The other proposal of great concern

for its impact on wilderness is theproposal for commercial huts on theSouth Coast Track. This track issubstantially longer and harder than anyexisting hut-based commercial walkingoperation in Tasmania, so demand forsuch a walk is unlikely to be great, andthe track itself would require expensiveupgrades to make it suitable forcommercial walking operations. Thesensible outcome would be to abandonthe proposal, but the biggest risk is that itmorphs into something with even greaterimpacts such as a wilderness lodge atNew River, with clients walking out overthe easier half of the track to CockleCreek.

The EoI process provides noopportunity for public comment unless amanagement plan change is required. It isalso possible for proposals to evolve intosomething substantially different duringthe ‘assessment’. For example, theProject Point Adventure started off as aproposal to helicopter walkers into theremote Gallagher Plateau (south-west ofMount Anne) followed by a walk downto the Huon River and raft out. In theapproved proposal, the landing sitechanged to forestry land on the peripheryof the WHA. An improvement!

Colong Bulletin, No. 269(December 2017)

SA Environment, Resources &

Development Committee (ERDC)

Biodiversity Report released

The report from the 2015 ERDCBiodiversity Inquiry was finally releasedin March this year [2017]. ThisParliamentary Inquiry examined thecurrent regulatory and policy framework


NewsWineglass Bay Track

One of Tasmania’s most iconic tourismexperiences, the Wineglass Bay Track,has been re-opened after a $500,000upgrade initiated through the StateGovernment’s Tourism Infrastructure inParks Fund. The track was reconstructedwith improved step levels for visitorcomfort and safety as part of theTasmania Government’s $8 millioncommitment over the next two years toupgrade park infrastructure.

Further information:http://www.premier.tas.gov.au/releases/wineglass_bay_track_upgrade_complete

A cure for Chytridiomycosis?

The deadly infectious diseaseChytridiomycosis is caused by thechytrid fungus and blamed for wiping outmore than a third of the world’s frogspecies. This fungus spreads infection byreleasing small bodies known as‘zoospores’ that get into the skin of frogs,disrupting the flow of electrolytes;eventually leading to a heart attack.

University of Newcastle ecologistSimon Clulow said they focused theirstudy on ‘one species we’re particularlyfond of that occurs in our area, that’ssuffered dramatic declines by 90 percent’ – the Green and Golden Bell Frog.

Chytrid fungus has devastated the

frog’s numbers across Australia, butthere is hope to repopulate the species.And the solution is a simple one: ‘Weuse pool salt … It’s predominantlysodium chloride, which is your mostcommon salt… The study establishedthat by elevating salt levels very slightly,we’re still talking fresh water that youcould drink, we can block the diseaseand lower the transmission rate…[thefrog] had a 70 per cent increasedsurvival rate when translocated intohabitats where small amounts of saltwere added to the water,’ he said.

ABC News: Colin Kerrhttp://www.abc.net.au/news/2018-02-05/two-green-and-golden-bell-frogs/9395576


The NPA welcomes

Margaret Strong

who has rejoined theassociation.

We look forward to seeing youat NPA activities.

NPA notices

Cover photographs

Front cover

Main photo. Project leader Don Fletcher with a

captured Rosenberg’s Monitor (article page 6). Photo by Kevin McCue.

Insets. Top. President Esther Gallant addresses members at

the 2017 Christmas Party at Gudgenby Cottage. Photo by Max Lawrence.

Centre. Fireweed at Spectrum Pass, British Columbia

(article page 20). Photo by Philip Gatenby.

Bottom. King Penguin, Macquarie Island (article page 11). Photo by Doug Brown.

Back cover

Top. Paddling in the Tin Mine Creek area (article page 18). Photo by Mike Bremers.

Bottom. Grass Tree (left) and Koala (right), Stipiturus Conservation

Park, Fleurieu Peninsula, SA (article page 5). Photos by Kevin McCue.

National Parks Association Calendar

Public holidays

General meetings

Committee meetings

Gudgengy Bush Regeneration 1

Art Week at Gudgenby Cottage 2

March

Mon 12,

Fri 30–Sat 31

Thurs 15

Tues 6

Sat 10

—

April

Sun 1–Mon2,

Wed 25

May

Mon 28

June

Mon 11

Thurs 19

Tues 3

Thurs 17

Tues 1

Sat 14

—

Sat 12

Fri 18–Fri 25

Thurs 21

Tues 5

Sat 9

—

Further details: 1. GBRG. Meet at Namadgi Visitor Centre 9.15 am.

2. See notice on page 15, Outings Program.

Call for volunteersAt NPA general meetingsvolunteer members set up the halland the supper. We need morevolunteers for 2018 as the rosteris by no means full. Pleasecontact Quentin Moran if you canhelp. [email protected]

Thank you.

NPA books available from some bookshops (eg ANBG), or contact the association office.

Contributions for the

NPA Bulletin

Contributions of articles, letters, poems,

drawings and photographs are always

welcome. If possible keep contributions to no

more than 1,000 words. Items accepted for

publication will be subject to editing and may

also be published on the NPA website. Send all

items to the Bulletin Team, email

[email protected], or to the NPA ACT

postal address (see page 27).

Deadline for the June 2018 issue:

30 April 2018.

This Bulletin was prepared by:

Editor, Kevin McCue

Copyeditor, Ed Highley

Presentation, Adrienne Nicholson.

