The AG has been quite busy.
On 2 March we had an update on the Brushtail Rock Wallaby project and small mammal monitoring. As well as the extensive fox baiting project Mike reported on in our last issue, 32 foxes were killed last year by a contractor. Remote cameras have been installed at 66 sites. Bandicoots have been found at 13 sites and Potoroos at 6 sites.
*Fire Management Plan* – There is a new code of practise and the Horsham District Fire Operations Plan will be reviewed. As the GNP is currently split into two districts, there will one integrated fire plan for the Greater Grampians which will be completed by the end of the year. The current FOP plan will be implemented for the rest of the fire season.
*Bush camping strategy update* – Mike reported that a project officer (Tom Parkes) has been employed for 12 weeks. Tom has found 273 established bush camps. Each of these campgrounds has been documented on maps with photographs and GPS. Because of the different overlays from the management plan many of the bushcamps do not meet management criteria. It was discussed that because of considerable impacts dispersed camping will need to be revised. This would be done with consideration to the many user groups in the park and will include community and stakeholder input.
*Deer Management* – discussion to be held in a couple of meetings time once Kathy Roberts PhD thesis is published. The macropod study is also yet to be completed.
We also discussed walking tracks, proposed events, and bicycling.
Cycling was the focus of a workshop on 27 April with tourism operators, user groups and others. I think it’s fair to say that there was general agreement that there was no role for extreme mountain biking here, but that the use of management tracks by cyclists should be further explored.
Then in May we had a visit to Wilson’s Prom NP. Our group consisted of five AG members and three PV staff. We all learnt from looking at the similarities and differences between our two parks, and the different challenges the AG’s face. It was good for us, and for the PV staff and I think good for their AG too. I can give anyone interested a longer report but to give just a few things we noted:
* We are pleased we don’t have to provide built accommodation, shop etc. Apart from the pressure on staff, there are some unresolved tensions between traditional campers and the desire to provide higher quality facilities.
* We both already have – and it will get worse – real congestion problems at busy weekends such as Easter. Expanding the carparks is no solution. They run a shuttlebus to their main carpark already and can use the option of turning folk back at the gate. What are our alternatives?