For more information contact the Parks Victoria Information Centre on 13 1963, or visit www.parkweb.vic.gov.au
Kooyoora State Park
Management Plan January 2010
This Management Plan for Kooyoora State Park is approved
for implementation. Its purpose is to direct all aspects of
management of the park until the plan is reviewed.
A Draft Management Plan for the park was released for
public comment from March to May 2008. Seventy-four
submissions were received. All submissions have been
considered in preparing this approved Management Plan.
For further information on this plan, please contact:
Chief Ranger, Murray Central District
Parks Victoria
Cnr Midland Hwy & Taylor Street
Epsom VIC 3551
Phone: (03) 5430 4444
Copies
This plan may be downloaded from the Parks Victoria
website www.parkweb.vic.gov.au. Copies of this plan may
be purchased for $8.80 including GST from:
Parks Victoria Information Centre
Level 10
535 Bourke Street
Melbourne VIC 3000
13 1963
Parks Victoria
Inglewood Office
100 Southey Street
Inglewood VIC 3517
Phone: (03) 5431 7120
KOOYOORA STATE PARK
MANAGEMENT PLAN
January 2010
Published in January 2010 by Parks Victoria
Level 10, 535 Bourke Street, Melbourne, Victoria, 3000
Parks Victoria, 2010, Kooyoora State Park Management Plan, Parks Victoria. Melbourne
Cover: View from McLeods Lookout, Kooyoora State Park (Photo: Jade Logie)
Parks Victoria
Kooyoora State Park management plan / Parks Victoria.
ISBN 9780731183838 (pbk.)
Bibliography.
National parks and reserves – Victoria – Management.
Kooyoora State Park (Vic.)
Parks Victoria.
333.783099454
Acknowledgements
Acknowledgement of Country: In their rich culture, Indigenous Australians are intrinsically connected
to the continent — including the area now known as Victoria. Parks Victoria recognises that the park
is part of Country of the Traditional Owners.
Parks Victoria is grateful to all those organisations and individuals who have contributed to the
development of this Draft Management Plan.
Note:
Technical terms used in this plan are explained in the Glossary at the end of the plan.
Disclaimers
This plan is prepared without prejudice to any negotiated or litigated outcome of any native title determination
applications covering land or waters within the plan’s area. It is acknowledged that any future outcomes of
native title determination applications may necessitate amendment of this plan; and the implementation of this
plan may require further notifications under the procedures in Division 3 of Part 2 of the Native Title Act 1993
(Cwlth).
The plan is also prepared without prejudice to any future negotiated outcomes between the Government/s and
Victorian Indigenous communities. It is acknowledged that such negotiated outcomes may necessitate
amendment of this plan.
Every effort has been made to ensure that the information in this plan is accurate. Parks Victoria does not
guarantee that the publication is without flaw of any kind and therefore disclaims all liability for any error, loss
or other consequence that may arise from you relying on any information in the publication.
Text printed on 100% recycled paper to help save our natural environment
FOREWORD
Kooyoora State Park protects outstanding landscapes
including the caves and rock formations formed by
the granitic outcrops surrounding Mt Kooyoora and
Melville Caves, significant Aboriginal and historic
places, a diverse range of vegetation which varies
from herb-rich woodlands to box and ironbark
forests, many extensive large old tree sites, numerous
rare and threatened flora and fauna species, and many
orchids.
The plan acknowledges the importance of the park to
the Dja Dja Wurrung people and seeks to reflect their
interests and aspirations for the park in its
management.
The park offers all Victorians and in particular the
people of Inglewood, Bendigo and surrounding areas,
a natural setting for a range of recreational activities
not found at other parks in the Box–Ironbark region.
It is a popular location for bushwalking, picnicking,
sightseeing, camping, orienteering, cycling,
prospecting and in particular rock climbing and
abseiling by local schools and universities.
Community groups, including Friends,
Landcare and volunteer groups, play an active
role in park management through monitoring
programs and research activities.
This plan details the values and attractions in
the park and is a strategic guide for their
protection and management. It was completed
following careful consideration of the 74
submissions received on the draft plan.
I thank those individuals and organisations
who made submissions, and encourage
everyone to continue to enjoy and appreciate
the park and become involved in its
management.
GAVIN JENNINGS MP
Minister for Environment & Climate Change
Kooyoora State Park
iii
APPROVED MANAGEMENT PLAN
This Management Plan, prepared under
Section 17(2)(d) of the National Parks Act
1975 (Vic.), establishes the basis and
directions for the future management of
Kooyoora State Park.
Through this plan, Parks Victoria seeks to
strengthen its relationships with community
groups with particular interests in the park, and
encourage them to participate in its
management. Parks Victoria is encouraging
these groups to become further involved with
the park by supporting its management with
their knowledge, skills and enthusiasm.
GREG WILSON
Secretary to the
Department of Sustainability and Environment
iv
Parks Victoria recognises the important
contributions that members of the community
who know and value the area can make to its
management.
The plan provides the basis for the future
management of Kooyoora State Park. It was
finalised following consideration of the 74
submissions received on the Draft
Management Plan.
MARK STONE
Chief Executive
Parks Victoria
Kooyoora State Park
INTRODUCTION TO BOX–IRONBARK PARKS
The Box–Ironbark forests and woodlands lie
inland of the Great Dividing Range in northern
Victoria. Extending in a broad band from
Wodonga through Chiltern, Beechworth and
Benalla, they reappear near Numurkah and
continue through Heathcote, Bendigo,
Maryborough and St Arnaud to Ararat and
Stawell (figure 1). At the time of European
settlement they covered almost three million
hectares, or 13% of Victoria.
Box–Ironbark forests and woodlands are
unique to Australia, valued by local
communities and celebrated in literature and
art. The landscapes of the region have also
inspired poets, writers and artists, both past
and contemporary, including Banjo Paterson,
John Wolseley and Samuel Thomas Gill.
This plan explains these values and attractions
in detail for Kooyoora State Park, and sets out
how they will be protected and managed. The
park protects largely intact areas of Box–
Ironbark ecosystems containing remarkable
rocky outcrops and some of the best examples
of large old trees. There are numerous and
important Aboriginal places and objects, and
sites associated with mining and the gold rush
era. The park offers a range of recreation
experiences including camping, prospecting
and rock climbing.
Box–Ironbark areas are part of Country of
Traditional Owners. There are many areas rich
in archaeological, cultural and spiritual
significance throughout the region.
Increasingly, Indigenous communities are
involved in protecting and sharing the region’s
Indigenous heritage.
Box–Ironbark forests and woodlands contain
some of Victoria’s most significant historic
gold mining landscapes and features on public
land, including areas of national cultural
heritage significance. This has been recognised
in the establishment of Castlemaine Diggings
National Heritage Park, a first for Australia.
These landscapes and sites are associated with
many former gold towns and settlements, and
combine with them to form a region of strong
historic character and interest. The historic
gold mining landscapes are significant
components of tourism in the region today.
Kooyoora State Park
The Box–Ironbark forests have been associated
with agriculture, gold mining and forestry
since the 1830s. The major reefs and
underground ore bodies helped establish and
maintain towns, and together with forest
products, contributed to the State’s economic
development.
Different people value the forests in different
ways, but local communities have strong
feelings of pride in and ownership of their
Box–Ironbark landscapes. The creation of the
Box–Ironbark parks presents further
opportunities to celebrate, protect and enhance
these special landscapes.
Because much of the Box–Ironbark area was
suitable for grazing and other forms of
agriculture, and because it coincides with
Victoria’s gold country, European settlement
has had a substantial impact. More than 80%
of the area has been cleared, and nearly all the
remainder (496 000 ha, of which 372 000 ha is
on public land) has been affected by grazing,
timber cutting and other pressures from
settlement. Past land uses have also
contributed to region-wide problems of pest
plants and animals, salinity and soil erosion.
Interestingly, the gold mining, which had a
significant initial impact on these
environments also contributed to their
protection. To ensure supplies of timber for
mining needs, the government established
forest reserves. These became the setting for
settlements and for recreation by generations
growing up in the area. Some are the basis of
today’s parks and reserves.
Although dominated by box and ironbark
eucalypts, the Box–Ironbark forests are not
uniform. Six broad vegetation and landscape
types and no fewer than 73 Ecological
Vegetation Classes are recognised. The most
extensive classes originally were Plains Grassy
Woodland, Grassy Woodland and Box–
Ironbark Forest; all now considered
endangered or depleted.
Fragmentation and loss of habitat mean that
almost 300 Box-Ironbark plant species (out of
a total of 1500 vascular plant species), and 53
of a total of 250 vertebrate fauna species, are
now considered threatened. Many species,
v
Introduction to Box-Ironbark Parks
particularly of birds, are in an ongoing state of
decline. A key aim of Box–Ironbark
conservation and management is therefore the
recovery of species, as well as the protection of
those species not currently threatened.
One of the greatest losses has been that of
large old box and ironbark trees, which
produce reliable and abundant nectar, supply
foraging sites such as peeling bark and fallen
timber for ground-dwelling animals, and have
many hollows vital for native mammals and
birds. Instead of a landscape of large old and
widely spaced trees, much is dominated by
multi-stemmed coppice regrowth.
In October 2002, after many years of study and
debate, the Victorian government proclaimed a
number of parks designed primarily to protect
and enhance the natural and cultural values of
some of the remaining original Box–Ironbark
forests. The parks were also to be available for
a range of appropriate recreational activities
and for community enjoyment and
appreciation. They comprise five national
parks, five State parks, seven regional parks,
two historic parks and reserves and one
national heritage park. There are also some 300
conservation reserves to help link these park
areas, bringing some connectivity to an
otherwise fragmented landscape.
Some of the parks, such as Chiltern – Mt Pilot
and Greater Bendigo National Parks, are
extensions of existing parks; others such as
Heathcote–Graytown National Park and
Broken–Boosey State Park are completely
new. But together they are a significant step
towards halting the decline of threatened
species in the Box–Ironbark forests and
woodlands, increasing community recognition
of the values of the forests and woodlands, and
improving opportunities to develop tourism
and related industries.
vi
The parks should not be seen as separately
managed ‘islands’ but as reservoirs of
biodiversity in a broader landscape. Protecting
and enhancing natural values on other public
and private land in the region is vital for
improving and connecting habitat for native
species. The parks and the people who manage
them are an integral part of local communities,
and these communities in turn will play a key
role in their protection, promotion and
management.
The long term protection of the region’s
cultural heritage and biodiversity, including
that of its parks and reserves, relies on the
community fostering a strong sense of
custodianship of the parks and reserves and the
landscapes of which they are an important part.
The plan seeks to play an important part in
rebuilding the natural linkages in a fragmented
landscape through the goodwill of the
community together with the help of land
managers and the government, while
respecting cultural, economic and community
associations with the land.
Because of their rich Indigenous and European
heritage, in addition to their natural attractions,
the Box–Ironbark parks are likely to have a
growing significance for Victorians and
visitors from interstate and overseas in the
years ahead. The parks may not be major
tourism attractions in their own right, but they
are integral to the character of growing
regional cities such as Bendigo. They have
great potential as a complementary product for
people who come to the region for other
reasons, such as seeking social, recreational,
sporting or heritage experiences. There is also
potential for Indigenous communities and
products to support the development and
delivery of Box–Ironbark experiences for
visitors.
Kooyoora State Park
SUMMARY
Kooyoora State Park (11 350ha) protects
significant caves and rock formations, a
diverse range of vegetation, outstanding
landscapes, numerous significant Aboriginal
and historic places and offers many
recreational experiences not found at other
parks in the Box–Ironbark region.
The park lies in the Country of the Dja Dja
Wurrung. There are significant cultural
landscapes, and numerous and important
Aboriginal heritage places and objects. Many
places have layers of history and are important
for Aboriginal and broader communities. The
park retains historic links with the surrounding
communities through the gold rush era to the
present day. The local community actively
campaigned for the first reserve in this area in
the early 1900s and have been strong
supporters since, having been involved in the
direct management of the Melville Caves area
for nearly 40 years and in establishing some of
the current facilities in the park.
A diverse range of recreational activities are
undertaken by visitors, including bushwalking,
rock climbing, abseiling, camping, prospecting
and nature studies. The park is an important
venue for the region’s schools and universities.
This plan provides a framework for the
sustainable management of the park, and aims
to enhance visitor enjoyment and appreciation
while protecting and conserving the park
values.
Key elements of the plan include:
•
restoration of more natural age class
distributions, structures and floristic
diversity to vegetation communities
•
protection of threatened flora and fauna
•
management of sustainable recreational
activities in appropriate locations, and in
ways to minimise impacts on park values
and conflicts between visitors
•
an integrated response at the landscape
scale to pest animals and targeted control
of any emerging threats from pest plants
•
reflection of Traditional Owner’s
knowledge and interests in the land, and
aspirations for the park, in all planning and
management
•
recognition of Aboriginal cultural heritage
associated with the park, and protection of
Aboriginal places and objects
•
respect for the views of the Traditional
Owners and cultural obligations of
Indigenous people
•
protection and interpretation of significant
historic places
•
support for ongoing community
involvement in the park’s management,
particularly those with long associations or
interests in the park
This management plan replaces the existing
Kooyoora State Park Management Plan
(DNRE 1996).
Kooyoora State Park
vii
CONTENTS
FOREWORD
iii
APPROVED MANAGEMENT PLAN
iv
INTRODUCTION TO BOX-IRONBARK PARKS
v
SUMMARY
1
2
3
4
5
6
viii
vii
INTRODUCTION
1
1.1
1.2
1.3
1
1
1
Location and planning area
Creation of the park
Plan development
BASIS
3
2.1
2.2
2.3
2.4
2.5
2.6
3
3
4
4
5
6
Regional context
Park significance and values
Evidence of past use
The park visitor
Legislation and ECC recommendations
Policies and guidelines
STRATEGIC DIRECTIONS
7
3.1
3.2
3.3
7
7
8
Vision
Management directions
Zoning
STRATEGIES FOR NATURAL VALUES CONSERVATION
12
4.1
4.2
4.3
4.4
4.5
4.6
4.7
12
12
13
14
16
18
19
Landscape
Geological features
Rivers and catchments
Vegetation
Fauna
Fire management
Pest plants and animals, and diseases
STRATEGIES FOR CULTURAL VALUES CONSERVATION
21
5.1
5.2
21
22
Indigenous cultural heritage
Historic heritage
STRATEGIES FOR VISITORS
24
6.1
6.2
6.3
6.4
6.5
6.6
6.7
24
26
30
32
32
34
34
Information, interpretation and education
Vehicle access
Visitor site activities
Bush walking
Camping
Cycling and mountain bike riding
Domestic dogs
Kooyoora State Park
Contents
6.8
6.9
6.10
6.11
6.12
6.13
7
8
9
Horse riding
Orienteering and rogaining
Prospecting
Rock climbing and abseiling
Tourism services
Public safety
35
35
36
36
37
37
STRATEGIES FOR AUTHORISED AND ADJACENT USES
39
7.1
7.2
7.3
39
40
40
Infrastructure and private occupancies
Occasional uses
Park boundaries and adjacent uses
STRATEGIES FOR COMMUNITY AWARENESS AND INVOLVEMENT
42
8.1
8.2
8.3
42
42
43
Community awareness
Community participation
Agency partnerships
PLAN IMPLEMENTATION
45
9.1
9.2
9.3
45
45
46
Delivery and reporting
Plan amendment
Evaluation and review
REFERENCES
48
GLOSSARY
51
APPENDICES
1
2
3
4
Management objectives for State parks
Submissions on the draft management plan
Rare and threatened flora
Rare and threatened fauna
53
54
55
56
TABLES
1
2
3
4
5
Management zones and overlays
Summary of recreational opportunities
Management of vehicle access roads
Current and planned recreation facilities
Management of walking tracks
10
11
27
31
33
FIGURES
1
2
3
Regional locality plan
Management zones and overlays
Visitor access, facilities and adjacent land tenure
Kooyoora State Park
End of plan
"
"
ix
1
1.1
INTRODUCTION
Location and planning area
Kooyoora State Park is approximately 220
kilometres north-west of Melbourne, between
Wedderburn, Inglewood and Dunolly (figure
1).
The park (11 350 ha) consists of six separate
areas (figure 2), which are managed as three
main sections:
•
•
the Melville Caves section, comprising:
•
the former Kooyoora State Park, 3593
ha (referred to as the main block),
which includes the:
•
Kooyoora Reference Area 325 ha
•
Kingower Reference Area 345 ha
the Sunday Morning Hills/Glenalbyn
section, comprising:
•
•
•
1.2
the former West Brenanah State
Forest, 1250 ha (Sunday Morning Hills
block and Rinders block)
the former Glenalbyn State Forest, 914
ha (Glenalbyn block)
the Wehla section, comprising:
•
the former Wehla Nature Conservation
Reserve, 160 ha (Wehla Hill block)
and
•
part of the former Wehla State Forest,
5433 ha (Wehla block).
Creation of the park
On 18 October 1910 a meeting was held at Mrs
Halbert’s Hotel, Kingower, to resolve to ask
the Forests Commission to reserve 6000 acres
surrounding the 2000 acres already reserved
near Mt Cooyorah (present day Mt Kooyoora),
as a wattle plantation. The land referred to was
a picnic and pleasure resort and provided water
all year round to settlers on nearby lower
ground (Gillespie 1975).
On 7 April 1915 it was announced that 6360
acres had been reserved in the parishes of
Brenanah, Kangderaar and Kingower and 314
acres in the parish of Wehla.
A Committee of Management was established
in 1950 to manage the Melville’s Caves Scenic
Kooyoora State Park
Reserve, which had been proclaimed the year
before. The committee managed the area until
the creation of the park in 1985. The current
facilities and bitumen road, built in the 1960s
and 1970s, are a reminder of the work of this
dedicated local band of community members
(section 5.2).
During the time of the Committee of
Management, the Victorian Concert Orchestra
gave 15 performances in the Melville Caves
Picnic Area.
Kooyoora State Park (3593 ha) was included
under Schedule 3 of the National Parks Act
1975 (Vic.) on 17 November 1985. In 1989 the
park was moved to Schedule 2B (appendix 1).
Following the government’s acceptance of the
Environment Conservation Council’s (ECC)
Box–Ironbark Forests and Woodlands
Investigation Final Report (ECC 2001) the
park was trebled in size and expanded to
11 350 ha on 30 October 2002.
The park includes two Reference Areas. The
Kooyoora Reference Area was gazetted in
1996 under the Reference Areas Act 1978
(Vic.). The creation of the Kingower Reference
Area (345 ha) was recommended by the ECC’s
Recommendation G4 (ECC 2001). This
recommendation was accepted by government
in 2002.
1.3
Plan development
This Management Plan for Kooyoora State
Park was prepared by Parks Victoria on the
basis of existing information, reports and
research findings that relate to the area. The
plan is informed and supported by a range of
best practice management systems.
Significant input of information and advice
was sought and received from communities,
groups, individuals and agencies with
particular interests in the park. A community
day was held in the park to give the local and
broader community an opportunity to discuss
their aspirations for and issues about the park.
Interested members of the community were
invited to participate in workshops on natural
values and recreation management for the
park. Key groups and stakeholders were
consulted on relevant aspects of the plan.
1
Introduction
The planning process included a review of the
existing plan and noted the implementation of
a number of key strategies in that plan,
including an upgrade of the interpretation and
picnic area at Melville Caves, removal of
grazing from the park, and development of a
Friends group.
This plan will be a strategic guide for the
future management of Kooyoora State Park.
As a public document it proposes how Parks
Victoria will protect Kooyoora State Park’s
natural and cultural values, and the services
and facilities that will be provided to help
visitors to enjoy, appreciate and understand the
park in ways that are consistent with this aim.
The plan also serves to inform the community
about the park, encourage interested groups to
become involved in park management
programs, and encourage cooperative land
management and participation in communitybased programs involving Parks Victoria and
managers of areas adjacent to the park.
As a working document for the park, the plan
informs Parks Victoria’s development of
Corporate Plans, serves as a framework for
subsequent detailed planning and governs
management activities.
2
The Draft Management Plan was published for
public comment in February 2008, and 74
submissions were received (appendix 2). All
submissions on the draft plan were carefully
considered and taken into account in
preparation of this final management plan.
Where necessary, further consultation with the
community and stakeholders was undertaken.
Key changes made to the draft plan in
preparing this management plan included:
•
continuing to allow dogs at Melville Caves
Picnic Area, Melville Caves Camp Ground
and on Melville Caves Road
•
continuing to permit dog sledding events
in the Glenalbyn block of the park
•
excluding firewood collection from the
park in recognition of the impact the loss
of coarse woody debris has on habitat
values.
This management plan will guide future
management of Kooyoora State Park until
reviewed (section 9.3).
Kooyoora State Park
2
2.1
Regional context
Kooyoora State Park is one of five State parks
in the Box–Ironbark region of Victoria. The
Box–Ironbark area of central Victoria aligns
with the Goldfields Bioregion, which covers
1.7 million hectares of public and private land.
Only 25% of the bioregion has native
vegetation cover, and less than 4% is in the
formal reserve system (DNRE 2002a). Most of
the park is in the Loddon Catchment, but some
of the western edges of the park are in the
Avoca Catchment. Both are within the North
Central Catchment Management Authority’s
area of responsibility.
The peaks of Mt Kooyoora and Mt Brenanah
dominate the local landscape and can be seen
from all surrounding areas.
The park is highly fragmented. It consists of
three management sections which comprise six
individual forested blocks (section 1.1). The
blocks are surrounded by private land used as
natural bush blocks, cleared grazing land,
vineyards and residential areas and some
forest, a eucalyptus harvesting area, and a
nature conservation reserve. A number of wellvegetated roadside reserves connect the blocks
and sections.
Kooyoora State Park is complemented by a
number of nearby parks and reserves,
including St Arnaud Range National Park,
Paddys Ranges State Park, Wychitella Nature
Conservation Reserve and Inglewood Nature
Conservation Reserve, as well as a range of
other natural attractions in the region. The
Dunolly-Inglewood State Forests (over 32 000
ha) to the south and east of the park, offer
alternate locations for camping and a range of
recreation activities.
BASIS
region’s gold and settlement heritage (BTR
2001).
2.2
Kooyoora State Park is one of 27 State Parks
in Victoria and makes a valuable contribution
to Victoria’s parks and reserves system, which
aims to protect viable, comprehensive,
adequate and representative samples of the
State’s natural environments. The park also
provides opportunities for visitors to enjoy and
appreciate the natural environment and natural
and cultural features.
Kooyoora State Park is assigned the IUCN World Conservation Union Category II
(National Parks) and United Nation’s List of
National Parks and Protected Areas. Category
II (National Parks) areas are managed mainly
for ecosystem protection and appropriate
recreation. On a statewide basis, the park is
rated as high for the protection of natural
values.
Significant features of the park include:
Natural values
• The dominant Mount Kooyoora and
associated granitic outcrops and boulders,
including Melville Caves Lookout,
Southern Lookout, McLeods Lookout,
Melville Caves rocks, Seal Rock and
Balancing Rock, which all represent
interesting granitic geomorphic features.
•
Significant vegetation communities,
including Hillcrest Herb-rich Woodland on
the metamorphic aureole of Mt Brenanah,
Granitic Hills Herb-rich Woodland on the
granitic plateau, Rocky Outcrop
Shrubland/Herbland Mosaic on the granitic
peaks of Mt Kooyoora, and Box–Ironbark
Forest on the low Ordovician Hills in the
Wehla area.