Life membership of NPA ACT

The committee is again calling for nominations for Honorary Life Membership.

If you know a member who has done something very special for our association

and is worthy of this recognition, please send a confidential nomination to the

secretary Sonja Lenz by mid-April (signed by yourself and another member who

seconds the nomination). Further information on what to put into the nomination

can be found on the NPA website or by contacting

Kevin McCue on 6251 1291 or email [email protected]


General MeetingsThird Thursday of the month, (not December or January)

8.00 pm, Uniting Church hall, 56 Scrivener Street, O’Connor

Thursday 17 MayFrom minute to magnificent: the

development of a butterfly

Adrienne Nicholson

Some NPA members have becomeparticularly observant of butterflies sincethe association published Suzi Bond’s‘butterfly book’. Both Esther Gallantand Adrienne have closely followed thedevelopment of individuals from beinglaid as tiny eggs through to emergenceas beautiful adult butterflies. BothOrchard Swallowtails and DaintySwallowtails have been followed, butonly one lemon tree has been sacrificed(so far)!

National Parks Association of the ACT Incorporated

Inaugurated 1960

Aims and objectives of the Association

• Promotion of national parks and of measures for the protection offauna and flora, scenery, natural features and cultural heritage in theAustralian Capital Territory and elsewhere, and the reservation ofspecific areas.

• Interest in the provision of appropriate outdoor recreation areas.

• Stimulation of interest in, and appreciation and enjoyment of, suchnatural phenomena and cultural heritage by organised field outings,meetings or any other means.

• Cooperation with organisations and persons having similar interestsand objectives.

• Promotion of, and education for, conservation, and the planning oflanduse to achieve conservation.

Office bearers

President Esther Gallant 6161 4514 (h)[email protected]

Vice President Quentin Moran 6288 9840 ([email protected]

Secretary Sonja Lenz 6251 1291 (h)[email protected]

Treasurer Chris Emery 6249 7604 (h)[email protected]

Committee members

Cynthia Burton 0488 071 [email protected]

Steven Forst 0428 195 [email protected]

Christine Goonrey 6231 8395 (h)[email protected]

Rod Griffiths (Immediate Past President) 6288 6988 (h)[email protected]

George Heinsohn 6278 6655 (h) [email protected]

Julie May 0418 240 [email protected]

Kevin McCue 6251 1291 (h)[email protected]

Conveners

Bulletin Working Group Kevin McCue 6251 1291 (h)[email protected]

Cultural Subcommittee Quentin Moran 6288 9840 [email protected]

Environment Subcommittee Rod Griffiths 6288 6988 (h)[email protected]

Glenburn/Burbong Work Col McAlister 6288 4171 (h) Parties [email protected] Subcommittee Steven Forst 0428 195 236

[email protected] and Engagement Vacant Subcommittee

Publications Subcommittee Kevin McCue 6251 1291 (h)[email protected]

Work Party Co-ordinator Martin Chalk 6292 3502 (h)[email protected]

The NPA ACT office is in Unit 14 / 26 Lena Karmel Lodge, Barry

Drive, Acton, together with the Conservation Council. It is staffed by

volunteers on an irregular basis. Callers may leave phone or email

messages at any time.

Phone: (02) 6229 3201 or 0410 875 731 (if urgent)

Website: www.npaact.org.au

Email: [email protected]

Address: GPO Box 544, Canberra ACT 2601

Facebook:www.facebook.com/NationalParksAssociationOfTheAct

Membership subscription rates (1 July to 30 June)

The subscription rate is $22, which includes a digital copy only of ourBulletin.

If you want to receive a printed copy of the Bulletin, the subscriptionrates are:

Household membership $44 Single members $38.50Corporate membership $33 Full-time student/Pensioner $22

Note: All the above subscription categories reduce to $11 if a

donation of $100 or more is made.

Advertising

The NPA Bulletin accepts advertisements and inserts. Contact

the NPA office for information and rates.

Printed by Instant Colour Press, Belconnen, ACT.

ISSN 0727-8837

Thursday 15 MarchHammered by hooves

Di Thompson

The Alpine (Vic) and KosciuszkoNational Parks continue to be beaten by theimpacts of the hooves and eating habits ofintroduced animals – horses, deer, pigs, etc.Recently a few NPA members revisited thesource of the Murray River and CowombatFlat. Unfortunately, the areas visited havedeteriorated further, primarily from feralhorses, since the ‘NPA Magnificent Nine’visited some five years ago. What might thepoint of no return be? What is the cost?Where are the grasslands and our nativemammals? Why are Namadgi’s ecosystemsin such good health?

Thursday 19 April

Member forum

Preliminary discussion onplans for NPA’s 60thAnniversary in 2020.

We will summarise eventsundertaken for the 50thanniversary, such as thespecial Bulletin and asymposium, and call for ideasand volunteers for the 2020celebration.

NPA books are available from some bookshops (eg ANBG), or contact the association office.

For information on NPA ACT activities, please visit our website http://www.npaact.org.au

and follow us at www.facebook.com/NationalParksAssociationOfTheAct

Documents

National Parks Association of the Australian Capital ... 55 No 1 Mar 2018.pdf · British Columbia wilderness Macquarie Island adventure NPA Christmas party National Parks Association