Plans for creation of Darling Range National Park

15/10/96

The State Government's strong commitment to the preservation of Perth's natural environment was highlighted today with the presentation of plans for the creation of the biggest regional park in Western Australia.

Planning Minister Richard Lewis tabled in State Parliament reservation boundaries for the Darling Range Regional Park.

Mr Lewis said the creation of the regional park had received widespread community support.

"The major amendment to the Metropolitan Region Scheme (MRS) adds 11,910ha to Perth's parks and recreation reserves, which will enhance the existing reserves in the hills to create a regional park of some 35,000ha," he said.

"Reserving the additional land and creating the park will protect the outstanding environmental and landscape values of the Darling Range and provide recreational areas for Western Australians and visitors."

Mr Lewis said the amendment was a triumph in planning for conservation and would be seen by future generations as a bold and far-sighted move.

"It includes 67 proposals affecting more than 12,000ha of land, making it the biggest amendment to the MRS since its introduction in 1963," he said.

The amendment follows several years of community discussion and planning which culminated last year in the report, 'Proposals for the Darling Range Regional Park'.

"Today marks an important milestone in the implementation of the key recommendation of the report which called for the reservation of land for the park," MrLewis said.

The Minister said the creation of the regional park further enhanced the Coalition's excellent record in regard to the preservation of Perth's natural environment.

"Since our election to office in 1993, more than 31,700ha of land have been reserved for parks and recreational use, compared with 17,540ha of urban land, which equates to 80 per cent more land for open space than land zoned for urban use," he said.

"I am proud to say that since I became Minister for Planning the total amount of land reserved for parks and recreation in the MRS has risen from 36,523ha in 1993 to 68,307ha, which is an increase of nearly 90 per cent.

"These achievements cannot continue to be ignored by the conservation movement. However, I was pleased to receive the congratulations of the Conservation Council of WA in regard to the creation of the regional park."

Mr Lewis said there had been a three-month period in which people could make comments in relation to the proposed boundaries for the regional park, and of the 240 submissions received, more than half were in support.

As well as reserving 11,910ha for parks and recreation, the amendment reserves 92ha for waterways and 21ha for State forests.

Mr Lewis said the WA Planning Commission had requested several changes to the advertised amendment and reservation boundaries in 11 of 67 proposals had been modified.

"A proposal to transfer Lot 65 Nelson Crescent in Lesmurdie to urban has been deleted, as were proposed reservations in Kelvin Road in Wattle Grove, Hardinge Road in Orange Grove, Albany Highway in Bedfordale and six private lots along Carralong Brook in Serpentine," he said.

Mr Lewis said parts of the amendment recognised the outstanding landscape value of the Darling Range and ensured that it would be retained as a natural backdrop to the City of Perth.

"The regional park has provided for the protection of areas identified in the Department of Environmental Protection's System 6 report and includes disused railway reserves, which has created a system of greenways linking the inner Wheatbelt and the metropolitan area," he said.

"A lengthy corridor of crown land between Gooseberry Hill National Park and the State forest at Carmel will be reserved for parks and recreation to form another green link."

Mr Lewis said the WA Planning Commission would prepare a planning policy for the regional park to guide local governments in determining applications for rezoning, development and subdivision.

"It is proposed that an interim management committee, supported by two community advisory committees, be established to guide the management of the regional park," he said.

Media contact : Bronwyn Hillman 222 9595, 221 1377