•
Over 350 native vascular flora species,
including 11 threatened species such as
Whorled Zieria, Narrow Goodenia and a
number of orchids.
•
At least 170 native vertebrate fauna
species, including 20 threatened species
such as the Brush-tailed Phascogale, Swift
Indigenous tradition indicates that the park is
part of Country of the Dja Dja Wurrung (Clark
& Cahir 2004).
The whole of the park is in Loddon Shire.
Regional population centres include
Inglewood, Wedderburn, St Arnaud and
Bendigo. The park is in Tourism Victoria’s
Goldfields product region. Tourism activities
include a focus on sites associated with the
Kooyoora State Park
Park significance and values
3
Basis
Parrot, Powerful Owl and Grey-crowned
Babbler.
Cultural values
• Rich cultural associations of Indigenous
communities to Country. A significant
number of Aboriginal places and objects
such as rock wells, scarred trees and
ceremonial grounds.
•
Places associated with early gold rushes
and bushrangers through to mining during
the depression in the 1930s.
•
Relics of post settlement, including
cemeteries and Cobb & Co coach runs.
•
Strong community attachment through
historic uses of the forest, timber
harvesting and grazing, and the
management of the former Melville Caves
Scenic Reserve.
Recreation and tourism values
• Unique opportunities for a range of
activities in an easily accessible natural
setting in Central Victoria.
•
A wide range of activities suitable for
schools and tertiary students in a natural
setting, close to regional towns and main
roads with good facilities.
•
Scenic views form Melville Caves
Lookout, Mt Kooyoora and Mt Brenanah.
•
Opportunities to experience and interpret
the outstanding natural, cultural and
geological values.
2.3
Evidence of past use
The park contains extensive evidence of people
living in and undertaking activities throughout
the park over a long period of time. A
substantial number of Aboriginal places and
objects have been identified in the two areas
that have been surveyed to date — Melville
Caves block and Wehla North block.
In June 1836 Surveyor-General Major Thomas
Mitchell arrived in the district and noted its
suitability for grazing, and soon after the
squatters arrived. Grazing continued in some
sections of the park up until October 2005.
The park has retained strong connections with
local communities through links with
4
important Aboriginal places, the discovery of
gold in the 1850s and the community’s push
for permanent reservation of the area in the
early 1900s.
The first recorded mine opened in 1852 near
the Sunday Morning Hills, and the first major
discovery of gold was in 1862 at Kingower, by
Captain J G Mecheski. The infamous
bushranger Captain Melville was believed to
have frequented the granitic caves throughout
his reign of terror on the goldfields (section
5.2).
The township of Kingower had a population of
3000 in 1857, the year in which the township
of Kooyoora was surveyed. Gold and quartz
was mined from the White Swan Mine in the
1920s and again in 1940s. Umber and sienna
were also mined near Mt Kooyoora for a short
period, and uranium was discovered in 1954
(Gillespie 1975).
Past uses of the additions made to the park in
2002 included grazing of domestic stock
(removed from the Melville Caves block in
1996 and Sunday Morning Hills and Rinders
block in 2005) and timber harvesting, which
ceased in Melville caves block and Wehla
North block in 1984 and all other blocks in
2002.
2.4
The park visitor
Kooyoora State Park is a regional focus for
many activities requiring a natural setting. The
park provides for a wide range of recreational
experiences, including bushwalking,
picnicking, camping, sightseeing, rock
climbing, nature observation, prospecting,
cycling, and orienteering, all with easy access
and good facilities.
The Melville Caves area is a well-known
regional feature and the main visitor area in the
park, attracting many local visitors and people
throughout the state. The rich history, scenic
views and interesting and varied geology and
vegetation make the park an attractive
destination for visitors touring or holidaying in
the region.
The coexistence of these natural and cultural
features provides an interesting environment
for visitors to appreciate past activities, enjoy
various outdoor activities and understand and
appreciate the area’s special characteristics.
Kooyoora State Park
Basis
The park offers an important natural setting for
recreation, education and research. A large
number of school and university groups from
across the State use the park throughout the
year. The park is easily accessible for many
central Victorian schools and provides a range
of activities in a unique setting that is not
available at other parks in central Victoria.
Visitation to the park is very seasonal. School
groups are the main visitors from early autumn
to spring, throughout the week. From spring to
summer other visitors such as day visitors and
overnight tourists dominate, particularly on
weekends when they are attracted to the park’s
amazing wildflower displays.
In terms of statewide priorities, Parks Victoria
has rated Kooyoora State Park as a park of
regional value for the provision of visitor
services. An appreciation of the park’s natural
and cultural values will be promoted, together
with picnicking, camping and educational
opportunities.
2.5
Legislation and ECC
recommendations
Legislation
Kooyoora State Park is reserved and managed
under the National Parks Act 1975 (Vic.). The
Act requires the Secretary to the Department of
Sustainability and Environment to preserve
and protect the natural condition of the park
and its natural, cultural and other features and,
subject to this, to provide for the use of the
park by the public for enjoyment, recreation
and education. Appropriate research activities
are also provided for under the Act.
The objects and provisions of the National
Parks Act set the framework for the
management of Kooyoora State Park
(appendix 1). The National Parks (Park)
Regulations 2003 apply to the whole park.
Other specific legislation also governs aspects
of management of the park, as described below
(and in subsequent sections of the plan).
The Reference Areas Act applies to Kooyoora
Reference Area and Kingower Reference Area.
The Aboriginal Heritage Act 2006 (Vic.)
applies to the park and protects all Aboriginal
places, objects and Aboriginal human remains
(section 5.1).
Kooyoora State Park
The Native Title Act 1993 (Cwlth) applies to
the management of the park. An application for
a native title determination covering Kooyoora
State Park, among other areas, was lodged and
registered with the Native Title Tribunal on 15
August 2000. The implementation of this
management plan will take into account the
existence of this and any subsequent native
title applications, and any native title found to
exist under the Native Title Act.
The Victorian Native Title Settlement
Framework is being developed as a new
approach to settling native title claims and
addressing the land aspirations of Victorian
Traditional Owner groups. It seeks out-of-court
settlements of native title through direct
negotiations between the State and Traditional
Owner groups. The Framework will set the
parameters for a ‘non-native title’ agreement
whereby the State recognises a Traditional
Owner group alongside a package of benefits,
in return for their agreement to withdraw their
native title claim(s) and/or not lodge one in the
future. It will deliver certainty and finality for
the State through the expedited resolution of
claims, will build stronger partnerships
between Government and Traditional Owner
groups, facilitate better management of Crown
land, and deliver on Government policies.
The Environment Protection and Biodiversity
Conservation Act 1999 (Cwlth) applies to the
whole of the park with respect to actions that
have, will have, or are likely to have a
significant impact on matters of national
environmental or cultural significance.
The Flora and Fauna Guarantee Act 1988
(Vic.) establishes a legal and administrative
structure to conserve Victoria’s flora and
fauna, manage potentially threatening
processes such as loss of hollow-bearing trees,
and provides programs to encourage
conservation through community endeavours.
The Parks Victoria Act 1998 (Vic.) enables
management services for Kooyoora State Park
to be provided on behalf of the Secretary to
DSE by Parks Victoria.
The Heritage Act 1995 (Vic.) provides for the
protection and conservation of places and
objects of cultural heritage significance.
Other Commonwealth and State legislation,
and policies and guidelines (section 2.6) apply
5
Basis
to the management of the park and specific
activities and uses.
•
Recreation Framework for Box–Ironbark
Public Land (DSE 2003b)
ECC recommendations
The former Land Conservation Council (LCC)
in the Final Recommendations for the Northcentral Area (LCC 1981) recommended use of
the original area (3593 ha) in accordance with
the general provisions for State parks,
preservation of cultural sites of significance,
management and phasing out of grazing and
discouraging intensive use of the steeper
erosion prone slopes. The recommendations
were accepted by government in 1982.
•
Heritage Management Strategy (Parks
Victoria 2003a)
•
Guidelines for Working with Aboriginal
Communities and Protection of Cultural
Sites (Parks Victoria 2002)
•
National Strategy for Ecologically
Sustainable Development (COAG 1992)
•
National Strategy for the Conservation of
Australia’s Biological Diversity (ANZECC
2001)
The former Environment Conservation Council
(ECC), in its Box–Ironbark Forests and
Woodlands Investigation Final Report (ECC
2001), made a number of recommendations
that relate to the park, including extension of
the park. The recommendations included:
•
Victoria’s Biodiversity Strategy (DNRE
1997)
•
North West Region, Bendigo Fire District,
Fire Protection Plan (DSE 2003a)
•
Recommendation B1 Use of Kooyoora State
Park in accordance with the general
recommendations for State Parks.
Code of Practice for Fire Management on
Public Land (DSE 2006a)
•
R8 Land managers continue with and further
develop adaptive management research
and monitoring programs, develop
targeted new programs and apply the
results where appropriate.
Guidelines and Procedures for Ecological
Burning on Public Land in Victoria (DSE
2004b).
The park is also managed in the broader
context of a number of other plans and
strategies, including:
R15 Planning and management relating to
traditional interests and uses be based on
recognition and respect for the traditional
and contemporary relationship of
Aboriginal peoples with the land.
•
Victoria’s Nature-based Tourism Strategy
2008-2012 (Tourism Victoria 2008)
•
Victoria’s Heritage: Strengthening our
Communities (DSE 2006b)
•
Policy for Sustainable Recreation and
Tourism on Victoria's Public Land (DNRE
2002b)
•
North Central Catchment Management
Authority Regional Catchment Strategy
2003–2007 (NCCMA 2003)
•
Guidelines and Procedures for Managing
the Environmental Impacts of Weeds on
Public Land in Victoria 2007
(Environmental Weeds Working Group
2007)
•
Victorian Trails Strategy 2005-2010
(Parks Victoria 2004).
R42 Box–Ironbark public lands be available
for a range of recreation activities for
community enjoyment and appreciation
and appropriate to the land use category.
All of these recommendations were accepted
by the State Government in February 2002
(Government of Victoria 2002).
2.6
Policies and guidelines
The park is managed in accordance with Parks
Victoria’s operational policies and, where
appropriate, with other policies and guidelines,
including the following:
•
6
Indigenous Partnership Strategy and
Action Plan (Parks Victoria 2005a)
Kooyoora State Park
3
3.1
STRATEGIC DIRECTIONS
Vision
The magnificent views and absorbing
quietness impress visitors attracted to
Kooyoora State Park by the opportunities for
solitude and the range of activities and good
facilities. The involvement of the community
in protecting the park’s natural and cultural
values is apparent and one of the elements that
defines the park.
The landscape reveals some evidence of the
many eras of use, complemented by an
amazing array of wildflowers, other native
vegetation.
Kooyoora State Park is recognised as one of
many significant cultural landscapes with rich
meaning to Aboriginal people. The
significance of the park to the Traditional
Owners is respected and continues to unfold,
and their increasing involvement in park
management activities enhances the park’s
interpretation and protection.
Local communities maintain strong
connections with the park from a shared
heritage of the gold rush era and timber
harvesting, and with people who first sought
permanent protection over 100 years ago and
actively managed the park for many years.
Visitors enjoy camping, sightseeing,
bushwalking, vehicle-based touring, rock
climbing, prospecting, orienteering and horse
riding. The park is recognised as an
outstanding venue for education and outdoor
activities by schools and universities.
The Friends of Kooyoora State Park Inc., other
volunteers, neighbours, visitors and recreation
groups cooperate and participate in the control
of pest plants and animals, and in maintaining
and upgrading facilities. Education and
interpretation programs and community
participation are helping to minimise the
impact of recreational activities on the unique
natural and cultural environment of the park.
3.2
Management directions
The Traditional Owners’ knowledge and
interests in the area and their aspirations for
Country will be reflected in the park’s
Kooyoora State Park
planning and management, in accordance with
legislation and policies (Parks Victoria 2005a).
Other major management directions for the
park are outlined below.
Natural values conservation
• In the long term the vegetation will be
restored to a more natural age class
distribution, structure and floristic
diversity.
•
Rare and threatened species and
communities will be protected.
•
Fauna habitat will be protected,
particularly large old trees and woody
debris on the ground.
•
Maintaining or improving the quality of all
of the park’s vegetation communities and
resourcing an integrated response to pest
animals at a landscape scale and any
emerging threats from pest plants will be a
high priority.
•
Natural values of the park will be
enhanced by encouraging community
partnership projects that protect or restore
native vegetation links between the blocks
of the park, providing vital linkages.
•
Kingower and Kooyoora Reference Areas
will be maintained in a relatively
undisturbed state by keeping human
interference to a minimum.
•
Research into the management
requirements of significant flora and fauna
communities will be encouraged.
•
The natural values of the park will be
protected through the active management
of fire in the landscape and the
implementation of appropriate fire
regimes.
•
Research into the role of fire in meeting
the ecological requirements of floristic
communities in the park will be conducted
through the application of fire and
monitoring its impact, findings will be
incorporated into future management and
activities as required.
7
Strategic directions
•
The impact of any works or infrastructure
development on the park’s natural values
will be minimised.
•
Research into the impact of native grazers
on vegetation communities in the park will
be encouraged.
Cultural values conservation
• Aboriginal places and objects will be
protected from interference or damaging
activities.
Community awareness and
involvement
• The wider community will be encouraged
to develop an understanding and
appreciation of the park’s values and the
rich and diverse knowledge and aspirations
of the Traditional Owners.
Indigenous cultural obligations relating to
Country will be respected, and Traditional
Owners and Indigenous communities’
knowledge promoted and interpreted in
accordance with their views.
Local communities and visitors will be
encouraged to develop a sense of
custodianship for the park, join the Friends
group and become involved in the park’s
management.
•
The impact of any works and infrastructure
on the park’s cultural values will be
minimised by careful planning, design,
siting and construction activities.
Strong cooperative relationships will be
further developed and maintained with
communities or groups that are interested
in the park’s management to support and
strengthen their appropriate involvement.
•
A strong collaborative relationship will be
developed with the relevant Registered
Aboriginal Party to facilitate the reflection
of Indigenous knowledge, their interests
and aspirations in the park’s planning and
management.
•
Collaborative partnerships will be
established with relevant agencies to
progress areas of mutual interest which
strengthen protection of the park.
•
Ongoing opportunities will be provided for
communities, groups, individuals and other
agencies to share their interests and
concerns relating to the park with the
park’s management.
Historic places and objects will be
protected from damaging or inappropriate
activities.
•
•
Opportunities for visitors to readily access
and enjoy solitude in an attractive natural
setting will be maintained.
•
•
•
•
Research into Indigenous and historic
cultural heritage of the park will be
encouraged and supported as appropriate
in consultation with the Indigenous and
wider communities.
The park visit
• Visitor understanding and appreciation of
the park’s natural and cultural values and
key park management activities will be
enhanced by a range of information
services and interpretation and education
programs.
Visitor enjoyment will be enhanced by
appropriate management of recreation
activities.
3.3
•
Visitor facilities at Melville Caves Picnic
Area will be upgraded.
•
provides a geographic framework in which
to manage a park
•
A range of quality recreational experiences
will be maintained at sustainable levels.
•
reflects sensitivity, fragility and/or
remoteness of natural values
•
Visitors will be encouraged to adopt
minimal-impact techniques and to adhere
to industry developed standards
appropriate to their activity.
•
indicates which management directions
have priority in different parts of the park
•
indicates the types and levels of use
appropriate throughout the park
•
8
Zoning
Park management zoning:
Kooyoora State Park
Strategic directions
•
assists in minimising existing and potential
conflicts between uses and activities, or
between activities and the protection of the
park’s values
•
provides a basis for assessing the
suitability of future activities and
development proposals.
Kooyoora State Park
Two management zones apply to the park—a
Conservation and Recreation Zone and a
Reference Area Zone. Five management
overlays designate areas to which additional
management requirements apply (table 1 and
figure 2).
Details of zone and overlay characteristics are
provided in table 1, and recreation
opportunities in table 2.
9
Strategic directions
TABLE 1
ZONE/ OVERLAY
MANAGEMENT ZONES AND OVERLAYS
AREA/LOCATION
VALUES
MANAGEMENT AIM
Conservation and
Recreation
10 685 ha, 94% of park
Important natural
values and scope for
recreation
opportunities.
Protect natural environments and provide for
sustainable, dispersed recreational activities
and small-scale recreational facilities without
significant impact on natural processes.
Reference Area
Kingower Reference Area
345 ha
Relatively
undisturbed
representative land
types and associated
vegetation.
Protect viable samples of one or more land
types that are relatively undisturbed for
comparative study with similar land types
elsewhere, by keeping all human interference
to the minimum essential and ensuring as far
as practicable that long term changes result
only from natural processes, in accordance
with Ministerial directives and Parks Victoria
operational policies.
ZONES
Kooyoora Reference Area
320 ha
6% of park
OVERLAYS
Land Use
Designation –
Prospecting
8040 ha, 71% of park,
shown in figure 2
Prospecting area.
Allow prospecting under a Miner’s Right or
Tourist Fossicking Authority in accordance
with Section 32D of the National Parks Act
while protecting biodiversity, catchment,
geological and cultural values.
Special Protection
Area – Large Old
Trees
3210 ha, 28% of park
Areas containing
significant numbers of
large old trees.
Protect individuals and groups of large old
trees from damage by wildfire or
management activities. Allow prescribed
burning in these areas for ecological or
management purposes, while protecting large
old trees.
Special Protection
Area – Powerful
Owl Management
1600 ha, 14% of park
Areas containing
significant habitat
values, in particular
hollow bearing trees.
Monitor and protect Powerful Owl habitat
sites and manage to be free of significant
disturbance.
Intact gully vegetation
providing refuge for
fauna in times of
drought or fire and
important habitat for
threatened species,
reproduction,
particularly in spring.
Protect intact gully vegetation as fauna
habitat particularly for refuge use in times of
drought or fire. Protect these areas from
wildfire and allow prescribed burning in these
areas for ecological or management purposes,
while protecting fauna refuge values.
DSE fire tower and
associated
infrastructure.
Facilitate the effective use of the fire tower
for fire detection while minimising the impact
of operation and maintenance on park values.
Special Protection
Area – Fauna
Refuge
Special
Management Area
– Mt Brenanah Fire
Tower*
580 ha, 4.5% of park
<1ha, <1% of park
Avoid the development of new intensive
recreational activities near known nesting and
roosting trees, and discourage access to
breeding areas.
During spring, minimise disturbances to these
areas, particularly by exclusion of events with
large numbers of participants or spectators.
* Not shown on figures due to scale.
10
Kooyoora State Park
Strategic directions
TABLE 2
ACTIVITY
SUMMARY OF RECREATION OPPORTUNITIES
MANAGEMENT ZONE
OVERLAY
CONSERV.
& REC.
REFERENCE
AREA
LUD –
PROSPECT
-ING
SPA –
SPA –
SPA –
LARGE
OLD
TREES
POWERFUL
OWL
FAUNA
REFUGE
SMA – MT
BRENANAH
FIRE TOWER
(percentage of park)
(94%)
(6%)
(71%)
(28%)
(14%)
(4.5%)
(<1%)
Bicycle riding (section 6.6)
Y
N
Y
Y
Y
Y
N
Bird watching
Y
N
Y
Y
Y
Y
N
Bushwalking (section 6.4)
Camping (designated, with
defined facilities)
(section 6.5)
Y
N
Y
Y
Y
Y
N
Y
N
N
Y
Y
N
N
Camping (designated, limited
or undefined facilities) (section
6.5)1
Y
N
Y
N
N
N
N
Camping (dispersed, no
facilities)1
Y
N
Y
Y
Y
Y
N
Y
N
Y
N
Y
Y
N
Y
N
N
N
Y
N
N
Education/Guided activities
Y
N
Y
Y
Y
Y
N
Firewood collection
N
N
N
N
N
N
N
Four wheel drive touring
(section 6.2)
Y
N
Y
Y
Y
Y
N
Gas or liquid-fuel fires
(sections 6.3 & 6.5)
Y
N
Y
Y
Y
Y
N
Horse riding (section 6.8)
Y
N
Y
Y
Y
Y
N
Licensed tours (section 6.12)
Y
N
Y
Y
Y
Y
N
Motorbike/ Trail bike riding
(section 6.2)
Y
N
Y
Y
Y
Y
N
Nature photography/painting
Y
N
Y
Y
Y
Y
N
Orienteering/Rogaining
(section 6.9)
Y
N
Y
Y
Y
Y
N
Picnicking (section 6.3)
Y
N
Y
Y
Y
Y
N
Prospecting (section 6.10)
Y
N
Y
Y
Y
Y
N
Rock climbing/Abseiling
(section 6.11)
Y
N
Y
N
Y
N
N
Scenic drives (section 6.2)
Y
N
Y
Y
Y
Y
N
Sightseeing (section 6.3)
Y
N
Y
Y
Y
Y
N
Walking (section 6.4)
Y
N
Y
Y
Y
Y
N
Campfires (sections 6.3 & 6.5)2
Dogs on lead (section 6.7)
3
1
not allowed in the Melville Caves section
2
campfires in constructed fireplaces only, BYO firewood
3
dogs on lead permitted only at the Melville Caves Picnic Area, Melville Caves Camp Ground and on Melville Caves Road
KEY
Y
Yes—subject to overlay prescriptions and conditions prescribed
by
legislation, licensed tour permits or elsewhere in the plan as
LUD Land Use Designation
indicated.
SPA Special Protection Area
N
Not permitted
SMA Special Management Area
Kooyoora State Park
11
4
4.1
STRATEGIES FOR NATURAL VALUES CONSERVATION
Landscape
The landscapes of Kooyoora State Park are an
integral part of its appeal. The park is
dominated by Mt Kooyoora (479 m) and Mt
Brenanah (382 m), which are clearly visible
from within the park, from the Calder Highway
and several local roads.
Melville Caves and Mt Kooyoora have been
key attractions for local, regional and State
visitors for over a century. The granitic
outcrops and boulders create many caverns,
caves and overhangs, and there are spectacular
views from the summit of Mt Kooyoora.
The Sunday Morning Hills/Glenalbyn section
is dominated by Mt Brenanah, where hillcrest
herb-rich woodlands lead into the undulating
Box–Ironbark forest on the lower slopes, with
heathy landscapes on the low-lying areas.
The Wehla section of the park is dominated by
Box–Ironbark forest and shows evidence of a
long history of timber harvesting and gold
mining. Engineering structures such as Forkeys
Dam exist in this section. The northern block
of the Wehla section (the former Wehla Flora
Reserve) is a granite outcrop more like the Mt
Kooyoora area.
Throughout the park the Box–Ironbark forests
have been greatly altered by harvesting during
the gold mining eras, and until recently were
managed intensively for timber production.
The park has also been extensively grazed by
domestic stock until recently.
Spectacular wildflower displays in spring and
the mosaic of contrasting box and ironbark
trees, Blakely’s Red Gums and heathy
woodlands are special features of the park.
The landscape is an intrinsic element of
Country for the Traditional Owners and is
significant to Indigenous communities. Certain
elements of the landscape, such as Mt
Kooyoora and the adjoining ridges, are also
highly valued by the wider community for
aesthetic or cultural reasons. These include
scenic quality of major thoroughfares, tourist
routes and scenic vistas
Threats to the landscape character of the park
include pest plant invasion, increasing visitor
pressure, inappropriate fire regimes,
12
inappropriately located management activities
and public utilities, and development on
adjacent land.
Aim
• Protect the natural landscape, particularly
places of high scenic quality or cultural
significance, while allowing natural
processes to continue.
