Albany gets WA's newest national park

5/07/06
Gull Rock reserve, east of Albany, has become the State's 97th national park.
The 2,000ha reserve contains several species of threatened native flora and has the most significant remaining stands of scarlet banksia (Banksia coccinea) in the region.
Launching the new national park today, Environment Minister Mark McGowan said the area had been baited through the Western Shield program for about 10 years and presented a potential habitat for endangered species such as the noisy scrub-bird and western bristlebird.
"The Western Ringtail Possum - an endangered marsupial - is regularly sighted in the area, indicating the success of the program," Mr McGowan said.
"It is hoped that more endangered species will be reintroduced to the reserve, in consultation with the Gull Rock community working group.
"The area's nature conservation values are further highlighted by the fact that the area was one of the key collecting localities of early explorers and naturalists.
"In fact, it is thought to be the 'type locality' for the first recorded collections of several species of native plants and animals."
In addition to the nature conservation values, the Gull Rock National Park is of considerable importance for wide-ranging recreational interests involving the beach, rocky cliffs, access tracks and firebreaks.
The Minister said the reserve had been vested in the Conservation Commission of Western Australia and would be managed by the Department of Environment and Conservation (DEC).
A further 400ha, known as Mt Martin Regional Botanic Park and the four-hectare Voyagers Park recreation site on the western edge of the new national park, had also been transferred to the commission.
"Mt Martin is located at the entrance to Oyster Harbour and is known for its rich flora," Mr McGowan said.

Albany MLA Peter Watson welcomed the announcement and acknowledged the support of the Albany City Council for the areas to become parks vested in the Conservation Commission.
"I also thank the local community, particularly the Lower Kalgan Progress Association, the Mt Martin Regional Botanic Park Advisory Committee and the City of Albany, who have been involved in managing the reserves for many years," Mr Watson said.
He said the reserves would become part of a strategic network of parks and reserves in the Albany region, stretching from Torndirrup National Park in the west to Waychinicup National Park in the east.
This network also included Two Peoples Bay Nature Reserve, which was internationally renowned as the site of the rediscovery of the presumed extinct noisy scrub-bird in 1962.
Minister's office: (08) 9222 9111