Revised Special Areas Management Plan

[Grabeach]

I was thumbing through my local (Sutherland) newspaper about a month ago when I stumbled on a public notice regarding exhibition of, and inviting submissions on, the subject plan. Told a few people, then promptly forgot about until I came across it tonight looking for something else. May be common knowledge, but I haven't seen it mentioned anywhere else. For those not familiar with it, this SCA/NPWS document in general terms governs the management of the catchment areas surrounding Sydney. The new revision is available at http://www.sca.nsw.gov.au/ Submissions will be accepted until 1/11/13.

A quick read through suggested not a lot has changed. Not surprising when the powers that be seem to have a change nothing attitude when it comes to general access, no matter how illogical the current policy may be. For what it's worth this may be the last chance to have a say this decade, as the last revision was 2007.

[Allchin09]

Wow, great find! I will definitely be putting my two cents in and letting the bushwalking groups / club I'm in know about it.

Maybe some members from the forum could get together, have a discussion about it and compile a submission?

[Allchin09]

I printed out, read through and scribbled all over the draft proposal over the weekend.

A few things I thought were of interest were as follows:

Special Areas are managed jointly by both SCA (State Catchment Authority) and NPWS.

The majority of land in the Warragamba Special Area is NPWS Reserves (81%).

Access to Special Areas is restricted to protect the values of Special Areas. If we can show that Bushwalking doesn't negatively impact the areas, then there is less of a barrier against bushwalkers.

Apparently NPWS makes provisions for approved groups to access certain parts of Special Areas for recreational purposes, though the use must be permissible under the applicable acts. I can't see bushwalking contravening any Acts, but I may be wrong. Has anyone contact the NPWS regarding access? I know someone had no luck with the SCA, but the NPWS might be more open to such things.

One of the key "Strategic Management Objectives" for Special Areas is what they call 'Cultural Values'. This is about the maintenance of both Aboriginal and historic sites, objects and cultural landscapes that are of significance to Aboriginal or local communities. Could it be argued that the campsites and walking tracks used by bushwalkers of years past are of cultural significance to us and so need consideration and maintenance? Apparently occurs in consultation with local communities and stakeholders (which could include the bushwalking community?)

My thought is that if a good enough proposal was put forward to the NPWS, bushwalking could be permitted in Special Area, and still be in accordance with the draft Management Plan.

I also note that all public roads within Special Areas are not subject to access restrictions. I wonder if the firetrails within the Special Areas could be classed as public roads?