Management strategies
• Maintain highly valued natural and
cultural landscapes in the park,
particularly Melville Caves, Mt Kooyoora,
Mt Brenanah and scenic vistas seen from
the Calder Highway and other major
travel routes through appropriate park
management.
•
Minimise visual intrusions and the impact
of signs, visitor facilities and roads and
tracks on the natural and cultural
landscape and scenic quality of the park.
•
Liaise with DSE and Loddon Shire Council
to minimise impacts on views from the
park (section 7.3).
4.2
Geological features
Mt Kooyoora dominates the park. This unusual
outcrop of granite and boulders provides
panoramic views form the many lookouts in
the park, including Melville Caves Lookout,
Southern Lookout and McLeods Lookout.
Melville Caves, Seal Rock and Balancing
Rock are interesting granitic geomorphic
features (Marlow & Bushel 1995).
Many geological features are intrinsic elements
of Country for Traditional Owners and are
significant for Indigenous communities
(section 5.1).
The Melville Caves – Mt Kooyoora area is a
geological feature of State significance,
displaying excellent examples of pseudokarst
weathering in granitic rocks (ECC 1997).
Melville Caves and Mt Kooyoora are among
the best Victorian examples of caves formed
between large granite boulders (ECC 2001).
The Kooyoora granites (Kooyoora adamellite)
are the most notable geological feature of the
Kooyoora State Park
Strategies for natural values conservation
park. Unlike other granites in the region, most
of these granites are exposed (Marlow &
Bushell 1995).
The granite of Kooyoora Range is surrounded
by metamorphic rocks formed by the intrusion
of the Devonian granites into Ordovician
sediments. Coarser members of intruded schist
have recrystallised to form micaceous or
schistose hornfels, with the finer members
converted to knotted mica schist (Marlow &
Bushell 1995).
Most of the remainder of the park is dominated
by the Castlemaine supergroup, comprising a
typical turbidic sequence of interbedded
sandstone, siltstone and shale which has been
raised to the lower greenschist facies by
regional metamorphism (Marlow & Bushell
1995).
Small segments of the park are part of the
Shepparton formation. In general these areas
consist of unconsolidated overbank deposits
usually extending several kilometres from the
stream courses. Coarse sand and gravel occur
in and close to these channels, while farther
away the formation consists of silt and clay
(Marlow & Bushell 1995).
Aims
• Minimise impacts on geological features.
•
Increase visitor understanding and
appreciation of geological features.
Management strategies
• Maintain adequate walking access to
Melville Caves, Melville Caves Lookout,
Southern Lookout, McLeods Lookout, Seal
Rock and Balancing Rock, consistent with
their protection (sections 6.4 and 6.11).
•
Provide interpretive material highlighting
the park’s geological features, especially
in Melville Caves area (section 6.1).
•
Monitor visitor impacts at Melville caves
and lookouts and geological features near
high use areas for early signs of
degradation or risks from erosion, and
where impacts are unacceptable modify
access to these areas (chapter 6).
•
park through identification of geological
values in planning processes (section 4.6).
•
4.3
Consider and respect the significance of
landforms to the Indigenous communities
in planning and implementing
management activities (sections 5.1).
Rivers and catchments
Most of the park is in the Loddon catchment;
the exception is the western part of the Wehla
section, which is in the Avoca catchment. The
park and these catchments are within the North
Central Catchment Management Authority
area which has the role of caretaker of river
health and manager of environmental water
(NCCMA 2003).
There are several seasonal streams and springs
in the park. In normal years the springs cease
to flow only during summer. In drought years
they may stop flowing completely.
There are no permanent watercourses in the
park. Many of the seasonal gullies and creeks
which start in the park flow out into the
surrounding land. The relatively intact
vegetation in the park acts as a natural filter to
reduce sediment loads in the surrounding
waterways and maintain ground water in lower
areas.
Past activities that have affected catchment
values include gold mining, native vegetation
clearing, farming and urban development and
associated infrastructure. Current threats
include salinity, pest plant and animals, soil
health and water quality (NCCMA 2003).
Due to the topography and the soils of the park
area, gully erosion is likely to occur. High
visitor use at key sites in the park can lead to
vegetation removal and soil disturbance. Fire
management activities, such as containment
line construction, can have adverse effects on
water and catchment values.
Aims
• Maintain natural hydrological processes
and stream flows.
•
Protect water quality in streams and
springs and catchment values.
Ensure fire management activities do not
adversely affect geological features of the
Kooyoora State Park
13
Strategies for natural values conservation
Management strategies
• Prevent pollution of water courses in
particular the springs that supply the
Melville Caves Picnic Area.
•
Ensure appropriate erosion control
measures are undertaken on roads and
tracks, visitor sites and other relevant
management activities (sections 6.3, 6.4
and 6.5).
•
Minimise vegetation and soil disturbance
and the impact of recreational activities
such as orienteering, prospecting, and
rock climbing at streams and springs
(sections 6.9, 6.10, and 6.11).
•
4.4
Ensure that fire management activities do
not adversely affect streams and springs
through identification of catchment values
in planning processes, and where possible
avoid disturbing these sensitive areas and
erosion-prone slopes (section 4.6).
Vegetation
The park protects important representative
examples of vegetation types in a relatively
small area. There are 11 ecological vegetation
classes (EVCs), of which three are endangered,
two vulnerable, and five depleted in the
Goldfields bioregion.
Many of these EVCs in the park are among the
best examples in the Goldfields bioregion, in
particular Hillcrest Herb-Rich Woodland on
the metamorphic aureole of Mt Brenanah
ridge, Hills Herb-Rich Woodland on the
granitic plateau surrounding Mt Kooyoora, and
Box–Ironbark Forest on the low Ordovician
Hills in the Wehla section (ECC 2001).
Hills Herb-Rich Woodland in the Melville
Caves section and Hillcrest Herb-Rich
Woodland in the Sunday Morning
Hill/Glenalbyn section contribute greatly to the
Goldfields bioregion and also the overall areas
of these vegetation communities in the State.
The park includes some of the most extensive
areas of Box–Ironbark (Northern Goldfields
sub-community) and Metamorphic Slopes
Shrubby Woodland in the entire Box–Ironbark
area (ECC 2001).
Overall Box–Ironbark Forest is the major
EVC, covering 55% of the park including most
of the Wehla section, Sunday Morning
Hills/Glenalbyn section and parts of Melville
14
Caves section close to Kingower. Most of the
Melville Caves section contains Hills Herbrich Woodland (23% of the overall park) and
Metamorphic Slopes Shrubby Woodland.
During the spring of 2005 each of the eleven
EVCs were assessed using DSE’s Habitat
Hectares index. This process is based on
explicit comparisons between existing
vegetation features and those of ‘benchmarks’
representing the average characteristics of
mature stands of native vegetation of the same
community type in a ‘natural’ or ‘undisturbed’
condition (Parkes et al. 2003).
Overall EVC quality in all EVCs ranged from
50% of the benchmark in Sandstone Ridge
Shrubland in the Sunday Morning
Hills/Glenalbyn section to 70% in the
Creekline Grassy Woodland and Low Rises
Grassy Woodland areas in Sunday Morning
Hills/Glenalbyn section and Wehla section.
Because of the past land use of timber
harvesting it is to be expected that there are
few large old trees and logs on the ground in
most EVCs.
All EVCs were below 40% of the benchmark
for large trees: 10% in Box–Ironbark Forest
and 20% in Alluvial Terraces Herb-rich
Woodland, close to 35% in all other EVCs.
Box–Ironbark and Alluvial Terrace Herb-rich
Woodland had only 20% of the benchmark for
logs. In all other EVCs logs were more
common, reaching over 80% of the benchmark
in Metamorphic-Slopes Shrubby Woodland in
the Kingower Reference Area (Cheers 2005;
DSE 2004a).
The understorey diversity across EVCs ranged
from 40% in Sandstone Ridge Shrubland with
all the others around 60% of expected
diversity. Recruitment was present across all
EVCs and organic litter was 60%–100% of the
benchmark figures. As with most Box–
Ironbark EVCs weeds are relatively low across
the landscape, control programs aim to reduce
the impact of infestations in the park (section
4.7).
No comprehensive flora survey has been
carried out in the park. A number of smaller
surveys have been carried out as part of
specific projects and many records have been
entered by dedicated community members.
Even so, over 350 species of vascular flora
have been recorded in Kooyoora State Park,
Kooyoora State Park
Strategies for natural values conservation
including 19 species that are threatened in
Victoria (DSE 2005b) (appendix 3).
Key park species include Whorled Zieria,
Narrow Goodenia and a number of orchids
including the Large White Spider-orchid,
McIvor Spider Orchid, and Yellow-lip Spider
Orchid.
As part of the planning process an
environmental risk assessment for Kooyoora
State Park has been conducted (Raulings
2006). Risks of most concern to vegetation
from this assessment are:
•
existing pest plants throughout the park
and Wheel Cactus on Hills Herb-Rich
Woodland and Metamorphic Slopes
Shrubby Woodland (section 4.7)
•
lack of age class structure in the Box–
Ironbark Forest, Low Rises Grassy
Woodland, Hillcrest Herb-Rich Woodland
and Heathy Woodland
•
impacts of peripheral settlement on the
Hillcrest Herb-Rich Woodland and Heathy
Woodland
•
removal of timber from Hills Herb-Rich
Woodland and Metamorphic Slopes
Shrubby Woodland in the Melville Caves
section for use as firewood
•
illegal harvesting and lack of knowledge of
fungi
•
impacts of large groups camping and
walking through the Hills Herb-Rich
Woodland and Metamorphic Slopes
Shrubby Woodland of the Melville Caves
section (section 6.5)
•
•
•
absence of fire in the Hills Herb-Rich
Woodland and Metamorphic Slopes
Shrubby Woodland, in particular in the
Melville Cave section (section 4.6)
effects of wallaby grazing on Hills HerbRich Woodland and Metamorphic Slopes
Shrubby Woodland
creation of fire control lines in the Hills
Herb-Rich Woodland and Metamorphic
Slopes Shrubby Woodland, mainly in the
Melville Caves section (section 4.6).
The Kooyoora Reference Area protects an area
of Hills Herb-rich Woodland and the Kingower
Reference Area protects an important area of
Kooyoora State Park
Metamorphic Slopes Shrubby Woodland (ECC
2001). Both of these EVCs are depleted in the
Goldfields bioregion.
The vegetation of the park is complemented by
the surrounding forests, nature conservation
reserves and significant remnant vegetation on
private land. Some of the adjoining private
land has intact indigenous vegetation, and
other areas have remnant trees. A number of
significant corridors exist across private land,
connecting sections of the park.
Vegetation communities are dynamic systems
influenced by complex and varied factors,
including soil type, slope, aspect, rainfall,
elevation and disturbance. The balance of these
factors has been altered by settlement, mining,
grazing, timber harvesting and changes in fire
regime, which have altered the structure and
species composition of the vegetation since
settlement.
The impacts of future climate change on the
vegetation and fauna of the park is unclear.
Changes to climate are likely to have impacts
on the structure of the parks vegetation
communities and may increase the
vulnerability of certain species.
Indigenous people recognise vegetation as an
intrinsic element of Country.
Aims
• Protect indigenous flora and vegetation
communities, particularly threatened
species.
•
Maintain the age class diversity of
vegetation and where possible restore
structure and diversity to a more natural
state.
•
Improve knowledge of significant flora
and threatening processes to improve
management and protection.
Management strategies
• Maintain and in the long term restore age
class structures of EVCs, in particular
Box–Ironbark Forest, Grassy Dry Forest,
Hills Herb-rich Woodland and
Metamorphic Slopes Shrubby Woodland
EVCs, and adapt vegetation management
practices consistent with research and
monitoring findings.
15
Strategies for natural values conservation
•
•
Liaise with DSE and Loddon Shire Council
to minimise the impact of land uses on the
edges of the park, in particular on
Hillcrest Herb-rich Woodland and Heathy
Woodland EVCs (sections 7.3 and 8.3).
Implement priority actions from relevant
approved Flora and Fauna Guarantee Act
(FFG) Action Statements and Environment
Protection and Conservation Act Recovery
Plans according to the DSE Actions for
Biodiversity Conservation (ABC)
database.
•
Manage visitor activities to minimise
impacts on flora and vegetation
communities, in particular at the picnic
area and camp ground in the Melville
Caves section (chapter 6).
•
Encourage visitors to bring their own
firewood or use non-solid fuel stoves to
increase the amount of fallen timber and
logs on the ground in all EVCs
(section 6.3).
•
Encourage neighbouring land managers,
community groups, and agencies to
complement park management by
conserving and restoring links between
remaining areas of native vegetation
(sections 7.3 and 8.2).
•
Ensure that significant plants and
communities including large old trees are
adequately protected from inappropriate
management activities including fire
protection works (section 4.6).
•
Monitor the impact of activities such as
orienteering, prospecting, rogaining and
rock climbing on significant species and
communities, in particular orchids, Hills
Herb-Rich Woodland and Metamorphic
Slopes Shrubby Woodland (sections 6.9,
6.10 and 6.11).
•
•
16
Encourage research on fire requirements
of vegetation communities, in particular
Hills Herb-rich Woodland and
Metamorphic Slopes Shrubby Woodland in
the Melville Caves section, and seek
incorporation of research results into
future fire and other management actions
(section 4.6).
Encourage research into impacts of
wallaby and other native browsers and
grazers, in particular on Hills Herb-Rich
woodland and Metamorphic Slopes
Shrubby Woodland EVCs.
•
4.5
Encourage research into floristic
communities and species in the park,
including fungi, and the potential impacts
of future climate change.
Fauna
Kooyoora State Park contains diverse foraging
and habitat areas associated with the 11 EVCs
in the various sections of the park.
Large old trees play an important part in Box–
Ironbark ecosystems, providing a variety of
wildlife with essential hollows for shelter and
breeding sites. Past timber harvesting in the
park has resulted in fewer large old trees and
logs on the ground across most EVCs (section
4.4).
A number of key mature tree sites and fauna
refuges have been identified in the park,
particularly in the Special Protection Area –
Large Old Trees, which covers 28% of the
park (section 3.3, figure 2) (Soderquist &
Rowley 1995; Holland & Cheers 1999). The
protection of these large old trees will ensure
that, in the long term, the park will have
extensive landscapes of large, widely spaced
trees reminiscent of the natural vegetation
structure of the Box–Ironbark forest (ECC
2001). It is of great importance for biodiversity
conservation that any proposed management
activities, including fire, are implemented to
protect the habitat which these large old trees
provide (ECC 2001).
No comprehensive surveys of the park for
fauna have been carried out. A number of
species specific surveys in some sections of the
park have been carried out in the past. A
number of community members and groups
such as VNPA mammal survey group have
added to the records for the park.
There are records of 18 mammals, 120 birds,
16 reptiles and six frog species, including 20
species (two mammals, 15 birds, two reptiles
and one frog) that are rare or threatened in
Victoria (appendix 4). Information about
invertebrate fauna is not yet recorded.
The most significant of these fauna are the
Brush-tailed Phascogale, Swift Parrot,
Powerful Owl, Grey-crowned Babbler and
Kooyoora State Park
Strategies for natural values conservation
many of the Box–Ironbark woodland birds.
The park is also an important nesting site for
Peregrine Falcon. A Special Protection Area –
Powerful Owl overlay totalling 1600 ha has
been established in accordance with the Flora
and Fauna Guarantee Act (FFG) Action
Statement for the Powerful Owl (DSE 2004c),
and a further 520 ha has been set aside as a
Special Protection Area – Fauna Refuge
(Robinson & Rowley 1996; Hollands and
Cheers 1999) (section 3.3, figure 2). The park
also contributes to the habitat of 18 species of
the FFG-listed Victorian Temperate-woodland
Bird Community (appendix 4).
Many of the fauna refuge areas align closely
with moist gully areas which contain both a
greater diversity and relative abundance of
birds than the adjacent slopes and ridges
(MacNally & Soderquist 1999).
Despite a number of surveys, Brush-tailed
Phascogales have not been recorded in the park
recently. Research is currently underway to
determine the suitability of establishing a
Brush-tailed Phascogale Management Area in
the park in accordance with the FFG Action
Statement for the species (DSE 2003c).
outside the park will be important in fauna
dispersal and re-colonisation. Projects to
protect remnant vegetation patches on
adjoining private land and enhance corridors
between these and the park to allow movement
of species will be encouraged (section 7.3).
Indigenous people recognise fauna as an
intrinsic element of Country.
Aims
• Protect indigenous fauna, particularly
threatened species.
•
Management strategies
• Implement priority actions from relevant
approved FFG Action Statements and
Environment Protection and Conservation
Act Recovery Plans according to the DSE
Actions for Biodiversity Conservation
(ABC) database.
•
Manage visitor activities to minimise
impacts on fauna, in particular illegal
removal coarse woody debris for firewood
(sections 6.3 and 6.5).
•
Encourage community groups, tertiary
institutions and other interested parties to
survey fauna and record findings in Parks
Victoria’s Environmental Information
System and DSE’s Wildlife Atlas.
•
Support ongoing monitoring and surveys
for Brush-tailed Phascogale in the park.
•
Ensure that significant fauna habitats are
adequately protected from inappropriate
management activities including fire
protection works (section 4.6).
•
Minimise damage to fauna habitat from
fire management practices, especially in
identified Powerful Owl, Brush-tailed
Phascogale and fauna refuge areas
(sections 3.3 and 4.6).
•
Regularly observe areas heavily used for
prospecting, orienteering, rogaining and
rock climbing to detect early signs of
impacts on threatened species and
communities (sections 6.9, 6.10 and 6.11).
Key risks to fauna in the park (Raulings 2006)
include:
•
fox and cat predation (section 4.7)
•
lack of knowledge
•
loss of habitat from firewood collecting.
Fauna communities are dynamic systems
influenced by complex and varied factors,
including vegetation type, rainfall, elevation,
available food and shelter, introduction of nonindigenous animals and disturbance history.
The combined effects of settlement, mining,
grazing, timber harvesting and changes in fire
regime have altered the species composition of
fauna communities in the park. Loss of coarse
woody debris from Victorian native forests and
woodlands is recognised as a major factor
contributing to the loss of biological diversity
in Australian forests and woodlands and is
listed under the FFG Act as a potentially
threatening process.
Potential future climate change may impact on
habitat structure, evidence from previous
prolonged droughts suggest that arboreal fauna
and canopy dependent birds can be severely
impacted. Links to large vegetation units
Kooyoora State Park
Improve knowledge of significant fauna
and threatening processes to improve
management, protection and appreciation.
17
Strategies for natural values conservation
4.6
Fire management
The National Parks Act requires the Secretary
to DSE to ensure that appropriate and
sufficient measures are taken to protect parks
from injury by fire. The fire management
program including planned burning for fire
protection and biodiversity management is
managed through the regional DSE Fire
Management organisation with the
involvement of public land managers. All fire
protection measures are carried out in
accordance with the Code of Practice for Fire
Management on Public Land (DSE 2006a), the
North West Region, Bendigo Fire District Fire
Protection Plan (DSE 2003a), and Parks
Victoria’s operational policies.
The Code of Practice for Fire Management on
Public Land (DSE 2006a) requires that fire
management activities ensure that
environmental values, including the vigour and
diversity of the State’s indigenous flora, are
protected, as far as practical, from the harmful
effects of wildfire and inappropriate fire
regimes.
The park is in the Bendigo Fire District. The
North West Region, Bendigo Fire District Fire
Protection Plan (DSE 2003a) is a strategic
plan for preventing, preparing for, suppressing
and recovering from wildfire on public land,
and is implemented through a three-year Fire
Operations Plan.
The Bendigo Fire District, Fire Protection Plan
zones the majority of the park as Zone 3Broad Area Fuel Reduced Mosaic. There are
three Zone 2 – Strategic Fuel Reduction
Corridors: one north of Kingower, one on the
northern side of Inglewood–Wehla Road and
one on the north-western side of Burkes Flat
Road. The Kingower and Kooyoora Reference
Areas are classified as Zone 5 – Exclusion of
Prescribed Burning.
There is little information about past fires in
the park. The extent of previous Aboriginal
burning is largely unknown (ECC 1997) and
the effect on flora and fauna communities and
individual flora and fauna species is also
largely unknown (Tolsma, Cheal & Brown
2007). Fire is however an important factor and
a powerful management tool in maintaining the
vigour and diversity of the park’s vegetation
and may have favourable and adverse effects
on individual species (section 4.4).
18
The last known wildfire was caused by a
lightning strike in 1999, and burnt a very small
area in the Melville Caves section. A number
of lightning strikes are known to have started
other small fires that may not have been found
or recorded. All other known fires have been
prescribed burns. This indicates that most of
the park is long unburnt.
A small ecological burn was undertaken in the
late 1990s for the management of an orchid
species in the Glenalbyn block of the Sunday
Morning Hills/Glenalbyn section of the park.
No broad-scale ecological burns have been
carried out in any section of the park.
The ecological burning requirements for the
park are not known. The lack of data on
appropriate age class structures and ecological
fire requirements of flora is affecting the
ability to identify areas for burning on an
ecologically sound basis (section 4.4). A Fire
Ecology Assessment incorporating the park
and surrounding public land will be developed
that will:
•
identify the ecological fire regime
requirements for vegetation communities
within a Landscape Management Unit
(LMU)
•
identify priority areas for the appropriate
use of prescribed fire for ecological
purposes
•
identify areas for fire exclusion (within the
timeframe of the assessment), in order to
achieve the desired ecological outcomes
(Section 2.2.2 of the Code of Practice
(DSE 2006a).
The risk of wildfire will be reduced by
removing some solid-fuel fireplaces from the
picnic ground and replacing with communal
fireplaces (section 6.3 and 6.5).
Wildfire control activities, including the
construction of control lines, the use of
phosphate-based fire retardants, and high fire
intensity may result in the fragmentation,
modification or loss of native flora, fauna
habitat and cultural sites, places, landscapes
and objects. The creation of control lines for
fire suppression, in particular in the Hills Herbrich Woodland and Metamorphic Slopes
Shrubby Woodland, was identified as a
potential concern (Raulings 2006).
Kooyoora State Park
Strategies for natural values conservation
There are many dams throughout the park that
were established for mining, as water points
for stock grazing, and for fire protection
purposes. These dams provide artificial water
sources for both pests and native fauna. There
is also a firetower in the park (section 7.1).
•
Aims
• Protect park values from the deleterious
effects of wildfire or inappropriate fire
regimes.
4.7
•
Cooperate with relevant agencies and land
managers in the protection of human life,
neighbouring properties and assets.
•
Protect park values from any deleterious
effects of fire management infrastructure
and activities.
•
Support research and the application of
research findings to manage and enhance
the parks natural values, in particular Hills
Herb-rich Woodland and Metamorphic
Slopes Shrubby Woodland.
Management strategies
• Implement fire protection works in
accordance with the Code of Practice for
Fire Management on Public Land and the
North West Region, Bendigo Fire District
Fire Protection Plan.
•
Update and review the Fire Protection
Plan in developing a fire management plan
and an ecological fire strategy for the park
in conjunction with DSE. Ensure adequate
protection for special protection areas and
other sensitive natural and cultural values.
•
Develop a Fire Ecology Assessment for the
park and surrounding public land (LMU)
in accordance with the Code of Practice
for Fire Management on Public Land in
Victoria (DSE 2006a) and the Guidelines
and Procedures for Ecological Burning on
Public Land in Victoria (DSE 2004b).
