Gardens of Stone National Park: Amendment to the plan of management: Establishing a Wollemi great walk

Abstract

Gardens of Stone National Park is reserved to achieve the objectives of the National Parks and Wildlife Act 1974 (NPW Act). These objectives are centred on conserving nature and cultural heritage values, and fostering public appreciation, understanding and enjoyment of these special values. The Gardens of Stone National Park plan of management (NPWS 2009) describes how the National Parks and Wildlife Service (NPWS) intends to achieve the Act’s objectives. All operations undertaken in the park need to be in accordance with this plan of management. An amendment to a plan of management is required if there is a proposed change to the park’s management that is not consistent with the current plan. Section 73B of the NPW Act enables the Minister to amend a plan of management following public consultation. This amendment to the Gardens of Stone National Park plan of management facilitates establishment of a Wollemi great walk and a change to the maximum size of groups allowed on the walk. An increase in group size limits from 12 to 20 is necessary to achieve consistency with the limits that already apply within Wollemi National Park. The following were considered in preparing this amendment: • the management principles for national parks listed under section 30E of the NPW Act • the matters listed under section 72AA of the NPW Act • advice of the Blue Mountains Regional Advisory Committee • submissions received on the draft amendment to the plan of management. The amendment replaces some of the existing plan of management’s text and adds some new text. These changes should be read in conjunction with the adopted plan of management, specifically, the section and page numbers referred in the amendment. Where a change is made to an action in the body of the plan of management, corresponding changes will also be made to Section 5.1 ‘Priorities for implementation of actions specified in the plan’ as necessary.