The AG has met twice since the last newsletter.
In June we learnt that the park was to receive $1 million dollars for upgrades: Rosea Lookout and Redman’s Lookout top priority and then McKenzie Falls walk, from Fish Falls to Zumsteins. Visitor services have also received extra money for the replacement of toilet blocks and picnic tables. Buandik Campground is to receive a minor upgrade.
The Dunkeld walk over the June long weekend was very successful and may become an annual event. Heatherlie – A management plan for the site was completed a few years ago. Staff will be working with Janet Witham to look at future external funding.
We then travelled out along the Mt Zero Rd. At the edge of Halls Gap, Dave Handscombe provided an overview on the Halls Gap township protection plan, explaining the different fire protection techniques that DSE and PV are involved in. At a lunch at Plantation Campground, the Advisory Group farewelled Graham Parkes as RIC and thanked him for his work over the last sixteen years in the park. They wished him the best of luck in his new position as Chief Ranger for the Grampians District. After lunch, Geoff Evans gave an overview of the planned burns for 2010 and also spoke about the different burning techniques used at the Deep Creek Burn. Geoff also spoke about future expectations from the Bushfire Royal Commission for the next three years.
At our August meeting we met the new RIC David Roberts, heard about the $1.6 million for the first stage of the proposed long distance walk (more in our next newsletter), then again spent much of the meeting discussing fire. Geoff Evans presented 2010/2011 DRAFT Fire Operations Plan(FOP). It’s a 3 year rolling program of planned fire/fuel management works including proposed Fuel Reduction Burns, Strategic Breaks, Slashing programs, track works and track clearing activities. He said that the FOP in the Grampians is developed giving equal consideration to Fire Protection Objectives and Fire Ecology Strategies.
* 2009/2010 planned area 5784ha – based on a statewide target of 130,000ha
* 2010/2011 planned area 6400ha – based on a statewide target of 200,000ha
* 2011/2012 ?
Bushfire Royal Commission recommendation
* 5% of Crown Land treated
* = 380,000ha annual target, up from 130,000 target 2009/2010
* Figure does not include wildfire or landscapes affected by wildfire.
On 26th August the Government accepted this advice.
Many of us were concerned at the fact that should there be a wildfire, or an escape burn, there was no allowance for adjusting the targets. (See my editorial for how you can view and comment on the FOP).
I raised that last year’s AG auspiced inspection of fire management works with members of various environmental groups had been well received and a repeat had been promised. This should be scheduled once the replacement for Mike Stevens is settled in the job, in consultation between GNP and DSE staff.
We also made a start on getting representative secondary school students to join the Advisory Group, and discussed the status of the education officer position for our park and what we are offering visiting schools. Options for the Mt Zero Rd were discussed, with the reminder that substantial improvement might have unforeseen results.