•
Maintain an adequate network of roads for
access by fire-fighting vehicles (section 6.2
and table 3).
•
Encourage research into appropriate fire
regimes for the vegetation communities in
the park, in particular Hills Herb-Rich
Woodland and Metamorphic Slopes
Shrubby Woodland.
Kooyoora State Park
Protect Aboriginal and post-settlement
cultural heritage values from damage by
wildfire, fire suppression activities and
prescribed burns in accordance with the
North West Region, Bendigo Fire District
Fire Protection Plan.
Pest plants and animals, and
diseases
Thirteen introduced flora species occur in the
park (Logie & McLennan 2003). Horehound,
Wheel Cactus and Bridal Creeper have been
found in all blocks of the park. A number of
thistles and other species are scattered
throughout the blocks, with a larger infestation
along Forbes Creek in the Sunday Morning
Hills/Glenalbyn section (Cheers 2005). Wheel
cactus is considered a major threat to
regeneration and diversity of the Herb-rich
Metamorphic slopes EVC. Lack of knowledge
about the impacts of pest plants on specific
species is also considered to be a threat to the
park (Raulings 2006).
In 2007, programs run in conjunction with
adjoining landholders and the Friends of the
park, focussed on eradication of wheel cactus.
Six pest animal species have been recorded in
the park, including rabbits, foxes, goats and
cats (DSE 2005a).
Foxes and cats may pose a significant threat to
small mammals such as Brush-tailed
Phascogale, ground foraging and nesting birds
and reptiles. Four threatened fauna species in
the park are known to be potential prey of
foxes and cats. Predation of ground dwelling
mammals by both cats and foxes is considered
a major concern (Raulings 2006). Fox-baiting
occurs in some blocks of the park.
Kooyoora State Park has vegetation which is
rated as high-medium priority in susceptibility
to rabbit infestation (Parks Victoria 2003b). In
2007-08 there were low numbers of rabbits
throughout the park.
Feral goats are present in the park in relatively
low numbers; however numbers can rapidly
expand given favourable conditions. Goats are
most often observed near Mt Kooyoora and the
associated range, but are also seen over a much
wider area that includes adjacent farmland.
Grazing by both native and introduced species
can reduce the cover and diversity of native
19
Strategies for natural values conservation
understorey and mid storey species and
ultimately the composition of the overstorey
through lack of recruitment.
Introduced birds recorded in the planning area
include the Common Blackbird and House
Sparrow (DSE 2005a).
Partnership programs between adjacent
landowners and Parks Victoria are a priority
and will continue to be a vital part of all
control programs. Good Neighbour programs
have been undertaken to control Bridal
Creeper, Wheel Cactus, foxes, cats and rabbits
(section 7.3). Parks Victoria is working in
partnership with NCCMA to implement the
priority actions of the North Central Regional
Catchment Strategy (NCCMA 2003) to
minimise impacts of pests.
There is no evidence of Phytophthora
cinnamomi or other pathogens in the park. The
park’s vegetation is rated as medium to low
risk on a statewide assessment of the risk to P.
cinnamomi on land managed by Parks
Victoria. Low rainfall in the area is a factor in
limiting suitable conditions for this pathogen.
Aims
• Control and where possible eradicate pest
plant and animal species from the park.
•
Support control of priority weeds listed
under the Catchment and Land Protection
Act 1994 and NCCMA programs at the
landscape scale.
•
Coordinate pest plant and animal control
programs with adjoining landholders,
friends groups and volunteer groups
(sections 7.3 and 8.2).
•
Aim to keep numbers of rabbits and goats
at levels that minimise impacts on
susceptible vegetation communities and
monitor numbers/impacts to guide
management.
•
Continue the fox control program in the
park and review its effectiveness in
conjunction with threatened species
monitoring, in particular Brush-tailed
Phascogale and ground dwelling fauna.
•
Undertake feral cat control programs to
protect specific fauna.
•
Regularly observe vegetation communities
for signs of damage from introduced and
indigenous grazers. Monitor the impacts
on key flora species if necessary and take
any appropriate action (section 4.4).
•
Use control methods that avoid or
minimise disturbance to soil and impacts
on natural and cultural values (sections
4.1, 4.2, 4.3, 5.1 and 5.2).
•
Work with the relevant Registered
Aboriginal Party to ensure that Aboriginal
places and objects are not affected by
management activities (section 5.1).
Minimise the impact of control programs
on native flora and fauna.
Management strategies
• Target control programs on vigorous new
or emerging weeds before they become
established.
20
•
Kooyoora State Park
5
5.1
STRATEGIES FOR CULTURAL VALUES CONSERVATION
Indigenous cultural heritage
Indigenous tradition indicates that the park is
part of the Country of the Dja Dja Wurrung
language group. As part of Country, all
elements of the landscape are rich in meaning.
The park contains many cultural landscapes
and significant Aboriginal places and objects.
Previous surveys of the Indigenous cultural
places and landscapes in the Melville Caves
section centred on the Melville Caves Lookout
and on the Wehla block north of the LoganWehla Road identified numerous sites
(Edmonds 2003; Cekalovic 2003, 2004).
Aims
• Protect Aboriginal cultural heritage from
interference or damaging activities.
•
Respect the views of the Traditional
Owners in managing Aboriginal cultural
heritage.
Management strategies
• Protect Aboriginal cultural heritage from
disturbance and damage, in partnership
with the Registered Aboriginal Party and
in cooperation with DPCD (section 8.3),
and in accordance with:
Other surveys carried out by universities and
local people, focusing on Mt Kooyoora and
White Swan Mine areas (Halls 1983), have
also identified numerous sites which need to be
investigated further and recorded.
relevant legislation including the
Aboriginal Heritage Act
relevant cooperative management
agreements
All Aboriginal places, objects and Aboriginal
human remains are protected under the
Aboriginal Heritage Act (section 2.5). It is an
offence to damage, interfere with or endanger
an Aboriginal place, object or human remains
except in accordance with a Cultural Heritage
Management Plan developed with the relevant
Registered Aboriginal Party(s) or where there
is no Registered Aboriginal Party, with the
Department of Planning and Community
Development (DPCD).
the Guidelines for Working with
Aboriginal Communities and
Protection of Cultural Sites (Parks
Victoria 2002).
•
Facilitate the protection of Aboriginal
cultural heritage by developing a
memorandum of understanding with the
Registered Aboriginal Party.
•
Minimise the potential for impacts from
park management activities on Aboriginal
cultural heritage values by planning and
implementing annual works programs and
activities in conjunction with the relevant
Registered Aboriginal Party.
•
Maintain confidentiality in respect of
Indigenous cultural knowledge, places,
objects and aspirations, in accordance
with the views of the Traditional Owners
(sections 6.1 and 8.2).
•
Assess and identify Aboriginal cultural
heritage suitable for promotion and
interpretation, in collaboration with
Traditional Owners and in liaison with
AAV (sections 6.1 and 8.2).
•
Ensure that Aboriginal places are
adequately protected from fire protection
works (section 4.6).
Through Aboriginal Affairs Victoria (AAV),
DPCD is responsible for administering
legislation protecting cultural heritage.
Issues relating to the protection of Aboriginal
cultural heritage are approached in accordance
with this Act. Issues relating to native title are
dealt with according to the Native Title Act
(section 2.5). An application for a native title
determination covering the entire park was
entered on the Register of Native Title Claims
on 15 August 2000 (Reference Nos VC00/1,
V6001/00). Parks Victoria will take account of
the outcomes of this and any other native title
applications and amend this plan accordingly.
The Victorian Native Title Settlement
Framework addresses the process for making
and implementing agreements with the
Traditional Owners (section 2.5).
Kooyoora State Park
21
Strategies for cultural values conservation
5.2
Historic heritage
Kooyoora State Park contains a range of
cultural landscapes and places associated with
gold mining, bushrangers, forestry, early
settlement, crystal mining, sheep grazing,
apiculture and recreation (sections 2.3 and
4.1).
In June 1836 Surveyor-General Major Thomas
Mitchell arrived in the district and noted its
suitability for grazing, and squatters arrived
soon after. Four squatter runs once covered the
park: Glenalbyn, taken up in 1847, Brenanah
(1858), Coyuran Springs (1845) and Kingower
(1843).
The first recorded mine in the area opened in
1852 near Sunday Morning Hills, but it was
never disclosed whether gold was found. The
first major discovery of gold was in 1862 at
Kingower by Captain J.G. Mecheski. At one
point 5000 diggers were on the field, and the
largest nugget found weighed 90 pounds (40
kg).
The Royal Mail established a weekly mail
service to link Kyneton and Maryborough,
Kingower and Korong (present day
Wedderburn). The section of the service from
Dunolly to Korong ceased in 1862. The Cobb
& Co coaches ran daily from Inglewood to
Kingower and between Sandy Creek (present
day Tarnagulla) and Kingower. One of the well
used coach run routes is in the park.
A number of mining sites in the park,
including Union Reef Workings and sites
associated with the Cobb & Co coach runs, are
recorded on the Victorian Heritage Inventory,
and there are many more in the adjoining
private land and State forest.
In the 1850s, the bushranger Captain Melville
(Frank McCallum) reportedly camped in the
caves that bear his name, and stabled his horse
there.
In 1921, a deposit of quartz was being worked
near Mt Kooyoora on the White Swan claim.
On the northern slopes of the Kooyoora range,
umber and sienna were discovered, and Boys
& Evans erected a plant to treat the deposits. In
1934 the White Swan Mine was reopened to
extract quartz for graves. In 1943, the mine
became an open cut mine and crystal was
extracted for Amalgamated Wireless Australia
and used during WWII in radios. In 1944, the
22
mine was reportedly blasted closed to ensure
its safety.
The remains of a Chilean Mill, which was used
for commercial ochre crushing, can be seen
near the old Kingower township. This type of
mill was very rare and unusual for the
goldfields area (Bannear 1994), and the place
is listed on the Victorian Heritage Register.
In 1954 uranium was discovered near Mt
Kooyoora, but an assay from the deposit had
only one quarter of the yield required for
commercial exploitation.
There is one known burial ground in the park,
and the current Kingower cemetery abuts the
park. The records pertaining to the burial
ground in the park were lost during a fire in
1889.
Prior to reservation under the National Parks
Act in 1984, part of the area was managed by a
Committee of Management and parts were
managed by the Forests Commission. Stanley
Cato, Richard Donaldson and Cyril Medlyn
along with two forest officers, Bill McLeod
and Percy Sims, were the original members of
the committee, some of whom remained on the
committee for many years. Many local people
including a number of forest officers have
strong family links to the area.
Historic and cultural places are managed in
accordance with the Heritage Act 1995 (Vic.),
the Burra Charter of Australia ICOMOS
(Australia ICOMOS 1999), Parks Victoria’s
Heritage Management Strategy (Parks Victoria
2003a) and Victoria’s Heritage: Strengthening
our communities (DSE 2006b).
Aims
• Conserve and protect places and values of
historic and cultural significance.
•
Provide opportunities for people to learn
about and understand the heritage values
of the park.
•
Educate staff and the public on the value
of protection and management of places
and objects in the park.
Management strategies
• Document heritage values and record the
information in Parks Victoria’s
Kooyoora State Park
Strategies for cultural values conservation
information systems and report all new
sites to Heritage Victoria.
•
Record, research and retain historic place
names in the park.
•
Assess threats to significant heritage
places, including Melville Caves, Union
Reef Workings, Chilean Mill, Cobb & Co
well and White Swan Mine, and develop a
maintenance and works program. As a
priority:
•
stabilise and maintain Chilean Mill
assess the Cobb & Co well
maintain and interpret the original
burial ground (section 6.1).
Ensure that significant places are
adequately protected from fire protection
works (section 4.6).
Kooyoora State Park
•
Promote significant heritage values of the
park at Melville Caves picnic area, White
Swan Mine and Melville Caves Lookout,
while protecting their Indigenous and
other cultural significance.
•
Provide opportunities for research into
social history, technological change, past
land uses and their impact on the
environment or significance of particular
heritage places and values.
•
Support research into early settlement sites
and the history of the Kingower region,
including Cobb & Co and cemetery sites.
•
Acknowledge the work of the former
Committee of Management at the picnic
ground in interpretive material.
23
6
6.1
STRATEGIES FOR VISITORS
Information, interpretation and
education
Providing information, interpretation and
education can help orientate and inform
visitors, foster an understanding and
appreciation of the park’s special natural and
cultural values, build understanding of
management activities and help visitors to
experience, understand and appreciate the park
in a safe and appropriate manner. Parks
Victoria delivers information, interpretation
and education to visitors by various means,
including its website, ranger patrols, Park
Notes, signage, tourism brochures and other
publications, displays, and licensed tour
operators. These services may be developed
and provided in collaboration with other
agencies.
Although many of Victoria’s parks and
reserves play an integral role in the delivery of
nature-based tourism, the Box–Ironbark parks
are unlikely to become key destinations
themselves. However, Kooyoora State Park
could become a valuable complement to
existing regional tourism products. The
Goldfields Regional Tourism Development
Plan outlines the strategic, product and
infrastructure directions for the Goldfields
tourism region (Tourism Victoria 2004).
Kooyoora State Park is a regional focus for
many activities requiring a natural setting.
Picnicking and sightseeing are the major
visitor activities. The park is used extensively
by local and regional schools and universities
for camps and bush skills development.
Pre-visit information and promotion
Pre-visit information about Kooyoora State
Park is provided in a Park Note, on Parks
Victoria’s website, through Parks Victoria
offices at Inglewood, Maryborough and
Bendigo, the DPI office in St Arnaud and
Tourism Visitor Information Centres at St
Arnaud, Maryborough, Wedderburn and
Bendigo. Information is also provided at a
number of local community-run festivals held
throughout the year, on information stands at
local businesses, and via community networks
including recreation clubs.
24
Orientation
Kooyoora State Park consists of three main
sections: Melville Caves, Wehla and Sunday
Morning Hills/Glenalbyn (figure 2). The park
has multiple entry points, but the main
entrance to the park is off the Wedderburn–
Dunolly Road. The sealed entrance road
provides access to the main visitor sites of the
park: Melville Caves Picnic Area and Camp
Ground and Melville Caves Lookout.
Directional signs to the park are provided by
Loddon Shire and VicRoads, in consultation
with Parks Victoria. Parks Victoria provides
orientation information on signs at major
entrances to each block of the park.
Information shelters are located at the Melville
Caves Picnic Area and Camp Ground. These
shelters contain information that helps to
orientate the visitor and other information
about the park and its attractions.
Interpretation
The park has considerable potential for
interpretation of its varied and significant
geology, its rich Aboriginal cultural heritage,
and gold and post-settlement history and
diverse vegetation and fauna.
Interpretive activities are organised on request
for the community and school groups. In
addition an active Friends group conducts
numerous learning days in the park for the
general community. The local staff participate
in local community organised festivals.
Schools and community education
The park is extensively used for education by
schools and universities. Parks Victoria,
together with DSE and the North Central
CMA, has prepared a Box- Ironbark Education
Kit for schools. Park staff offer and participate
in various educational events such as ranger
talks and walks, tree-planting, and career days.
Parks Victoria is keen to build on its
partnerships with educational institutions and
other agencies that engage in environmental
education programs that relate to the park or
the values it contains (sections 8.2 and 8.3).
Services need to be well coordinated, and
Kooyoora State Park
Strategies for visitors
natural and cultural values messages must be
appropriate and consistent.
School and university groups from central
Victoria and Melbourne are the major visitors
to the park from autumn to spring (Parks
Victoria 2005b). The park is a key destination
for Year 8–10 students participating in the
Duke of Edinburgh Award program and for
camps focusing on bush skills and navigation.
The park also provides easily accessible base
camping. The average length of stay is two
nights and three days, and students take part in
activities such as overnight bushwalking, basic
abseiling and rock climbing, and nature
studies. Kooyoora State Park offers an
experience for these schools that is not
available elsewhere in the region.
park with the agreement of the Traditional
Owners (section 8.2).
•
In consultation with key community
interest and user groups, develop and
deliver visitor information, interpretation
and educational material relating to:
natural values, particularly rare and
threatened species and communities
(sections 4.4 and 4.5)
post-settlement cultural values, in
particular the Captain Melville story
and the former Committee of
Management (section 5.2)
management activities including fire
management
appropriate behaviour, including
minimal impact techniques and
adherence to codes of conduct
appropriate to activities, to protect
park values and maximise visitor
safety (section 6.13).
Aims
• Promote and encourage visitors’ discovery,
enjoyment and appreciation of the park’s
natural and cultural values in a safe and
appropriate manner through information,
interpretation and education.
•
Work closely with schools and universities
regarding access to and protection of
natural and cultural values of the park.
Maintain the information shelters at
Melville Caves Picnic Area and Camp
Ground.
•
Continue to work with Tourism Victoria to
ensure that park values feature
prominently in regional tourism strategies.
•
Provide visitors with face-to-face
interpretation of park values by rangers as
appropriate.
•
Maintain the Park Note with descriptions
of features of interest to encourage
exploration of the Park and identify and
promote a self-guided scenic drive.
•
Investigate developing interpretive signs
for Melville Caves Lookout and White
Swan Mine.
•
Develop a nature trail starting from the
Melville Caves Picnic Area with
interpretive signage for significant cultural
and natural features.
•
Continue to allow sustainable educational
use by school and community groups.
Ensure that school and formal interpretive
groups adopt the minimal impact
guidelines (section 6.5).
•
Encourage larger school and university
groups to use camping areas in the Sunday
•
•
Encourage public support for parks and
park management practices.
Management strategies
• Provide and support high-quality
opportunities for visitors to discover,
experience and understand the park’s
natural and cultural values. Target visitors
across a range of user groups through a
variety of tourism, information,
interpretive and education media.
•
•
Promote greater public understanding and
appreciation of and respect for Indigenous
culture by incorporating information about
Indigenous cultural knowledge, places and
objects in information, interpretation and
education programs in collaboration with
the Traditional Owners (sections 5.1 and
8.2).
Provide appropriate opportunities and
encourage and support Indigenous
businesses and communities to deliver and
participate in the interpretation of
Aboriginal cultural heritage relating to the
Kooyoora State Park
25
Strategies for visitors
Morning Hills/Glenalbyn section
(section 6.5).
•
Regularly evaluate information and
interpretive programs related to the park.
•
Promote Aboriginal cultural awareness
among recreational user groups,
particularly where there is potential for
adverse impacts on cultural values
(chapter 5).
6.2
Vehicle access
An extensive road network provides 2WD
access to the entire park (table 3). Each section
of the park is separated by sealed and unsealed
minor shire roads managed by Loddon Shire.
The main access to the park is off
Wedderburn-Dunolly Road along Melville
Caves Road, a sealed road leading to the
Melville Caves Picnic Area and Camp Ground
and the Melville Caves Lookout. This main
entrance road to the Melville Caves section
was constructed in the 1970s and is subject to
heavy traffic. All other roads in the park are
unsealed, and some are closed in winter for
visitor safety and to minimise impacts.
Within the park a well established and
extensive track network, consisting of roads
managed by the Loddon Shire and Parks
Victoria, provides access to park features,
private property inliers, as well as all areas of
the park for park and fire management
activities.
The road network in the park is used by
visitors, landowners accessing their properties,
people travelling between Inglewood and St
Arnaud and Wedderburn and Dunolly and for
management purposes. The main use of the
internal park road and track network by
visitors is for car touring, horse riding, walking
and access to scenic sites and park facilities.
Most visitor use of the road network is in the
Melville Caves section, in particular the main
sealed entrance road. A small number of
visitors access the other blocks but most use is
by through traffic and local landholders
accessing their properties.
required over many years to help reduce runoff and improve drainage across the area.
Aims
• Provide and maintain a sustainable
network of motor vehicle roads appropriate
for visitor use and management.
•
Minimise the impact of road and track
management on the park’s values.
•
Provide directional signage that is
adequate for the road use, to assist visitor
access and orientation.
Management strategies
• Manage and maintain roads for motor
vehicles in accordance with table 3 and
figure 3.
•
Maintain appropriate signage on all
vehicle access roads (section 6.1).
•
Ensure road maintenance works do not
damage natural or cultural values and
maintain machinery hygiene practices to
minimise possible introduction of pest
plants and diseases (section 4.7).
•
Continue to apply seasonal road closures
to protect park values and visitor safety
(table 3 and figure 3).
•
Maintain the sealed entrance road, reform
the car park and install an all weather
surface at Melville Caves Picnic Area.
•
Work with Loddon Shire to ensure that the
maintenance of vehicular roads through
the park is compatible with the protection
of the park’s natural and cultural values
(sections 4.1-4.5, 5.1 and 5.2).
•
Continue to work with clubs and peak
bodies for motorised recreational activities
and other agencies to promote safe and
responsible motoring practices in the park
(section 8.2).
•
Promote Four Wheel Drive Victoria’s
Code of Ethics for the use of 4WD
vehicles.
The car parks in the Melville Caves area are
constructed of the highly erodible soils of the
area (section 4.3). Ongoing works have been
26
Kooyoora State Park
Strategies for visitors
TABLE 3
ROAD / TRACK
MANAGEMENT OF VEHICLE ACCESS ROADS
PLANNED
CLASSIF’N
AND USE
ACTIONS/ COMMENTS
MELVILLE CAVES (MAIN) SECTION
Managed by Loddon Shire Council
Kingower–Brenanah Road
Minor unsealed road suitable for 2WD and 4WD vehicles. Road for
park and other access, two-laned.
Mt View Road
Minor unsealed road suitable for 2WD and 4WD vehicles. Provides
access from Wedderburn-Dunnolly Road to private property.
Managed by Parks Victoria
Aldridges Track
5D/M2
Seasonally closed, maintain dry-weather access. Road for visitor
and park access, single-laned.
Back Road
5D/M2
Seasonally closed, maintain dry-weather access. Road for visitor
and park access, single-laned.
Barrys Rock Road
5D/M2
Seasonally closed, maintain dry-weather access. Road for visitor
and park access, single-laned.
Bread and Butter Track
5C/M2
Road for visitor and park access, two-laned.
Breakneck Road
5D/M2
Seasonally closed, maintain dry-weather access. Road for visitor
and park access, single-laned.
Brigardt Track
5D/M2
Road for visitor and park access, single-laned.
Cemetery Track
5D/M2
Seasonally closed, maintain dry-weather access. Road for visitor
and park access, single-laned.
Crystal Mine Track
5D/M2
Road for visitor and park access, single-laned.
Eastern Road
5D/M2
Road for visitor and park access, single-laned.
Fire Access Track
5E/MV
Track for management access.
Gilmores Track
5D/M2
Road for visitor and park access, single-laned.
Kirwans Road
5D/M2
Seasonally closed, maintain dry-weather access. Road for visitor
and park access, single-laned.
Kneebone Track
5D/M2
Road for visitor and park access, single-laned.
Leachs Road
5E/MV
Track for management access.
Link Track
5D/M2
Road for visitor and park access, single-laned.
Melville Caves Road
5B/M2
Reseal at the picnic area. Road for visitor and park access, twolaned.
Mt Kooyoora Track
5D/MV
Track for management access, single-laned.
Mt View Road
5C/M2
Managed by PV from private property to Melville Caves Road.
Maintain all-weather access. Road for visitor and park access, twolaned.
Old Kingower Road
5D/M2
Road for visitor and park access, single-laned.
Oldis Track
5D/M2
Road for visitor and park access, single-laned.
Parsons Road
5D/M2
Road for visitor and park access, single-laned.
Western Road
5D/M2
Seasonally closed, maintain dry-weather access. Road for visitor
and park access, single-laned.
Kooyoora State Park
27
Strategies for visitors
Table 3 contd.
ROAD / TRACK
PLANNED
CLASSIF’N
AND USE
ACTIONS/ COMMENTS
SUNDAY MORNING HILLS/GLENALBYN SECTION
Managed by Loddon Shire Council
Bacon Track
Unsealed access track suitable for 2WD and 4WD vehicles.
Two-laned through access for private property and park.
Brenanah – Glenalbyn Road
Secondary sealed road suitable for 2WD and 4WD vehicles.
Two-laned through access for private property and park.
Brenanah – Kurting Road
Secondary sealed road suitable for 2WD and 4WD vehicles.
Two-laned through access for private property and park.
Managed by Parks Victoria
RINDERS BLOCK
Coffeys Track
5D/M2
Road for visitor and park access, single-laned.
Rinders Road
5D/M2
Road for visitor and park access, single-laned.
Centre Road
5D/M2
Road for visitor and park access, single-laned.
Evans Track
5D/M2
Passes through Eucalyptus Harvesting Area managed by DSE.
Road for visitor and park access, single-laned.
Forbes Creek Track
5D/M2
Road for visitor and park access, single-laned.
Ingrams Road
5D/M2
Road for visitor and park access, single-laned.
Pattersons Road
5D/M2
Road for visitor and park access, single-laned.
Ritas Road
5D/M2
Road for visitor and park access, single-laned.
Spiers Track
5D/M2
Road for visitor and park access, single-laned.
Spring Creek Road
5D/M2
Road for visitor and park access, single-laned.
Sunday Morning Hills
5D/M2
Continues through to Sunday Morning Hills block. Road for
visitor and park access, single-laned.
Torneys Track
5D/M2
Road for visitor and park access, single-laned.
5E/MV
Road for visitor and park access.
SUNDAY MORNING HILLS BLOCK
WEHLA SECTION
WEHLA HILL BLOCK
Wesley Track
WEHLA BLOCK
Managed by Loddon Shire Council
Bealiba Wehla Road
Secondary sealed road suitable for 2WD and 4WD vehicles.
Two-laned through access for private property and park.
Burkes Flat – Bealiba Road
Secondary sealed road suitable for 2WD and 4WD vehicles.
Provides two-laned through access for private property and
park
Burkes Flat – Mcintyre Road
Secondary sealed road suitable for 2WD and 4WD vehicles.
Minor unsealed Two-laned through access for private property
and park.
28
Kooyoora State Park
Strategies for visitors
Table 3 contd.
ROAD / TRACK
PLANNED
CLASSIF’N AND
USE
ACTIONS/ COMMENTS
Bookies Track
5D/M2
Road for visitor and park access, single-laned.
Boundary Track
5D/M2
Road for visitor and park access, single-laned.
Bourke Track
5D/M2
Road for visitor and park access, single-laned.
Butchers Track
5D/M2
Road for visitor and park access, single-laned.
Charcoal Track
5D/M2
Road for visitor and park access, single-laned.
Devil Range Track
5D/M2
Road for visitor and park access, single-laned.
Dick’s Corner Track
5D/M2
Road for visitor and park access, single-laned.
Eagles Nest Track
5D/M2
Road for visitor and park access, single-laned.
Forkeys Track
5D/M2
Road for visitor and park access, single-laned.
Grassy Flat Track
5D/M2
Road for visitor and park access, single-laned.
Greys Track
5D/M2
Road for visitor and park access, single-laned.
Holts Track
5D/M2
Road for visitor and park access, single-laned.
Horehound Road
5D/M2
Road for visitor and park access, single-laned.
Jordan Road
5D/M2
Road for visitor and park access, single-laned.
Kilns Track
5D/M2
Road for visitor and park access, single-laned.
Laycock Track
5D/M2
Road for visitor and park access, single-laned.
Lunatic Gully Track
5D/M2
Road for visitor and park access, single-laned.
Mail Robbery Track
5D/M2
Road for visitor and park access, single-laned.
Martins Lane
5D/M2
Road for visitor and park access, single-laned.
Morrisons Track
5D/M2
Road for visitor and park access, single-laned.
Murrays Road
5D/M2
Road for visitor and park access, single-laned.
O’Briens Dam Road
5D/M2
Road for visitor and park access, single-laned.
Paddock Track
5D/M2
Road for visitor and park access, single-laned.
Perrys Track
5D/M2
Road for visitor and park access, single-laned.
Red Dam Track
5D/M2
Road for visitor and park access, single-laned.
Rhondas Track
5D/M2
Road for visitor and park access, single-laned.
Richies Track
5D/M2
Road for visitor and park access, single-laned.
Ricks Track
5D/M2
Road for visitor and park access, single-laned.
Rogers Track
5D/M2
Road for visitor and park access, single-laned.
Short Track
5D/M2
Road for visitor and park access, single-laned.
Stephensons Track
5D/M2
Road for visitor and park access, single-laned.
Tannocks Track
5D/M2
Road for visitor and park access, single-laned.
Tin Hut Road
5D/M2
Road for visitor and park access, single-laned.
Webbs Lane
5D/M2
Road for visitor and park access, single-laned.
White Box Track
5D/M2
Road for visitor and park access, single-laned.
Managed by Parks Victoria
Kooyoora State Park
29
Strategies for visitors
KEY
* Seasonal road closure commencing after Queen’s Birthday weekend in June until the last weekend in October.
Parks Victoria Road Classification:
5B
Secondary Road—all weather, two-laned formed
and gravelled, or single lane sealed with gravel
shoulders.
5C
Minor Road—single lane, unsealed, formed road
usually lightly gravelled.
5D
Access Track—single lane, dry weather formed
(from natural materials).
5E
Rough Track—Single lane, unformed earth track
at or near the natural surface.
6.3
Visitor site activities
Kooyoora State Park is renowned for the
Melville Caves Lookout area and picnic
ground located in the Melville Caves section of
the park. This area has been a key destination
for over 100 years. The attractions in this area
are linked by a walking track, which was
upgraded in 2006 (section 6.4).
The Melville Caves Picnic Area is the key
visitor site in the park. There are several
fireplaces, two septic toilet blocks, a picnic
shelter, rubbish bins and a substantial car
parking area. The Melville Caves Camp
Ground was relocated from the picnic ground
to its current site in 1996. Since this time the
number of school groups and overnight visitors
has increased greatly and the facilities at the
camp ground no longer meet the needs or
expectations of visitors. The camp ground has
one self-composting toilet with two cubicles,
and a number of solid fuel fireplaces.
There is a basic camp ground in the Glenalbyn
block of the Sunday Morning Hills/Glenalbyn
section. This is a key site for self-contained
group camping.
The Melville Caves section of the park is used
regularly for dispersed bush camping, in
particular around the Mount Kooyoora area.
This is a key visitor site in the district and is
heavily used by schools, universities and day
visitors, for day walks and overnight camping.
There are no formal tracks or facilities other
than the lookout on or at Mt Kooyoora. The
impact of visitors needs to be carefully
monitored in this area to protect significant
natural and cultural values.
30
Motor vehicle use:
M2
Visitors in 2WD motor vehicles
MV
Management vehicles
Other uses:
Bicycling/Mountain bike riding, walking and horse riding is
permitted on all vehicle tracks and roads excluding
management vehicle tracks.
In the past solid fuel fireplaces have been
provided at both the picnic area and camp
ground. With increased visitor usage of the
area the collection and burning of firewood is
having an adverse effect on the surrounding
vegetation and causing concern among visitors
and staff (Raulings 2006). To reduce the
impact of firewood collection on habitat
values, firewood collection will no longer be
permitted in the park, the number of solid fuel
fire places will be reduced and replaced with
communal fireplaces or alternative barbeque
facilities.
Drinking water is not supplied or available in
the park and visitors need to bring their own
drinking water.
There are four lookouts in the park. The
Melville Caves Lookout is accessible from the
upper car park via a short walking track. There
are a number of walking tracks to key scenic
features throughout the Melville Caves section
(section 6.4). Mt Brenanah Lookout, the main
visitor site in the Sunday Morning
Hills/Glenalbyn section, is accessible via a
short 150-metre walking track (table 4).
Aim
• Establish and maintain visitor facilities that
enhance visitor enjoyment and are
consistent with the protection of park
values.
Management strategies
• Maintain and improve visitor facilities in
accordance with table 4 and figure 3.
Kooyoora State Park
Strategies for visitors
TABLE 4
SITE
CURRENT AND PLANNED RECREATION FACILITIES
CURRENT/
PLANNED LOS
TOILET
PICNIC PICNIC
FIRE
PARK
TABLE SHELTER PLACE / INFO
BBQS
LOOK
OUT
CAR
PARK
Melville Caves Camp Ground
Mid/Mid
U
U
-
U
E
-
U
Glenalbyn Camp Ground
Very basic/Very basic -
-
-
P
-
-
E
Melville Caves Picnic Area
Mid/High
U
U
E
U
E
-
U
Melville Caves Lookout
Basic/Basic
-
E
-
-
-
E
-
Eastern Car Park
Very basic/Very basic -
-
-
-
-
-
E
Southern Lookout
Very basic/Very basic -
-
-
-
-
E
-
McLeods Lookout
Very basic/Very basic -
-
-
-
-
E
-
Mt Brenanah Lookout
Very basic/Very basic -
-
-
-
-
E
E
The Courtyard
Basic/Basic
-
-
-
-
-
-
E
White Swan Mine
Basic/Basic
-
-
-
-
P
-
E
Melville Caves Lookout Car
Park
Basic/Basic
-
U
-
-
P
Mt Kooyoora
Very basic/Very basic -
-
-
-
-
CAMP SITES
DAY VISIT
KEY
LOS Levels of service:
High
high level of visitor facilities and amenities provided
Mid
moderate levels of visitor facilities and amenities provided
Basic
limited visitor facilities and amenities provided
Very basic little or no facilities provided
•
•
•
Promote Melville Caves Picnic Area and
Camp Ground as the principal visitor sites
in the park subject to the protection of the
integrity of these cultural sites. Protect the
cultural integrity at other visitor sites in
particular The Courtyard and Mt
Kooyoora (sections 4.4, 4.5, 5.1 and 5.2).
Upgrade toilets and other facilities and
road access at Melville Caves Picnic Area
and Camp Ground in accordance with
tables 4 and 5.
Investigate alternative barbecue facilities
to replace the existing solid fuel fireplaces
and if appropriate install communal gas
barbecues at Melville Caves Picnic Area
as a trial.
Kooyoora State Park
E
E
-
Facilities:
E
existing facility
U
upgrade existing facility
P
provide facility
no facility
•
Permit solid fuel campfires in provided
fireplaces at Melville Caves Picnic Area,
Melville Caves Camp Ground and
Glenalbyn Camp Ground.
•
Install two communal fireplaces in the
Melville Caves Camp Ground and
advertise the need for visitors to bring
their own firewood (section 6.5).
•
Encourage and permit the use of
commercial appliances such as portable
gas and liquid fuel barbecues as an
alternative to solid fuel fires except in the
Reference Areas.
•
Remove all rubbish bins from the Melville
Caves Picnic Area and Camp Ground and
31
Strategies for visitors
promote the ‘leave no trace’ philosophy
among visitors.
•
•
6.4
In consultation with key community
interest and user groups, develop and
deliver visitor information, interpretation
and educational material relating to
changes in firewood collection (section
6.1).
Encourage continued community
participation in revegetation projects at
Melville Caves Picnic Area and Camp
Ground and other visitor sites (section
8.2).
Bush walking
The layout of the park and adjoining forest
lends itself to longer self-guided overnight
walks linking the goldfields of the area such as
Inglewood, Kingower and Moliagul.
There are nine designated walking tracks in the
park, all in the Melville Caves section.
However, the extensive road network and low
levels of traffic make walking safe on many of
the tracks in all sections of the park. The
openness of the vegetation suits off-track bush
walking, which is popular with the many
school groups and also locals. The Federation
of Victorian Walking Clubs’ Tread Softly
brochure outlines minimal impact practices for
bushwalking (FVWC 2003).
The White Swan Mine Walk is a short 150 m
walk along a management track from the car
park.
There is no sign posting on the walking track
to Mt Kooyoora, and a number of informal
tracks lead to the summit from the White Swan
Mine area. There is an informal track to the
Courtyard area (section 6.11) from the car park
on Kirwans Road. These informal track
networks could cause erosion and
fragmentation of the vegetation. Upgrading
walking track signage throughout the park and
redefining some tracks, in particular the track
to Mt Kooyoora, will make the walking track
network more accessible for visitors and
prevent incremental impacts of the park (table
5).
Aim
• Provide for a variety of short and long
distance walking experiences while
minimising impacts on park values and
other park visitors.
Management strategies
• Continue to promote walking to and in the
park and maintain and improve the
walking track network as detailed in table
5.
•
Monitor walking tracks for signs of
erosion, ensure construction and
maintenance works do not damage natural
or cultural values and take action if
impacts become unacceptable (sections
4.1–4.5, 5.1 and 5.2).
•
Promote FVWC’s Tread Softly minimal
impact practices.
The main walking track is the loop track to
Melville Caves Lookout from the picnic
ground. Because of the nature of the terrain
and traffic flow, this track requires constant
maintenance.
Also leading from the picnic area is the
Southern Lookout Walking Track and Long
Rock Track. Long Rock Track can also be
accessed from the Melville Caves Camp
Ground, as can McLeods Lookout Walking
Track.
The Eastern Walking Track is a loop track
which leads off from Back Road. The Friends
of Kooyoora are assisting with work to link
this track with other tracks and to the camp
ground.
32
6.5
Camping
Camping is a popular activity in the park, as
identified by ranger patrol records and
community observations. The park currently
provides visitors with a range of camping
options, from more remote walk-in camping to
vehicle-based camping for large groups in the
Melville Caves Camp Ground.
Kooyoora State Park
Strategies for visitors
TABLE 5
WALKING TRACK
LENGTH
MANAGEMENT OF WALKING TRACKS*
PLANNED
GRADE
ACTIONS/COMMENTS
(KM)
Melville Caves Lookout
0.3
3
Provide signage.
Starts from the Melville Caves Lookout Car Park.
Melville Caves Walking Track
1.0
3
Provide signage.
Starts from Melville Caves Picnic Area.
Long Rock Walking Track
5.3
4
Provide signage and realign where necessary.
Loop track connecting the picnic and camp ground.
McLeods Lookout Walking
Track
0.5
3
Provide signage.
Starts from Melville Caves Camp Ground.
Eastern Walking Track
4.5
3
Provide interpretive signage. Construct a track linking to
the Melville Caves Camp Ground.
Southern Lookout Walking
Track
0.6
3
Provide signage.
Mt Brenanah Lookout walk
0.2
3
Provide signage.
White Swan Mine Walk
0.2
3
Provide signage.
Mt Kooyoora Walk
1.2
4
Provide signage. Upgrade to grade 4, define track and
monitor impacts of track on vegetation.
* Cycling, mountain bike riding and horse riding not permitted.
KEY
Australian Standards Classification for walking tracks (AS 2156.1—2001)
Grade 3 For visitors to walk in slightly disturbed natural environments, requiring moderate levels of fitness with
occasional encounters and perhaps signage—interpretation and facilities are not common.
Grade 4 For visitors to explore and discover relatively undisturbed natural environments along defined and distinct tracks
with few encounters and no interpretive signage.
Grade 5 For visitors with advanced outdoor knowledge and skills to find their way along often-indistinct trails to remote
locations with frequent opportunities for solitude and few encounters.
The Melville Caves Camp Ground is the only
camp ground in the park with toilets, picnic
tables and fireplaces. This site caters for both
independent visitors and school groups. The
area is able to cater for tents, campervans and
caravans. Defined camping is also encouraged
at Glenalbyn Camp Ground, Sunday Morning
Hills/Glenalbyn section and the quarry in State
Forest adjoining the Melville Caves section.
Dispersed walk-in camping (i.e. without
vehicles) is allowed throughout the park except
in Kooyoora and Kingower Reference Areas.
Dispersed vehicle-based camping is allowed
throughout the Wehla and Sunday Morning
Hills/Glenalbyn sections of the park.
School groups often camp for one to three
nights in the park. They use both the Melville
Caves Camp Ground and dispersed walk-in
Kooyoora State Park
camping throughout the Melville Caves
section, in particular around Mt Kooyoora.
Campfires may be lit only in the constructed
fireplaces at Melville Caves Picnic Area,
Melville Caves Camp Ground and Glenalbyn
Camp Ground (section 6.3).
Commercial appliances such as gas and liquid
fuel stoves may be used throughout most of the
park in accordance with fire regulations
throughout the year.
The area around Melville Caves Camp Ground
has become depleted of woody debris on the
ground due to overuse by visitors in fireplaces.
Loss of coarse woody debris is listed as a
potentially threatening process under the FFG
Act and recognised as a factor contributing to
the loss of biodiversity in Australian
woodlands. To help minimise impacts on
33
Strategies for visitors
habitat values (section 4.5) collection of
firewood will no longer be permitted in the
park and visitors will need to bring their own
firewood from outside the park if they wish to
have solid fuel fires. In the past firewood from
the adjoining State forest was provided for
visitors, however this is no longer possible due
to changes in forest utilisation.
Aim
• Provide opportunities for a range of
camping experiences consistent with the
protection of park values.
Management strategies
• Maintain camping sites and facilities as
detailed in table 4.
•
Permit dispersed walk-in camping
throughout the park except in Kooyoora
and Kingower Reference Areas (section
3.3).
•
Permit vehicle-based dispersed camping
throughout the Wehla and Sunday
Morning Hills/Glenalbyn sections of the
park.
•
Encourage camping at the Glenalbyn
Camp Ground for self-sufficient groups,
and dispersed camping in the Sunday
Morning Hills/Glenalbyn section for
larger school and university groups.
•
Redesign and upgrade the Melville Caves
Camp Ground to cater for all users
(section 6.3) and promote it as the
principal camping site for the park.
•
In consultation with key community
interest and user groups, develop and
deliver visitor information, interpretation
and educational material including the
need for visitors to bring their own
firewood and drinking water.
•
Promote the use of camping at sites
adjoining the park, including Back Road.
6.6
Cycling and mountain bike riding
Cycling and mountain bike riding are not
major activities in the park.
A number of cycling events run by local clubs
finish in the park at the Melville Caves Picnic
Area, but impacts have been minimal as few
34
riders use the roads in the park and the events
are managed under permit (section 7.2).
Off-road cycling is not permitted, as it can
threaten natural and cultural values by
damaging vegetation and soils, with resulting
fragmentation and soil erosion.
The Outdoor Recreation Centre Adventure
Activity Codes provides guidelines to help
riders protect park values and avoid conflict
with other visitors (ORC 2005a).
Aim
• Provide for cycling while minimising
environmental damage and conflict with
other users of the park.
Management strategies
• Permit cycling and mountain bike riding
on roads and tracks as shown on table 3
and figure 3. Continue to prohibit cycling
on management vehicle only tracks and
walking tracks.
•
Promote the ‘Mountain Biking Code’,
integrate minimal-impact messages into
park information and interpretation, and
encourage bike riders to adhere to the
code (section 6.1).
•
Educate and encourage cyclists to enjoy
legal, safe and sustainable cycling through
signage and provision of appropriate
information such as the Mountain Biking
Adventure Activity Standards (ORC
2005a).
6.7
Domestic dogs
Dogs are generally not permitted in State parks
because they can have adverse impacts on
birds and other fauna, and their presence, scent
and noise may disturb fauna and prevent
foraging in some areas where dogs have been.
Dogs can also intimidate and annoy other
visitors with their behaviour and droppings.
However, many visitors and campers come to
the park with their dogs because it remains one
of the few parks in the area where this activity
has been permitted.
Dogs on leads will continue to be permitted in
the park only at the Melville Caves Picnic
Area, Camp Ground and on Melville Caves
Road. Should impacts on fauna or visitors
become obvious, this access will be reviewed
Kooyoora State Park
Strategies for visitors
and dogs may be restricted from entering the
park in the future.
Dog-sledding by groups including competitors
from interstate, has taken place in the
Glenalbyn block of the park in the past. This
activity may continue to be permitted
consistent with Parks Victoria policy and
subject to event permit conditions
(section 7.2).
Aim
• Protect park values and avoid conflicts
with the activities of other park users.
Management strategies
• Allow dogs on lead in the park only at the
Melville Caves Picnic Area, Melville
Caves Camp Ground and on Melville
Caves Road.
•
6.8
Monitor the impacts of dogs on park fauna
and visitors and if impacts become evident,
review and modify access where
necessary.
Horse riding
Horse riding by local individuals and groups is
a popular activity on the park’s roads and
tracks.
Management strategies
• Permit horse riding on all roads open to
public vehicles as shown in table 3 and
figure 3. Do not permit riding on
management vehicle tracks or walking
tracks or camping with horses in the park.
•
Encourage horse riders to adopt minimal
impact practices and encourage adherence
to the ‘Horse Riding Code’ (Parks Victoria
2006a).
•
Ensure event permits are obtained for
organised group rides through the park.
•
Monitor the impact of horses on tracks
through the road maintenance program
(section 6.2) and repair or review and
alter access where necessary.
6.9
Orienteering and rogaining
The World Orienteering Championships were
held in the park in 1985 and again in 2002.
Several State-level competitions have also
been held in the park, focusing on the granitic
areas of the Melville Caves section.
Orienteering and rogaining events have the
potential to impact on the highly erodible soils
and the natural and cultural values of the park
and are managed under a permit.
Horse riding in large groups can conflict with
other visitor activities and result in damage to
tracks, accelerated soil erosion and the
introduction and spread of weeds.
Aim
• Permit orienteering and rogaining while
minimising the impact on park values.
To reduce the potential impact of horses,
camping with horses is not permitted in the
park. Camping with horses is permitted in
adjacent State Forest.
Management strategies
• Allow orienteering and rogaining
throughout the park, except for Kooyoora
and Kingower Reference Areas, through
the issue of event permits in accordance
with Parks Victoria’s operational policies.
The ‘Horse Riding Code’ (Parks Victoria
2006a) and the Outdoor Recreation Centre
Adventure Activity Codes (ORC 2005b)
provides guidelines to help riders protect the
park’s values and avoid conflict with other
visitors.
Incorporated groups of horse riders require a
permit prior to an event being held in the park.
Aim
• Provide opportunities for horse riding
while minimising impacts on park values
and conflicts with the activities of other
park users.
Kooyoora State Park
•
Work with event organisers/representative
organisations to identify and protect
sensitive values or features in proposed
event areas (sections 4.1-4.5, 5.1, 5.2 and
8.2).
•
Apply a set of standard conditions to
events with provision for additional special
conditions to address individual situations.
•
Monitor the impacts of orienteering and
rogaining and exclude access to sensitive
areas and to other areas if impacts become
evident.
35
Strategies for visitors
6.10
Prospecting
Prospecting activities maintain a strong link
with the park’s history of gold discovery and
gold mining heritage (section 5.2).
Parks Victoria seeks to manage prospecting, in
cooperation with prospecting clubs and
organisations, in a manner that protects the
natural and cultural values of the park.
in areas covered by the Land Use
Designation – Prospecting overlay
(table 1 and figure 2)
subject to prospectors holding a
current Miners Right or operating
under Tourist Fossicking Authority.
•
Encourage prospectors to adhere to the
Prospecting Guide.
In Victoria, searching for minerals is managed
primarily under the provisions of the Mineral
Resources (Sustainable Development) Act
1990 (Vic.), which requires that a prospector
holds a Miners Right or Tourist Fossicking
Authority. Prospecting under such authorities
is conditional on the protection of vegetation
and repair of any damage to the land, including
backfilling holes on the same day, and is
limited to the use of non-mechanical hand
tools. Prospectors generally use a metal
detector, shovel, mattock or similar implement,
or a pan.
•
Monitor the impacts of prospecting on the
cultural and natural values of the park,
and work with prospecting groups to
develop and implement solutions to
address existing or potential adverse
impacts of prospecting (sections 4.1–4.5,
5.1, 5.2, 6.1 and 8.2).
•
Review the area available for prospecting
if impacts become unacceptable or there is
new information about vulnerable natural
or cultural values (sections 4.1–4.5, 5.1
and 5.2).
A Prospecting Guide has been developed by
Parks Victoria, the Prospectors and Miners
Association of Victoria (PMAV), the Victorian
Gem Clubs Association and the Victorian
Government. The guide provides information
about prospecting, including PMAV’s Code of
Conduct for this activity. Information networks
used by prospectors include meetings and
newsletters of the PMAV and other
prospecting clubs, as well as equipment
suppliers and websites. Information about
prospecting and park values can be made
available to prospectors through these
networks (section 6.1).
6.11
Treasure hunting — the search for
archaeological relics (coins, bottles, etc.) — is
not permitted in the park. The disturbance or
removal of archaeological relics and sites
without the approval of the Executive Director
of Heritage Victoria is an offence under the
Heritage Act.
Aim
• Provide opportunities for prospecting in
the park while minimising impacts on
significant natural and cultural values and
other visitors.
Management strategies
• Permit prospecting in the park:
36
Rock climbing and abseiling
The three main rock climbing and abseiling
areas are the Melville Caves area, Mt
Kooyoora and the Courtyard (near the White
Swan Mine). They offer basic level of
difficulty climbs that are used by many of the
schools and university groups. All three areas
have significant cultural, natural and scenic
values that need to be protected and
maintained (sections 4.1–4.5).
The possible presence of Peregrine Falcon
nesting sites in the Mt Kooyoora area must be
taken into account in the management of rock
climbing in the park. Peregrine Falcons nest on
rocky outcrops, and climbing near nesting sites
could disturb adult birds and interfere with
breeding (section 4.5).
There are no formal access tracks to the climbs
in the Courtyard and Mt Kooyoora sites
informal tracks used by groups need to be
monitored for erosion and damage to
vegetation in these areas.
Other deleterious impacts that can occur
through rock climbing and abseiling result
from the use of chalk, wire brushing, removal
of mosses and other vegetation, and the use of
trees as lowering off or anchoring points. The
use of fixed anchor points is discouraged under
Parks Victoria operational policies.
Kooyoora State Park
Strategies for visitors
Aim
• Provide opportunities for rock climbing
and abseiling in the park while minimising
the impact of these activities on other park
values.
Management strategies
• Permit rock climbing and abseiling in the
Melville Caves section of the park in
accordance with Parks Victoria’s
operational policy.
•
Monitor the use and impact of climbing
and abseiling, particularly on Peregrine
Falcon nesting habitat, the geologically
significant Melville Caves area and
landscape values.
•
In conjunction with local climbing groups,
close areas containing known Peregrine
Falcon nests from August to December if
breeding pairs are present.
•
Investigate the management of access to
rock-climbing sites in collaboration with
schools, universities, local climbing
groups and the Victorian Climbing Club.
•
Promote the use of minimal-impact and
‘clean’ rock climbing techniques to visitors
and climbers.
•
Prohibit the use of wire brushing while
climbing and the development of new
climbing routes. The placement of
additional permanently placed climbing
protection will only be conducted in
liaison with Parks Victoria.
climbing and abseiling and cultural heritage
tours.
Licensed tour operators facilitate access for
visitors who may not otherwise have the
opportunity to visit the park. They also help to
promote park values and appropriate use, and
encourage appropriate tourism and recreation.
Because of the number and significance of
cultural and natural values in the park, licensed
tour operators are required to liaise with park
rangers in the design of their tours in the park.
Aim
• Provide opportunities for and encourage
provision for external tourism services
while minimising impacts on natural and
cultural values of the park.
Management strategies
• Encourage licensed tour operators to
develop and deliver guided tours that
enhance the park experience of visitors
(sections 6.1 and 8.2).
•
Encourage licensed Indigenous tour
operators to add to the tourism experience
in the park by developing and delivering
interpretive and educational tours on
Indigenous culture and history
(section 5.1).
•
Ensure that licensed tour operators
intending to use or interpret Indigenous
heritage or places have approval from the
relevant Registered Aboriginal Party.
•
Monitor the location and condition of any
existing bolts through liaison with Parks
Victoria, local climbing groups and the
Victorian Climbing Club.
•
Ensure that all tour operators working in
the park are licensed and promote
awareness of Adventure Activity Standards
and Minimal Impact Guidelines.
•
Encourage volunteer support from
climbing groups to assist with maintenance
of the climbs and access tracks
(section 8.2).
•
Liaise with licensed tour operators to
provide information and advice on
appropriate activities and on the park’s
natural and cultural values.
6.12
Tourism services
The geological, cultural and natural values of
the park present attractive opportunities for
commercial tourism operations. Eight licensed
tour operators currently undertake activities in
the park. These activities include prospecting,
bushwalking, overnight camping, rock
Kooyoora State Park
6.13
Public safety
The geological features, past mining sites and
topography of the park present inherent risks to
visitors. Wildfire is also a potential hazard in
the drier months of the year. Visitors need to
be aware of safety risks to ensure that they
enjoy a safe visit. Public information and
education programs are one of the most
37
Strategies for visitors
effective ways to promote safety (section 6.1).
Safety messages are presented to visitors
through signs, Park Notes, the Parks Victoria
website, ranger patrols and relevant activity
standards.
Improvements were made to the safety of the
main lookouts in the Melville Caves section of
the park in 2005.
Parks Victoria is not the lead agency for most
emergency response situations, but provides a
support role for emergency incidents where
required.
Various agencies respond to incidents in the
park in accordance with the Loddon Shire’s
Municipal Emergency Response Plan (Loddon
Shire 2006). Parks Victoria’s response to
emergency incidents during normal operating
activities in the park is guided by the Western
Goldfields Emergency Management Plan
(Parks Victoria 2006b).
Management strategies
• Increase visitors’ awareness of safety
issues and potential hazards in the park
through Park Notes, Parks Victoria’s
website and signs (section 6.1).
•
Provide and maintain safety and
information signs at key locations in the
park, including Melville Caves Picnic Area
and Camp Ground (section 6.1).
•
Update the Emergency Management Plan
for the park, and ensure staff and licensed
tour operators are aware of the plan.
•
Cooperate with and support responsible
agencies in emergency response and
ensure that Parks Victoria staff have
adequate levels of training in emergency
procedures.
•
Liaise with Loddon Shire Council to
ensure that the Municipal Emergency
Response Plan makes adequate provision
for likely incidents in the park
(section 8.3).
•
Audit identified risks and hazards in the
park on an annual basis.
The Bendigo Fire District, Fire Protection Plan
(DSE 2003a) provides strategic guidance for
fire protection in the park (section 4.6).
Aims
• Promote visitor safety and awareness of
safety issues and risks in the park
associated with access and use.
•
38
Promote and observe safe practices, and
cooperate with emergency services.
Kooyoora State Park
7
7.1
STRATEGIES FOR AUTHORISED AND ADJACENT USES
Infrastructure and private
occupancies
A number of uses and activities may be
permitted in the park subject to specified
conditions to minimise impacts on the park,
visitors and other users.
Infrastructure
A fire lookout tower is located on the summit
of Mt Brenanah in the Sunday Mornings
Hills/Glenalbyn section of the park. This tower
is classed as a secondary tower and is managed
and operated by DSE on days of Very High to
Extreme fire danger. The tower is in a fenced
area (less than one hectare) that is not open to
the public.
An underground telecommunications cable
runs between Wedderburn–Logan Road and
Kangderaar Winery, in the Melville Caves
section.
Apiculture
The park has been used for honey production
since early settlement. When the park was
expanded in 2002 there were 24 apiary sites
throughout the park. Permits for their use are
issued under Section 21 of the National Parks
Act.
Because of the creation of the Kingower
Reference Area (ECC 2001) (section 1.2), six
sites in the Reference Area or within 2 km of
the boundary need to be relocated to other
areas of public land.
the Minister to consent to mining taken place
under strict circumstance and specifications.
Consents include detailed conditions relating
to the protection of park values. Parks Victoria
will work with companies, DPI and DSE in
developing work plans to ensure future
explorations and mining are consistent with the
objectives of the National Parks Act.
Exploration and mining licences may only be
granted with Ministerial consent and tabling in
parliament. There are no current licences for
mining in Kooyoora State Park.
Aim
• Manage authorised occupancies and
activities in accordance with the National
Parks Act and the Reference Area Act, and
minimise their impacts on park values.
Management strategies
• Allow appropriate occupancies and
activities to continue in accordance with
authorisations that are consistent with
legislation, and include conditions that
effectively minimise impacts on the park.
•
Continue to allow apiculture at up to 18
sites in the park, except in the Kooyoora
and Kingower Reference Areas and
associated buffers in accordance with the
government-accepted ECC
recommendations and Parks Victoria’s
operational policies.
•
Work with licence holders and DSE to
relocate apiary sites in the Kingower
Reference Area or in the reference area
buffer to alternate suitable areas of public
land.
•
Ensure that any earth resources activities
are carried out in accordance with
relevant consents under Section 40 of the
National Parks Act.
•
Monitor any earth resources activities, and
liaise with companies carrying out such
activities, to ensure that consent conditions
are observed, and review conditions as
necessary to meet the park management
objectives.
Park managers work with apiarists to minimise
impacts from management activities on their
sites and give appropriate notifications to
apiarists if their activities could be affected.
Earth resources
Exploration and mining activities are
conducted under the provisions of the Mineral
Resources (Sustainable Development) Act
1990 (Vic.) and Section 40 of the National
Parks Act.
Exploration licences administered by the
Department of Primary Industries (DPI) under
Section 40 of the National Parks Act cover
areas of the park. Section 40 of the Act allows
Kooyoora State Park
39
Strategies for authorised and adjacent uses
7.2
Occasional uses
•
Permit dog sledding events in the
Glenalbyn block only, subject to dogs
being on lead at all times, review of the
impacts of previous events and the issue of
an event permit consistent with Parks
Victoria operational policies.
•
Manage commercial filming and
photography in accordance with Parks
Victoria’s operational policies.
Kooyoora State Park provides a venue for a
variety for events, including concerts,
weddings and club events which are managed
by permit to minimise impacts.
Groups and individuals organising such
activities, or commercial activities such as
filming and photography conducted as part of a
trade or business, must obtain a permit before
the activity occurs. Amateur photography or
filming for personal or hobby interest does not
require a permit.
Dog sledding events by local and interstate
groups have taken place in the Glenalbyn
block since 1999. This activity is managed
through the issue of an event permit which
includes conditions to minimise the impact on
the parks natural and cultural values as well as
minimise conflict with other park users.
Research and monitoring planned in the park
by external organisations or individuals require
a research permit under the National Parks Act,
issued by DSE.
Aim
• Manage authorised uses in accordance
with the National Parks Act, and minimise
their impacts on park values.
Management strategies
• Permit events and functions that:
•
•
40
have acceptable environmental
impacts
do not damage cultural values of the
park
do not unduly disturb or disadvantage
other visitors
do not unduly increase liability risk
exposure
can be appropriately managed with
available resources.
Ensure that the Registered Aboriginal
Party is consulted and involved in the
planning of authorised events.
Favour events and functions that provide
community benefits or complement park
values.
7.3
Park boundaries and adjacent
uses
The park comprises three management sections
which are made up of six blocks, all of which
are separated by private property (figure 3).
The Melville Caves section is surrounded by
private property which is mostly cleared
grazing land, with some bush blocks adjoining
the north-west and vineyards on the south-east
corner near the Kingower township. There are
two inlier properties in this block; one is
cleared grazing land with some remnant
vegetation, and the other is a residential
property and vineyard.
The Sunday Morning Hills/Glenalbyn section
comprises the Renders, Sunday Morning Hills
and Glenalbyn blocks, which are mostly
surrounded by cleared grazing land. The
eastern edge of the Sunday Morning Hills
block adjoins State forest. The Glenalbyn
block adjoins a eucalyptus oil harvesting area
in State forest, which is managed by DSE.
The Wehla section comprises two blocks, one
north of Inglewood–Logan Road and one to
the south. The northern block is surrounded by
vegetated bush blocks and cleared grazing
land. The eastern and western boundaries of
the southern block abut cleared grazing land
and the southern boundary adjoins State forest.
There are two inliers in this section, both
cleared grazing land.
Each section of the park is further fragmented
by numerous sealed and unsealed shire roads,
in particular Wedderburn–Dunolly Road and
Inglewood–Logan Road.
Land use and development on land
surrounding the park is regulated by the
Loddon Shire Council through the Loddon
Shire Planning Scheme. Land surrounding the
park is zoned Rural Use. A number of overlays
apply to land adjoining the park, including a
Kooyoora State Park
Strategies for authorised and adjacent uses
vegetation protection overlay, wildfire
management overlay, heritage overlay and
salinity management overlay.
Parks Victoria and neighbouring land
managers have a range of land management
issues in common. These include, in particular,
conservation, pest plants and animal
management, fire management and erosion
control. The NCCMA encourages the
implementation of conservation projects on
neighbouring freehold land (section 8.3).
The Good Neighbour program has been
operating around the former Kooyoora State
Park and State forest areas for a number of
years on a range of pest plants and animals
projects, and will continue (section 4.7).
Conservation activities on land abutting the
park and across the landscape will enhance
conservation outcomes for the park. This can
be achieved through Parks Victoria and
NCCMA continuing to develop and strengthen
their partnership and cooperating with the
broader community and neighbours, in
implementing conservation projects that span
the park boundary. A past example is a joint
gully erosion control project in the Wehla
section of the park and inlying private land.
Linkages to habitat outside the park are
important for fauna dispersal and recruitment.
Protection of these linkages will be
increasingly important in combating the
potential impacts of future climate change
(sections 4.4 and 4.5).
Management of the adjacent State forest areas
will be guided by the Bendigo Forest
Management Area Management Plan (DSE
2007).
Kooyoora State Park
Aims
• Cooperate with adjoining landholders and
local municipalities to manage boundary
and adjacent land use issues.
•
Continue to support and promote the Good
Neighbour program.
•
Continue to work closely with NCCMA
projects that span freehold land–park
boundaries.
Management strategies
• Encourage the application of the Good
Neighbour Policy to manage issues on or
near the boundary of the park, implement
programs and encourage participation in
schemes such as Land for Wildlife and
Landcare on neighbouring land.
•
Encourage protection of vegetation
linkages between parts of the park to
enhance fauna habitat (section 4.5).
•
Cooperate with adjoining landholders in
coordinating fire and pest plant and
animal control program (sections 4.6 and
4.7).
•
Encourage sound conservation and land
management practices on private land
adjoining the park, in collaboration with
the NCCMA (section 8.3).
•
Liaise with Loddon Shire to seek the
application of appropriate zoning and
overlays on land surrounding the park, to
ensure that development and land use
changes are compatible with the protection
of park values.
•
Liaise with Loddon Shire CFA and DSE in
the implementation of integrated fire
management (section 8.3).
41
8
STRATEGIES FOR COMMUNITY AWARENESS AND
INVOLVEMENT
8.1
Community awareness
Raising the community’s awareness of the
park’s values is an essential step in developing
its sense of custodianship for the park and
engagement in the area’s management. The
community is more likely to develop a sense of
custodianship for the park if its views and
values are respected and park-related social
networks are encouraged and supported. A
strong connection with the park among visitors
and in the local and wider community will
assist in broader public education, raising
awareness and reaching others in the
community.
Management strategies
• Host an annual ‘Park Information’
day/evening to provide information to
interested groups from the local
community on the annual work program,
progress in implementing the management
plan and to celebrate the achievements of
Friends, volunteers and other groups
participating in the park’s management.
•
Education and interpretation programs (section
6.1) play an important role in raising the
awareness of the park in the wider community.
Parks Victoria aims to communicate the
benefits of a healthy parks system and its
contribution to the health of individuals and
society through the ‘Healthy Parks Healthy
People’ program.
Promote understanding of management
activities, including fire management, pest
plant and animal control, ecological
management and the conservation of
threatened species in face to face
interpretive activities and at community
activities, such as local festivals
(section 6.1).
•
Communicate to the broader community
the work of the Friends, volunteers and
community groups (section 6.1).
The Friends of Kooyoora State Park Inc. also
play a key role in raising the awareness of the
park to the community particularly among
neighbours; one of the groups aims is to
encourage all adjoining private landholders to
become members
The participation of community groups and
individuals can enrich and strengthen park
management and is pivotal in effective long
term planning, use and care of the park’s
values.
Parks Victoria supports the promotion of the
park, and its safe, responsible and sustainable
recreational use, through participation in a
number of community festivals and events, and
communication with local businesses and
educational institutions (sections 6.1, 8.2 and
8.3).
Aims
• Increase the community’s awareness and
understanding of the park’s values and
management activities.
•
42
Build a sense of shared ownership and
custodianship for the park in community
groups and individuals.
8.2
Community participation
The Traditional Owners have considerable
interest in and aspirations for the park as part
of Country and are an important potential
source of knowledge about the area that has yet
to be documented. The Victorian Native Title
Settlement Framework addresses the process
for making and implementing agreements with
the Traditional Owners (section 2.5). A strong
working relationship with the relevant
Registered Aboriginal Party will be essential to
reflecting Traditional Owner views in the
park’s planning and management and
reconciliation of their interests and aspirations
with those of other members of the
community.
Volunteers and community groups make
valuable contributions to park management
projects. They bring diverse and valuable
information, knowledge, skills and experience
Kooyoora State Park
Strategies for community awareness and involvement
to the park that may otherwise not be available
to the park’s managers. Volunteers also bring
great enthusiasm and add valuable resources to
assist with the care of the park.
The interests of community groups in the park
often overlap and may not be complementary.
There can be considerable mutual benefits
where such groups work together and with
Parks Victoria to achieve common goals.
A range of volunteer and community groups
already participate in successful land and water
projects, both in the park and on neighbouring
land, that benefit the park. The current
infrastructure and the early recognition of the
park as containing unique cultural and natural
values can be directly attributed to the
community’s appreciation and management of
the area over the past 100 years.
The Friends of Kooyoora State Park Inc. was
established in 1983 and re-invigorated in 2000.
The Friends, adjoining land holders,
community correctional services, Bendigo
4WD club and NCCMA have been involved in
numerous projects which have provided
positive contributions to the protection and
enhancement of the park’s values. A number of
key community members have collected
substantial flora and fauna information over a
number of years and have been involved in
Botanical Guardian programs in the park.
Involving the community will be pivotal to the
success of landscape scale approaches to
addressing the impacts arising climate change
and from pest plants and animals and
fragmentation, particularly revegetation
programs that address connectivity in the
landscape.
Aim
• Support and encourage community groups
and volunteers to actively participate in the
park’s management by contributing their
knowledge and skills.
Management strategies
• Continue to build, and strengthen
relationships with relevant Indigenous
communities. In particular, seek to further
develop a sound working partnership with
the relevant Registered Aboriginal Party in
managing the park (section 5.1).
•
Strengthen relationships with the Friends,
volunteers and community groups that use
Kooyoora State Park
or have a particular interest in the park
and encourage and support them to work
together and with Parks Victoria to
achieve shared goals for the park
(section 4.7).
•
Ensure the Friends, volunteers and
community groups participating in the
park’s management have sustainable and
rewarding volunteer experiences.
•
Promote the activities of the Friends of
Kooyoora and support them in assisting
the park’s management.
•
Encourage community involvement in
monitoring and recording programs such
as the Botanical Guardian program.
•
Promote opportunities among interested
community groups and Parks Victoria’s
staff for sharing knowledge and increasing
understanding and appreciation of each
other’s aspirations and goals for the park.
•
Encourage and support groups that use or
have an interest in the park to work
together to pursue sources of funding,
including Parks Victoria grants, for
projects in the park. Encourage joint
grants with other groups as appropriate.
•
Provide opportunities for, and encourage
and support, tertiary students to undertake
volunteer work experience and research
activities that assist park management and
are consistent with the plan.
8.3
Agency partnerships
Although Parks Victoria is responsible for
overall management of the park, other agencies
are responsible for planning, managing or
regulating certain activities in the park.
All activities relating to the park that are
carried out by Parks Victoria or other agencies
need to accord with all legislation and
government policy and, as far as practicable,
be consistent with agencies’ policies and
guidelines. Park staff work closely with staff of
relevant agencies and collaborate in
implementing activities where appropriate. The
park will benefit most by adopting landscape –
scale partnership approaches to managing key
threats to the park.
DSE establishes parks, and provides strategic
direction and policy advice for the
management of the park, including flora and
43
Strategies for community awareness and involvement
fauna values and threatening processes, fire
management, statutory planning and catchment
protection. Department of Primary Industries
(DPI) advises on pest plant and animals,
salinity and sustainable production practices.
Heritage Victoria (DPCD), the principal
cultural heritage agency in Victoria
administers the Heritage Act and maintains the
Victorian Heritage Register and Heritage
Inventory of historical archaeological sites.
Parks Victoria is a support agency, operating at
the direction of DSE for emergency responses,
including fire management (section 4.6).
The primary function of the North Central
Catchment Management Authority is to deliver
the Regional Catchment Strategy as well as
maintain the regional role as caretaker of river
health and manager of environmental water
(section 4.3).
development of Victoria’s extractive, mineral
and petroleum resources.
Aim
Enhance park management by collaborating
with other agencies to ensure they give
appropriate consideration to park values in
planning and implementing activities that
relate to the park.
Management strategy
• Work collaboratively with all agencies to
implement the plan vision and direction. In
particular work with:
DSE regarding future planning and
management, including protection of
flora and fauna from potentially
threatening processes and fire
management.
The Country Fire Authority (CFA) is a
volunteer-based community service that
responds to a variety of fire and emergency
incidents.
Country Fire Authority and DSE to
ensure integrated fire management in
and around the park including safety
and protection of the parks.
Loddon Shire Council administers the planning
scheme for land adjacent to the park, including
assessing developments that could have an
impact on park values. Parks Victoria provides
input into planning applications to ensure that
park values are protected (section 7.3). The
Loddon Shire is also responsible for the
maintenance and upgrade of a number of roads
adjoining and through the park.
North Central CMA to reduce the
impacts of land use and management
on the park and the development of
appropriate actions in the Regional
Catchment Strategies.
AAV and the relevant Registered
Aboriginal Party on issues relating to
cultural heritage protection.
Heritage Victoria on heritage
management, and compliance with the
Heritage Act.
State and regional tourism authorities
to promote the park in regional visitor
information centres and in regional
tourism strategies.
Loddon Shire Council regarding
administration of the planning scheme,
including input into adjacent or nearby
developments that may impact on the
park and the maintenance or upgrade
of roads (section 7.3).
Minerals and Petroleum to seek
relevant advice for future mining and
exploration licences in the park.
DPI in implementing the Good
Neighbour program with adjacent land
managers and in the management and
administration of apiculture.
Through Aboriginal Affairs Victoria (AAV),
the Department for Planning and Community
Development is responsible for administering
legislation protecting cultural heritage (section
5.1). The Department of Planning and
Community Development, AAV and the
relevant Registered Aboriginal Party advise
Parks Victoria on Aboriginal cultural heritage
matters (section 5.1).
Goldfields Tourism and Tourism Victoria are
the State government authorities responsible
for developing and marketing Victoria to
Australian and international travellers.
Victorian agencies work cooperatively with the
Commonwealth Department of the
Environment and Water Resources on the
management of regional ecosystem
conservation issues.
Minerals and Petroleum Division (DPI)
regulates and promotes the exploration and
44
Kooyoora State Park
9
9.1
PLAN IMPLEMENTATION
Delivery and reporting
A range of approaches will be used to
implement strategies in this plan. Some will be
undertaken as part of routine management
activities such as ranger visits; others will be
addressed as part of regional programs
undertaken across the State each year.
A priority list of all the strategies in the plan
will be used to guide routine management, and
identify detailed actions in annual regional
programs. Priorities for regional programs vary
from year to year depending on available
resources and government priorities.
At the end of each year, progress towards
implementing the plan will be reviewed and
the priority list updated. Staff report internally
against ‘on time and within budget’ delivery of
regional programs and whether the completed
strategy has achieved the objective. Parks
Victoria reports annually to government on the
overall delivery of regional and divisional
programs. This broader reporting on
management performance is available in
annual reports prepared on the National Parks
Act and Parks Victoria.
During implementation of the plan, Parks
Victoria will work in partnership with
Traditional Owners. Ongoing collaborative
activities with interested members of
Indigenous communities, the wider
community, scientists and agencies in realising
the vision and management directions for the
park will be especially important as outlined in
previous sections of the plan.
Implementation of the plan will be consistent
with Parks Victoria’s commitment to
sustainable practices, which involves the
delivery of operations, services and facilities in
an ecologically and socially responsible
manner with minimal use of expendable
resources and minimal generation of waste.
In implementing the plan, management will
respond to monitoring and research
information as it emerges. Parks Victoria’s
environmental management framework makes
this possible. Based on the International
Standard for Environmental Management
Systems (ISO 14001), the framework ensures
Kooyoora State Park
that the future condition of values is
considered in identifying threats and
developing actions to ameliorate them. Over
time the success of actions is reviewed against
set objectives to ensure ongoing learning and
refinement of management. The selection of
actions and treatments of threats are guided by
the precautionary principle. Management
options are evaluated on the basis of least
impact on the environment. Treatment of
threats with a potential for serious damage that
is not addressed in the plan will not be
postponed for lack of information.
Parks Victoria will use a variety of means to
report to the community about the progress of
implementation of the plan. The primary
means will be through routine liaison between
Parks Victoria, interested groups and
individuals from the local community and
relevant government agencies. In addition to
giving regular updates, there will be
opportunities for input by interested members
of the community into annual priority setting
and feedback on management performance.
Events such as park open days and community
and volunteer forums will offer similar
opportunities for reporting and discussions
about annual programs.
The results of monitoring and research work
will continue to be available to the community
as technical reports available on Parks
Victoria’s website, www.parkweb.vic.gov.au.
Parks Victoria will also report on evaluation of
the plan (section 9.3) at the start of the new or
revised plan, through routine liaison and
community forums and in the subsequent draft
plan.
Future State of the Parks reports, which will be
available on Parks Victoria’s website, will also
include information on management
performance in relation to the park.
9.2
Plan amendment
During the 10-year life of the plan,
amendments to the plan may only be made by
the Secretary to DSE, following an authorised
process which includes community
consultation, as appropriate.
45
Plan implementation
Circumstances that might lead to amendment
of the plan include:
•
Compliance with park regulations.
•
the results of monitoring or research,
management experience or new
information (such as greater understanding
of new threatening processes) which
indicate the need for a change in
management direction
Protecting cultural values
• Progress towards working with the
relevant Registered Aboriginal Party in all
aspects of park management, particularly
in protecting and interpreting Indigenous
places and objects.
•
significant changes in visitation or use
•
•
a change in policy that calls into question
plan objectives
Minimal disturbance to significant heritage
places and landscapes from human
interference or other identified threats.
•
new legislation (such as significant
boundary changes).
•
Meeting community expectations as a
good manager of historic places.
•
Timely management intervention to
minimise threats.
The plan may also be amended if an activity,
development or use which conflicts with the
provisions of the plan is approved by
government (such as native title outcomes).
9.3
Evaluation and review
Periodically through the life of the plan, Parks
Victoria will assess overall progress towards
implementing the strategies in the plan and
will also assess progress towards achieving the
plan vision and directions. These evaluations
will inform a decision about whether a new or
revised plan is required. The achievements of
the plan will be assessed by considering
performance areas such as:
Protecting natural values
• Progress towards restoration of a more
natural age class distribution, structure and
floristic diversity of vegetation
communities, while also preserving
cultural landscapes.
•
Protection of large old trees and fauna
refuge areas from damage, particularly
from fire.
•
Progress towards better understanding of
ecological fire requirements and
management of prescribed burning
program.
•
Meeting community expectations as a
good environmental manager.
•
Timely management intervention to
minimise threats from pest plants and
animals.
•
46
Minimal impact of permitted uses.
Managing recreation and visitor use
• Maintaining the levels of information and
interpretation (section 6.1).
•
Meeting and maintaining the levels of
service for facilities (table 4).
•
All facilities meet public safety standards
and the majority of facilities with more
than five years life expectancy.
•
Meeting agreed road and track standards
(tables 3 and 5).
•
Minimal impact from visitors, including
individuals and school and tour groups.
•
Maintaining visitor satisfaction with
adequacy of recreational opportunities.
•
Meeting community expectations in
relation to Parks Victoria’s management of
the park.
Providing for research and promoting
understanding
• Progress towards reflecting Indigenous
views and aspirations in the park’s
planning and management.
•
Improving understanding of the key threats
to the park including grazing by native
graziers and ecological fire requirements.
•
Ongoing Indigenous and broader
community participation.
Methods for evaluating the benefits of the plan
are likely to be refined over time. Parks
Victoria has introduced a range of structured
Kooyoora State Park
Plan implementation
monitoring practices to collect standardised
and scientifically-robust information. In
particular these will improve understanding of
the outcomes of management on natural
values; and allow improved reporting and
assessment of performance. Parks Victoria also
forms partnerships with external research
agencies to enhance knowledge and
Kooyoora State Park
understanding of the values and features of the
park and inform management decisions
particularly in relation to pest and fire
management. By using sound monitoring and
assessment methods this monitoring and
research work will strengthen the basis for
comparing management performance over
time.
47
REFERENCES
ANZECC 2001, National Strategy for the
Conservation of Australia’s Biological
Diversity. Environment Australia,
Canberra.
Australia ICOMOS 1999, The Australian
ICOMOS Charter for the Conservation of
Places of Cultural Significance (the Burra
Charter), revised edition. Australian
National Committee of the International
Council of Monuments and Sites, Canberra.
Bannear, D. 1994, Historic Mining Sites in the
Inglewood, Wedderburn and St Arnaud
Mining Divisions. Department of
Conservation and Natural Resources, North
West Region.
BTR 2001, National Visitor Survey. Bureau of
Tourism Research, Melbourne.
Cekalovic, H. 2003, Kooyoora State Park,
Victoria: An archaeological survey and
study. Vol. 1. Biosis Research, Melbourne.
Cekalovic, H. 2004, Kooyoora State Park,
Victoria: An archaeological survey and
study. Vol 2. Management
Recommendations. Biosis Research,
Melbourne.
Cheers, G. 2005, Habitat Hectares Assessment
for Kooyoora State Park. Report to Parks
Victoria, Melbourne (unpublished).
Clark, I.D & Cahir, D.A. 2004, Tanderrum
‘Freedom of the Bush’. Friends of Mount
Alexander Diggings, Espress Printers.
COAG 1992, National Strategy for
Ecologically Sustainable Development.
Council of Australian Governments,
Canberra.
DNRE 1996, Kooyoora State Park
Management Plan. Department of Natural
Resources and Environment, East
Melbourne.
DNRE 1997, Victoria’s Biodiversity Strategy:
Directions in management. Department of
Natural Resources and Environment, East
Melbourne.
DNRE 2002a, Biodiversity Action Planning.
Strategic Overview for the Goldfields
Bioregion, Victoria. Department of Natural
48
Resources and Environment, East
Melbourne.
DNRE 2002b, Sustainable Recreation and
Tourism on Victoria’s Public Land.
Department of Natural Resources and
Environment, Melbourne.
DSE 2003a, North West Region, Bendigo Fire
District, Fire Protection Plan. Department
of Sustainability and Environment, East
Melbourne.
DSE 2003b, Recreation Framework for Box–
Ironbark Public Land. Department of
Sustainability and Environment, East
Melbourne.
DSE 2003c, Flora and Fauna Guarantee
Action Statement No. 79, Brush-tailed
Phascogale. Department of Sustainability
and Environment, East Melbourne.
DSE 2004a, EVC Benchmarks – Goldfields
Bioregion, Department of Sustainability
and Environment (accessed online
December 2006 www.dse.vic.gov.au).
DSE 2004b, Guidelines and Procedures for
Ecological Burning on Public Land in
Victoria. Department of Sustainability and
Environment, East Melbourne.
DSE 2004c, Flora and Fauna Guarantee
Action Statement No. 92, Powerful Owl.
Department of Sustainability and
Environment, Melbourne.
DSE 2005a, Atlas of Victorian Wildlife
(database). Department of Sustainability
and Environment, East Melbourne.
DSE 2005b, Flora Information System
(database). Department of Sustainability
and Environment, East Melbourne.
DSE 2006a, Code of Practice for Fire
Management on Public Land. Department
of Sustainability and Environment, East
Melbourne.
DSE 2006b, Victoria’s Heritage:
Strengthening our Communities.
Department of Sustainability and
Environment, East Melbourne.
DSE 2007, Bendigo Forest Management Area
Management Plan. Department of
Kooyoora State Park
References
Sustainability and Environment, East
Melbourne (unpublished).
ECC 1997, Box–Ironbark. Forest and
Woodlands Investigation: Resources and
Issues Report. Environment Conservation
Council, Melbourne.
ECC 2001, Box–Ironbark Forests and
Woodlands Investigation: Final Report.
Environment Conservation Council,
Melbourne.
Edmonds V. 2003, Statement of findings.
Indigenous Site Survey. The Monk &
Wehla Hill Central Victoria. (unpublished)
Environmental Weeds Working Group 2007,
Guidelines and Procedures for Managing
the Environmental Impacts of Weeds on
Public Land in Victoria 2007. Department
of Sustainability and Environment,
Melbourne.
FVWC 2003, Tread Softly: Minimal Impact
Practices for Bushwalkers. Federation of
Victorian Walking Clubs, Melbourne.
Gillespie, L. 1975, Kingower: the Potato
Diggings with a Midas Touch. Author.
Government of Victoria 2002, Victorian
Government Response to the Environment
Conservation Council Box-Ironbark
Forests and Woodlands Investigation Final
Report. Government of Victoria,
Melbourne.
Halls, F. 1983, Jaara homeland. Kooyoora
State Park. (unpublished).
Holland, G. & Cheers, G. 1999, Identification
of Large Old Tree sites and Fauna refuges
in the ECC’s Box–Ironbark Study Area.
Final Report. Department of Sustainability
and Environment (unpublished).
LCC 1981, North Central Area. Final
Recommendations. Land Conservation
Council, Melbourne.
Loddon Shire 2006, Municipal Emergency
Management Plan. Loddon Shire.
Logie, J. & McLennan, K. 2003, Parks
Victoria Inglewood Mapping Weeds. Parks
Victoria: Melbourne (unpublished)
Kooyoora State Park
MacNally, R. & Soderquist, T. 1999, Wildlife
in Box–Ironbark Forests – Linking
Research and Biodiversity Management.
Arthur Rylah Institute for Environmental
Research.
Marlow, A.G. & Bushell, D. 1995, Dunolly
1 : 100 000 map area geological report,
Geological Survey Report 105, Energy and
Minerals Victoria, Melbourne.
NCCMA 2003, North Central Regional
Catchment Strategy 2003–2007. North
Central Catchment Management Authority,
Huntly.
ORC 2005a, Mountain Biking Adventure
Activity Standards. Outdoor Recreation
Centre, Templestowe.
ORC 2005b, Horse Trail Riding Adventure
Activity Standards, Outdoor Recreation
Centre, Templestowe.
Parkes, D., Newell, G. & Cheal, D. 2003,
Assessing the Quality of Native Vegetation:
The ‘Habitat Hectares’ Approach.
Department of Sustainability and
Environment, East Melbourne.
Parks Victoria 2002, Guidelines for working
with Aboriginal communities and
protection of cultural sites. Parks Victoria,
Melbourne (unpublished).
Parks Victoria 2003a, Heritage Management
Strategy. Parks Victoria, Melbourne.
Parks Victoria 2003b, Prioritisation of Rabbit
Control within the Parks Victoria Estate:
Reducing the Risks to Environmental
Values. Parks Victoria, Melbourne.
Parks Victoria 2004, Victorian Trails Strategy
2005-2010, Parks Victoria, Melbourne.
Parks Victoria 2005a, Indigenous Partnership
Strategy and Action Plan. Parks Victoria,
Melbourne.
Parks Victoria 2005b, Box–Ironbark Parks and
Reserves Visitor Services Strategy. Parks
Victoria, Melbourne (unpublished).
Parks Victoria 2006a, Horse Riding Code,
Parks Victoria website
(www.parkweb.vic.gov.au), viewed August
2007.
49
References
Parks Victoria 2006b, Western Goldfields RIC
Area Emergency Management Plan. Parks
Victoria, Inglewood (unpublished).
Raulings, E. 2006, Environmental Risk
Assessment. Kooyoora State Park. Parks
Victoria, Melbourne (unpublished).
Robinson, J. & Rowley, L. 1996, Drought
Refuge Identification Project for the West
Loddon, Avoca and Avon-Richardson
Catchments within the Bendigo Forest
Management Area. Department of Natural
Resources and Environment, Melbourne
(unpublished).
SAC 2000, Final Recommendation on a
nomination for listing: Victorian temperatewoodland bird community (Nomination No.
512). Scientific Advisory Committee, Flora
and Fauna Guarantee. Department of
Sustainability and Environment, East
Melbourne.
50
Soderquist, T. & Rowley, L. 1995, Mature
Tree Sites in the Bendigo Forest
Management Area. Final Report.
Department of Sustainability and
Environment, East Melbourne.
Tolsma, A., Cheal, D. & Brown, G. 2007,
Ecological Burning in Box-Ironbark
Forests, Phase 2 – Management Strategy.
Arthur Rylah Institute for Environmental
Research, report to North Central
Catchment Management Authority
(unpublished).
Tourism Victoria 2004, Goldfields Regional
Tourism Development Plan 2004–2007.
Tourism Victoria, Melbourne.
Tourism Victoria 2008, Victoria’s Naturebased Tourism Strategy 2008–2012.
Tourism Victoria, Melbourne.
Kooyoora State Park
GLOSSARY
Aboriginal cultural heritage – Aboriginal places,
objects and Aboriginal human remains.
Biodiversity – the natural diversity of all life: the
sum of all our native species of flora and fauna, the
genetic variation within them, their habitats and the
ecosystems of which they are an integral part.
Bioregion – an area with unique underlying
environmental and ecological features.
Catchment – the area of land that drains to a
watercourse or estuary.
Committee of Management – a committee
appointed under the relevant legislation to manage
reserved Crown land on behalf of the Minister.
Country – all of nature, culture and spirituality
relating to an area.
Crown land – land belonging to the State.
Customs – observances and practices of people
(includes land management and resource use) in
accordance with tradition.
Ecological values – the importance of natural
assets in maintaining natural ecosystems and
ecological processes, of which they are a part.
Ecosystem – a dynamic complex of interacting
organisms and their associated non-living
environment.
Fire management – all activities associated with
the management of fire prone public land values,
including the use of fire, to meet land management
objectives.
Freehold land – land held in private ownership.
Geomorphology – the scientific study of landforms
and geological formations and the processes that
shape them.
Heritage – a place, activity, cultural way of life,
structure or group of structures that has aesthetic,
historic, scientific or social value for the past,
present or future generations.
Indigenous communities – Indigenous people who
share cultural values and activities relating to the
park.
Indigenous people – people who are descendants
of Aboriginal Australians and Torres Strait
Islanders.
Infrastructure – physical structures that facilitate
the human use of an area (e.g. roads, paths, toilet
blocks).
Kooyoora State Park
Levels of Service Framework – a strategic
framework for visitor services and asset
management that is used to support resource
allocation decision-making to best provide
appropriate recreational infrastructure in a
consistent manner.
Monitoring – the process of systematic observation
of one or more elements of the environment over
time.
Nature-based tourism – tourism that provides a
range of experiences that rely on attractions directly
related to the natural environment.
Pest – exotic organisms (plants, animals or
pathogens) that, if introduced outside their natural
or previous distribution, they cause significant
changes to habitats, food chains, ecosystems or
human health by feeding on or competing with
native species. Can refer to either terrestrial or
marine species.
Prospecting – the search for minerals (including
gemstones) under a Miner’s Right or Tourist
Fossicking Authority.
Registered Aboriginal Party – a body registered
under part 10 of the Aboriginal Heritage Act by the
Aboriginal Heritage Council.
Stakeholders – those people and organisations who
may affect, be affected by, or perceive themselves
to be affected by, a decision or activity.
Threatening processes – a source of potential
harm or a situation with a potential to cause loss.
Tradition — the body of knowledge, belief and
customs that is passed from generation to
generation.
Traditional Owner – person with traditional or
familial links, an Aboriginal person with particular
knowledge about traditions, observances, customs
or beliefs associated with the area, and the person
has responsibility under Aboriginal tradition for
significant Aboriginal places located in, or
significant Aboriginal objects originating from, the
area; or is a member of a family or clan group that
is recognized as having responsibility under
Aboriginal tradition for significant Aboriginal
places located in or significant Aboriginal objects
originating from, the area.
Values – natural and cultural assets (e.g. historic
artefacts, features, landscapes, flora and fauna
species, flora communities) that have been given
worth or are considered to be desirable.
51
Glossary
Acronyms
AAV – Aboriginal Affairs Victoria.
ANZECC – former Australian and New Zealand
Environment and Conservation Council. ANZECC
was represented by government Ministers and
guided national policy and programs relating to the
management of the environment and its
conservation.
DSE – Department of Sustainability and
Environment.
DNRE – former Department of Natural Resources
and Environment.
ECC – former Environment Conservation Council.
EVC – Ecological Vegetation Class.
FFG – Flora and Fauna Guarantee Act.
CFA – Country Fire Authority
LCC – former Land Conservation Council.
DPCD – Department of Planning and Community
Development
NCCMA – North Central Catchment Management
Authority.
DPI – Department of Primary Industries.
PV – Parks Victoria.
.
52
Kooyoora State Park
Appendices
APPENDIX 1
MANAGEMENT OBJECTIVES FOR STATE PARKS
Management objectives for national and State
parks included on Schedule Two B of the
National Parks Act are listed below.
For an up-to-date copy of the National Parks
Act, refer to Victorian Acts on the Victorian
Parliament website:
www.parliament.vic.gov.au/legislation&bills.
4. Objects of the Act
The objects of this Act are(a) to make provision, in respect of national
parks, State parks, marine national parks and
marine sanctuaries –
(i) for the preservation and protection of the
natural environment including
wilderness areas and remote and natural
areas in those parks;
(ii) for the protection and preservation of
indigenous flora and fauna and of
features of scenic or archaeological,
ecological, geological, historic or other
scientific interest in those parks; and
(iii) for the study of ecology, geology,
botany, zoology and other sciences
relating to the conservation of the
natural environment in those parks; and
(iv) for the responsible management of the
land in those parks;
(c) to make provision in accordance with the
foregoing for the use of parks by the public for
the purposes of enjoyment, recreation or
education, and for the encouragement and
control of that use.
Section 17. National parks and State parks
(2) The Secretary shall, subject to this Act –
(a) ensure that each national park and State
park is controlled and managed, in accordance
with the objects of this Act, in a manner that
will (i) preserve and protect the park in its
natural condition for the use, enjoyment
and education of the public;
(ii) preserve and protect indigenous flora
and fauna in the park;
(iii) exterminate or control exotic fauna in
the park;
(iv) eradicate or control exotic flora in the
park; and
(v) preserve and protect wilderness areas in
the park and features in the park of
scenic, archaeological, ecological,
geological, historic or other scientific
interest;
(aa) have regard to all classes of management
actions that may be implemented for the
purposes of maintaining and improving the
ecological function of the park;
(b) ensure that appropriate and sufficient
measures are taken to protect each national
park and State park from injury by fire;
(ba) ensure that appropriate and sufficient
measures are taken –
(i) to protect designated water supply
catchment areas; and
(ii) to maintain water quality of and
otherwise protect the water resources in
those areas; and
(iii)to restrict human activity in those areas
for the purposes of sub-paragraphs (i) and
(ii);
(c) promote and encourage the use and
enjoyment of national parks and State parks by
the public and the understanding and
recognition of the purpose and significance of
national parks and State parks; and
(d) prepare a plan of management in respect of
each national park and State park.
Kooyoora State Park
53
Appendices
APPENDIX 2
SUBMISSIONS ON THE DRAFT MANAGEMENT PLAN
A total of 74 submissions were received on the Draft Management Plan (March –May 2007), from the
following organisations and individuals. Five submissions were marked confidential.
ORGANISATION
SUBMISSION NO.
NAME
Submissions from groups
Total: 55
Submissions from individuals
Total: 19
Aboriginal Affairs Victoria
5
Jim and Marj Beaumont
19
Australian Sleddog Sports Association
20
Nita Blanch
64
Bird Observation and Conservation
Australia
13
Kevin Fraser
42
Confidential
21
Bushwalking Victoria
10
Confidential
33
Confidential
8
Confidential
45
Confidential
40
Leisa Macartney
22
Department of Sustainability and
Environment
1
Peter Maries
4
Department of Sustainability and
Environment
26
Erin O’Shea
74
David Petifer
68
Field Naturalists Club of Victoria
24
Owen Piper
71
Four Wheel Drive Victoria
15
Wendy Rose
14
Friends of Kooyoora State Park Inc.
3
Alan Smith
18
Friends of Kooyoora State Park Inc.
16
Lindsey Soulsby
31
Goldseekers Sled Dog Club / Siberian
Husky Club of Victoria
11-12
Jacqueline Swanson
37
Trevor Taylor
23
Heritage Victoria
6
Jamie Thomas
65
Husky Dog Sledding
43
Johannes van den Heuvel
17
Inglewood Historical Society
2
John Williamson
9
North Central CMA
7
Siberian Husky Club of Victoria Inc.
30,32,34-36,
39,44,46-63,
66,67,69,70,72,73
Sleddog Club
41
Threatened Species and Communities DSE
29
Undera Sled Dog Club
25
Victorian Apiarists Association Inc.
28
Victorian Climbing Club Incorporated
27
54
SUBMISSION NO.
Kooyoora State Park
Appendices
APPENDIX 3
SCIENTIFIC NAME
RARE AND THREATENED FLORA
COMMON NAME
CONSERVATION STATUS
AUSTRALIA
VICTORIA
Acacia deanei
Deane's Wattle
r
Acacia williamsonii
Whirrakee Wattle
r
Caladenia audasii
McIvor Spider-orchid
Caladenia venusta
Large White Spider-orchid
Caladenia xanthochila
Yellow-lip Spider-orchid
Callitriche umbonata
Winged Water-starwort
r
Dodonaea boroniifolia
Hairy Hop-bush
r
Eriocaulon scariosum
Common Pipewort
r
Eucalyptus polybractea
Blue Mallee
r
Goodenia macbarronii
Narrow Goodenia
Grevillea micrantha
Small-flower Grevillea
r
Myriophyllum striatum
Striped Water-milfoil
v
Prasophyllum lindleyanum
Green Leek-orchid
v
Prasophyllum validum
Sturdy Leek-orchid
Prostanthera nivea var. nivea
Snowy Mint-bush
r
Pterostylis setifera
Bristly Greenhood
r
Schoenus nanus
Tiny Bog-sedge
r
Stylidium calcaratum var. ecorne
Book Triggerplant
k
Zieria aspalathoides subsp. aspalathoides
Whorled Zieria
v
EN
e
FFG
L
r
EN
VUL
VUL
e
v
L
L
L
e
L
Source: DSE (2005b).
Key
Conservation status:
Australia (Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act)
END endangered
VUL vulnerable
Victoria
e
endangered
v
vulnerable
r
rare
k
status uncertain
FFG (Flora and Fauna Guarantee Act)
L
listed as threatened in Victoria
Kooyoora State Park
55
Appendices
APPENDIX 4
SCIENTIFIC NAME
RARE AND THREATENED FAUNA
COMMON NAME
CONSERVATION STATUS
AUSTRALIA
VICTORIA
FFG
L
Mammals
Phascogale tapoatafa
Brush-tailed Phascogale
v
Sminthopsis crassicaudata
Fat-tailed Dunnart
nt
Chrysococcyx osculans
Black-eared Cuckoo
nt
Chthonicola sagittata
Speckled Warbler
v
Cinclosoma punctatum
Spotted Quail-thrush
nt
Climacteris picumnus
Brown Treecreeper
nt
Falco subniger
Black Falcon
v
Lathamus discolor
Swift Parrot
Melanodryas cucullata
Birds
EN
L, LC
LC
e
L, LC
Hooded Robin
nt
L, LC
Melithreptus gularis
Black-chinned Honeyeater
nt
LC
Neophema pulchella
Turquoise Parrot
nt
L, LC
Ninox connivens
Barking Owl
e
L. LC
Ninox strenua
Powerful Owl
v
L
Oreoica gutturalis
Crested Bellbird
nt
L
Pomatostomus temporalis
Grey-crowned Babbler
e
L, LC
Stagonopleura guttata
Diamond Firetail
v
L, LC
Xanthomyza phrygia
Regent Honeyeater
ce
L, LC
EN
Member of the FFG listed Victorian Temperate-Woodland Bird Community
Gerygone fusca
Western Gerygone
LC
Glossopsitta pusilla
Little Lorikeet
LC
Lichenostomus fuscus
Fuscous Honeyeater
LC
Lichenostomus melanops
Yellow-tufted Honeyeater
LC
Melithreptus brevirostris
Brown-headed Honeyeater
LC
Microeca fascinans
Jacky Winter
LC
Petroica goodenovii
Red-capped Robin
LC
Turnix varia
Painted Button-quail
LC
Amphibians
Brown Toadlet
e
Ramphotyphlops proximus
Woodland Blind Snake
nt
Varanus varius
Tree Goanna
v
Pseudophryne bibronii
L
Reptiles
Sources: SAC (2000), DSE (2005a)
Key Conservation status:
Australia: EN endangered
Victoria: ce critically endangered
56
e
v
nt
endangered
vulnerable
lower risk or near
threatened
FFG: L listed under Flora and Fauna Guarantee Act
LC Associated with FFG listed Victorian
Temperate- Woodland Bird Community
Kooyoora State Park
NEW
Kerang
SOUTH
WALES
Barmah
State Park
CA
MU
LD
ER
SUNR AY SI A
RR
AY
NEW
LODD ON
Leaghur
State
Park
VA L L
E
SOUTH
Barmah
State
Park
WALES
NEW
MURRAY
BrokenBoosey
State
Park
Y
THE
NOR
EY
VA L
L
UR
N
H
DA
ON
RO
FW
MA
LE
Alexandra
Y
HW
Organ
Pipes
National
Park
ND
Brisbane
Ranges
National
Park
MELBOURNE
l
7
HWY
You Yangs
Regional
ES
NC
Park
P RI
FW
8
Pt. Cooke
Y
PHILLIP
Geelong
BE L L
A
Dandenong
PR
BAY
I NC
Yarra
Ranges
National Park
ã
H
ONDA
MA RO
A
Healesville
Haining
Farm
Dandenong
Ranges
National
Park
Steiglitz
Historic
Churchill
Park
National Park
9
PORT
MELBA
Warrandyte
State
Park
ON
YACHHEER
WA T
LA
Mooreep
BR
Long
Forest
FR
Woodlands
Historic
Park
N
Point
Cook
Coastal
Park
20
ES
40
K I L O M E T R E S
Cartography by Spatial Vision 2004
M/7826
Baw
Baw
National
Park
Moondarra
State
Park
Bunyip
State
Park
Warragul
0
H
Warburton
HW Y
Langwarrin
Alpine
National
Park
Lake
Cathedral Eildon
Range National
State
Park
Park
Marysville
KOOYOORA STATE PARK
Werribee
Gorge
State
Park
Alpine
National
Park
Y
HWY
L
VA
MELB
HWY
HWY
Pt. Wilson
Y
Yea
UR
N
Kinglake
National
Park
Mortlake
HW
UL
B
HW Y
Kilmore
Macedon
Regional Park
Other Public Land
HWY
Mansfield
Figure Lerderderg
1State
REGIONAL LOCALITY PLAN
Park
MI D
Other Parks & Reserves
Enfield
State
Park
GO
Broadford
Woodend
Macedon
Y
ROAD
N
HW
Kooyoora State Park
Other Box-Ironbark Parks
Daylesford
WE ST ERN
Freeway/Highway
Other major
GLEroad
NELG
Castlemaine Diggings
National
Heritage Kyneton
Park
MID LA ND
Ballarat
HWY
ER
Creswick
Y
ST
Beaufort
HW
WE
HWY
Hepburn
Regional Park
HWY
Seymour
Castlemaine
Maryborough
Regional Park
Mt Buangor
State Park
Waterbody
UL
B
Y
Y
Heathcote
Bright
Mt
Samaria
State
Park
FWY
Mt Alexander
Regional Park
D
RN
Nagambie
HWY
HW
Paddys
Ranges
State
Park
ES
R E NE
Langi Ghiran
State Park
Mt
Buffalo
National
Park
HW
Maryborough
Y
Avoca
Ararat
Regional
Park
Ararat
Euroa
E
ROA
THE
DER
Stawell
PY
M c IV O R
CAL
HW
s
MIDLAND
NO R
St Arnaud
Range
National
Park
Bendigo
Reef Hills
State
Park
Y
Y
Bendigo
Regional Park
Heathcote Graytown
National Park
Myrtleford
PIN
HW
HW
WIMMERA
AL
GO
SI A
KOOYOORA
STATE
PARK
HW Y
Beechworth
Beechworth
GRE
Historic Park
AT
E
HUM
Benalla
HUME
RAY
Y
Wangaratta
HWY
Greater
Greater
Bendigo
National Park
Park
HW
Y
HWY
Y
HW
RN
S UN
ER
St Arnaud
Regional
Park
St Arnaud
M ID LA ND
HWY
LD
EY
VALLEY
CA
Warby
Range
State
Park
Shepparton
L
VA L
WA
Y
Rochester
Wodonga
KIE
Chiltern Mt Pilot
National
Park
Echuca
HW
Charlton
HWY
WY
cknabeal
WALES
EY
HW Y
HWY
Terrick Terrick
National Park
VA L
L
SOUTH
Avon
Wilderness
Park
MELBOURNE
l
Lysterfield
Lake Park
S
Sa
Moe
Highway
ZONE
OVERLAY
Sealed road
Conservation & Recreation
Unsealed road
Reference Area
Special Protection Area - Powerful
Owl Management
Special Protection Area Fauna Refuge
Walking track
Land Use Designation - Prospecting
Management Vehicle
Access
Special Protection Area Large Old Trees
Seasonal Road
Closure
State Forest
Ryan
ROAD
ROAD
Cr
S
BR
BACO
N
AH
AN
EN
DR
IDG
ES
TK
RO
AD
es
TR
AC
K
NE
LA
Y
LA
NE
TO
R
r
EL
we
AB
go
AR
OSHAN
NE
ROAD SSY
Ki
n
GILES
PIES
KI RD
NG
OW
ER
LEACHES
BO
RD
AD
RO
ON
TA
TI
W
O
O
D
PL
AN
LE
EO
LA
IN
G
RO
ARNO
LD
k
ree
C
R
E
AR
LD
ROAD
TY
NO
LA
IN
EO
Arnold West
WEST
C
Cater Hill
A
OL
ROAD
M
MOLIAGUL
NATURE
CONSERVATION
RESERVE
OLLY
DUN
To
Dunolly
AN
EL
LY
ROAD
Cre
ek
Orville
MOLIAGUL
NATURAL
FEATURES
RESERVE
RO
S
BA
LI
BE
A
le
vil
Or
LL
r
MCINTYRE
NATURAL
FEATURES
RESERVE
k
ee
Cr
ROAD
l White Hill
AD
ALLEN
EH
LA
W
RHEOLA
AD
D
R
JO
ee
k
Cr
TK
LT
HO
DA
RANGE
RHEOLA
aa
es
HILLS
er
an
RH
AD
gd
oc
hr
RH
ROAD
l
RO
n
Ka
C
AL
IES
OK
ROAD
AN
CH
P
AR A D D O C K
CO
AL
WE
HL
TK
r
AD
NS
RO
KIL
LD
ROAD
A
BO
X
ROA
D
TK
IES
FIRE
ACCES
S
TK
ND
AD
RO
E
US
HO
WHEEL
TK
GREY
S
RD
CA
VE
ROAD
ROA
D
N
ERBUR
WEDD
RIC
H
To Arnold
R
AY
D
Y
DUNOLL
ã
WE
NO
ES
Kingower K
ING
O
ROAD
AR
RK
RD
To
Inglewood
GAP
BU
RD
BURK
ES
TK
BRIGARDT
TK
A
RO
LE
Cartography by Spatial Vision 2008
M/5637
R
raa
AD
NG
KINGOWER
NATURAL
FEATURES
RESERVE
VIL
OR
2
WE
NS
gde
AD
N
1
KILOMETRES
GO
RD
Kan
MANAGEMENT ZONES
& OVERLAYS
0
EASTERN
RD
OD
RO
I
RT
KU
ROAD
ECL
AD
KOOYOORA STATE PARK
OLDIS
KIN
ECK
RIE
RE
PIP
RO
Figure 2
BRENANAH
AKN
OR
AT
RD H
RHEOLA HILL
NATURAL
FEATURES Rheola
RESERVE
ROAD
To
Bendigo
RD
INGRAMS
RD
GLENALBYN
BLOCK
AD
WO
GLE
BALD
RO
BURKES FLAT BEALIBA- RD
AD
ROAD
OB
TY
k
ee
Cr
RO
WESTERN
LANE
TK
A
BRE
FLAT
ek
re
ER
OW
NG
KANGDERAAR
NATURAL
FEATURES
RESERVE
E
BE
EK
CRE
CEMETERY
TK
TK
TK
IN
S
LL
C
KI
RED
DAM
TK
RH
A
LIB
ROAD
RD
GO WER
To
Inglewood
GH
W
AY
EVAN
TK
PATTERSONS
BA
RD
CO
N
RD
KNEEBONE
TK
KINGOWER
REFERENCE
AREA
IN
HI
TK
HI
LS
IL
MORRISONS
M
O
O
S
TK
WEBBS
MURRAYS
RD
MC
CK
RD
UD
MARTINS
RD
TK
NA
T
R
OLD
TK
AR
NES
DICKS
CORNER
TK
FORKEY
ST
FLA
T
EAGLE
H
S
DA
ON
RH TK
NE
LA
NG
TK
KS
HOREHOUND
TK
AD
KIN
RI
S
BA
RD
ROCK
RIC
BURKES FLAT
NATURAL
FEATURES
RESERVE
BURKE
S
RO
HUT
TIN
Burkes Flat
IG
RD
SP
HALL
MAIN
BLOCK
D
S
G
D
ROA
TK
LAYCOCK
TK
BS
WEB
ND
G
FLAT
CK
E
LL
I
LV
ME
NO
ING
KURTIN
ROA
l
LA
RANGE
BOUNDARY
TK
L
TA
N
AD
BREAD AND
BUTTER TK
KIRWANS
RD
ERS
SPI
RN
PARSONS
RD
YS
BARR
VI
RO
EH
DE
ROBBERY TK
TK
RHEOLA
KANGDERAAR
NATURAL
FEATURES
RESERVE
WEHLA
RO
NATURE
AD
CONSERVATION
RESERVE
MAIL
E
HIT
VIE
W
AT
FL
TK
White
Swan
l Mine
CRYSTAL
MINE TK
KOOYOORA
REFERENCE
AREA
AD
WEHLA
AN
AN
RD
STEPHENSON
TK
W
BE
IN
RO
LOG
JO
Y
WEHLA
BLOCK
S
ER
DG
RO
Wehla
ROAD
ASS
LUNATIC
GULLY
TK
N
NT
WEHLA
HILL
BLOCK
GR
To Logan
R
MOU
W
BUTCHERS
TK
KINGOWER
PERRYS
TK
O
k
ee
Cr
WEHLA
NATURAL
FEATURES
RESERVE
A79
MO
RITAS
TK
Mt Kooyoora l
ROAD
LOGAN
BR
MOUNT
KOOYOORA
TK
WESLEY
TK
WALLIS
M
LY
LA
LL
HI
AY
DUNOL
WEH
FORBES
CREEK
TK
ENANAH
RO
AD
Creek
OAD
R
y
ib
Fer
LA
ANAH
CREEK
bes
H
WE
BREN
AY
For
BRENANAH
NATURAL
FEATURES
RESERVE
ER
CENTRE
RD
SUND
RINDERS
BLOCK
NS
JOHNS
TK
LD
GLEN
ALBYN
D
N
Wehla
FENTO
k
N
UR
l Castlem
D
ee
SU
RB
D
ER
S
COFFEYS
TK
l
ROA
Forb
N
R
DE
RIN
ED
IA
AYS
Maldon
l
G
SUNDAY MORNING
HILLS BLOCK
WEDDERBURN
DDE
BU
WE
ER
D
W
H
l Dunolly
Maryborough
l
Avoca l
IN
Mt Brenanah
ALDI
GARIB
BR
EN
AN
AH
ROA
D
Y
KOOYOORA
l
STATE PARK Bendigo
R
SUN
Y
HW
ns
Y
HW
H
W
nto
SU
Inglewood
l
l
Fe
RN
Y
G
ER
MO
AY
ND
LE
LO
k
ee
Cr
AN St.Arnaud
LA
L
VA
LD
CA
ED
ETTS
Wedderburn l CA
C273
E
N
DOGG
ek
W
l Charlton
Cre
To Wedderburn
LODDO
RBU
RN
To
Wedderburn
To
Llanelly
ROAD
l
l
Melville Caves Seal Rock
l
To
Wedderburn
IES
ROAD
ROAD
GLEN
ALBYN
BACO
N
BR
AD
RO
TR
AC
K
NE
LA
Y
LA
NE
TO
R
EL
we
AB
go
OSHAN
NE
ROAD SSY
Ki
n
AD
RO
ON
TA
TI
D
O
W
O
LE
IN
G
LA
ARNO
LD
k
ree
C
R
E
AR
IN
LD
ROAD
TY
NO
LA
C
EO
Arnold West
WEST
M
MOLIAGUL
NATURE
CONSERVATION
RESERVE
OLLY
DUN
To
Dunolly
AN
EL
LY
ROAD
Cre
ek
Orville
MOLIAGUL
NATURAL
FEATURES
RESERVE
RO
S
BA
LI
BE
A
le
vil
Or
LL
r
MCINTYRE
NATURAL
FEATURES
RESERVE
k
ee
Cr
ROAD
l White Hill
AD
ALLEN
EH
LA
W
ROAD
aa
es
RANGE
RHEOLA
er
an
HILLS
gd
oc
hr
AH
AN
EN
RO
Cater Hill
A
OL
AD
PL
AN
D
R
JO
ee
k
Cr
TK
LT
HO
TK
GILES
PIES
KI RD
NG
OW
ER
LEACHES
BO
RD
AD
WE
HL
OK
ROAD
AN
CH
P
AR A D D O C K
CO
AL
ROAD
A
BO
X
ROA
D
TK
IES
DR
IDG
ES
TK
E
US
HO
WHEEL
TK
GREY
S
RD
es
ND
AD
RO
DA
RO
n
Ka
C
RH
AY
EO
ROAD
l
AD
NS
RO
KIL
AL
ROAD
ROA
D
N
ERBUR
WEDD
RIC
H
To Arnold
R
LD
RH
Y
DUNOLL
ã
WE
NO
ES
Kingower K
ING
O
ROAD
AR
RK
RD
To
Inglewood
GAP
BU
RD
BURK
ES
TK
R
BRIGARDT
TK
D
LE
Cartography by Spatial Vision 2008
M/5637
WE
r
AD
NG
KINGOWER
NATURAL
FEATURES
RESERVE
VIL
OR
2
GO
raa
AD
N
1
KILOMETRES
OLDIS
KIN
RD
NS
gde
VISITOR ACCESS, FACILITIES
& ADJACENT LAND TENURE
0
EASTERN
RD
OD
RO
I
RT
KU
ROAD
A
RO
AD
KOOYOORA STATE PARK
RD
INGRAMS
RD
GLENALBYN
BLOCK
ECL
RO
Figure 3
BRENANAH
ECK
Kan
ROAD
To
Bendigo
AKN
RIE
RE
PIP
RHEOLA HILL
NATURAL
FEATURES Rheola
RESERVE
RO
BURKES FLAT BEALIBA- RD
AD
ROAD
OB
TY
k
ee
Cr
AD
WO
GLE
BALD
TK
A
BRE
FLAT
ek
re
ER
OW
NG
OR
AT
RD H
E
BE
EK
CRE
RO
WESTERN
LANE
TK
IN
NG
CEMETERY
TK
TK
RH
A
LIB
ROAD
RD
GO WER
To
Inglewood
GH
W
AY
EVAN
TK
PATTERSONS
BA
RD
CO
N
RD
KNEEBONE
TK
KINGOWER
REFERENCE
AREA
IN
S
LL
C
KI
RED
DAM
TK
M
MC
RI
S
CK
HI
TK
HI
LS
IL
KANGDERAAR
NATURAL
FEATURES
RESERVE
WEBBS
MURRAYS
RD
O
O
S
UD
MARTINS
RD
TK
NA
T
SP
HALL
BA
RD
TK
AR
NES
DICKS
CORNER
TK
FORKEY
ST
FLA
T
R
OLD
MORRISONS
KS
EAGLE
H
TK
RIC
BURKES FLAT
NATURAL
FEATURES
RESERVE
G
TK
Burkes Flat
HOREHOUND
TK
AD
ROCK
ERS
SPI
NIN
G
D
RD
KIN
OR
KURTIN
ROA
SEE INSET
D
S
DA
ON
RH TK
NE
LA
E
LA
HUT
TIN
LAYCOCK
TK
BS
WEB
RD
RD
A79
PARSONS
RD
MAIN
BLOCK
ROA
S
BREAD AND
BUTTER TK
The
Courtyard
l
YS
BARR
RANGE
FLAT
l
ER
Glenalbyn
Camp Ground
lM
RITAS
TK
KIRWANS
LL
I
LV
ME
CK
TK
AD
EH
L
ROBBERY TK
VI
RO
NO
WEHLA
RO
NATURE
AD
CONSERVATION
RESERVE
MAIL
DE
VIE
W
AT
FL
TK
RHEOLA
KANGDERAAR
NATURAL
FEATURES
RESERVE
TA
N
AN
RD
Y
E
HIT
BURKE
S
RO
G
WEHLA
AN
JO
ASS
TK
CRYSTAL
MINE TK
KOOYOORA
REFERENCE
AREA
AD
LOG
GR
STEPHENSON
TK
BOUNDARY
TK
IG
IN
RO
Wehla
ROAD
W
ND
N
k
ee
Cr
NT
WEHLA
HILL
BLOCK
KINGOWER
BE
R
LY
MOU
W
BUTCHERS
TK
S
ER
DG
RO
BR
White Swan
Mine
WEHLA
NATURAL
FEATURES
RESERVE
WEHLA
BLOCK
RO
AD
Creek
OAD
R
y
ib
Fer
l
ROAD
LUNATIC
GULLY
TK
FORBES
CREEK
TK
ENANAH
MOUNT
KOOYOORA
TK
Mt Kooyoora
WESLEY
TK
To Logan
O
DUNOL
ANAH
LA
M
N
bes
LA
LD
CENTRE
RD
AY
For
H
WE
BREN
JOHNS
TK
SUND
RINDERS
BLOCK
NS
PERRYS
TK
D
BRENANAH
NATURAL
FEATURES
RESERVE
WEH
LL
HI
AY
UR
Wehla
l
ROA
k
D
D
RB
l Castlem
FENTO
LOGAN
Mt Brenanah
Lookout
ee
N
DE
RIN
ED
l
SUNDAY MORNING
HILLS BLOCK
Cr
SU
W
ER
S
COFFEYS
TK
G
Forb
N
R
Y
IA
AYS
ALDI
GARIB
BR
EN
AN
AH
ROA
D
IN
RHEOLA
RBU
DDE
BU
WE
ER
D
HW
H
Maldon
CREEK
CA
ED
Y
Y
l Dunolly
Maryborough
l
Avoca l
WALLIS
RN
SU
LE
H
KOOYOORA
l
STATE PARK Bendigo
R
SUN
Y
HW
ns
MO
AY
ND
Inglewood
W
nto
ek
W
LA
l
l
Fe
Cre
L
VA
G
ER
Park Information
(proposed)
Park information
Ryan
E
N
LO
k
ee
Fireplace
(proposed)
Lookout
Seasonal Road
Closure
To Wedderburn
LODDO
ETTS
LD
Cr
AN St.Arnaud
Fireplace
State Forest
Management Vehicle
Access
l
RN
Rock
Pool
Wedderburn l CA
C273
Toilets
Reference Area
-No Public Access
Large Rock l
M E T R E S
DOGG
Picnic table
Family walk
AR
750
l Charlton
Car Park
FIRE
ACCES
S
TK
500
250
Natural Features
Reserve
r
MELVILLE CAVES INSET
0
Sealed road
ROAD
Southern
l Lookout
Picnic shelter
S
D
YS ROCK R
RR
BA
LV
CK
BA
O
l R
ES Barrys
Rock
CAV
ILLE
Camping
Walking track
BREAKNECK
McLeods
Lookout
AD
ME
Long
Rock
State Park
Unsealed road
l
Picnic Area
Highway
CA
VE
Melville Caves
Lookout
Recreational
Facilities
Eastern
Car Park
WEDDERBURN
ã
N
Melville Caves
Camp Ground
Melville Caves
Lookout Car Park
To
Llanelly