Premier opens new national park on the Goldfields (with pic.)

16/7/00

A new national park of more than 64,000ha has been officially opened on the Goldfields today, forming the core of a new conservation area.

Premier Richard Court said today that the Goldfields Woodland National Park, west of Coolgardie was part of a new conservation reserve network that extended over almost 152,500ha on either side of the Great Eastern Highway between Coolgardie and Southern Cross.

In addition, a further 150,000ha will be added to the network to create a series of conservation lands in the region that will ultimately total more than 300,000ha.

Mr Court said the conservation area represented a microcosm of the Eastern Goldfields.

"The area contains a wide variety of eucalypts including original stands and regrowth areas of salmon gum, gimlet, ribbon-barked gum, mallees, red morrel, redwood, and woodline mallee," he said.

"There is also a range of acacias, banksias, callistemons, hakeas, melaleucas, sandalwood and an undescribed species of grasstree.

"You can also find an amazing range of the various ecosystems of the region including granite outcrops, natural salt lakes, sandplain heaths and eucalypt woodlands.
"The park is also particularly significant in that it contains the richest array of dragon lizards found in the region.
"Fauna surveys including the neighbouring Boorabbin National Park have revealed 17 species of native mammals, four species of frogs, 52 reptile and 51 bird species.
"Mammals include the wongai ningui, a small nocturnal marsupial that preys on insects and several species of dunnarts (another small insect-preying marsupial weighing less than 15 grams when fully grown), as well as bats and native rodents."
Mr Court said the history of the conservation area showed that it had a unique and important association to the early development of the Goldfields.
"Timber cut from the arid inland forests was used as fuel in the pumping stations along the Goldfields water pipeline between Mundaring and Kalgoorlie, which was completed in 1903," he said.
"In fact, parts of the new national park are former pump station firewood reserves.

"Also, the western part of the reserve includes remnants of the historic Kalgoorlie woodlines which were narrow gauge railway lines used to haul timber into Kalgoorlie and Boulder for the mines and boilers following the discovery of gold."

The eucalypts in the reserves also come in for international attention, as the Goldfields is the only place in the world where so many tall trees grew in such an arid environment.

"Land management people from countries such as China, Africa, Israel and other Mediterranean countries are now using Goldfields eucalypts for re-afforestation and rehabilitation projects in their arid zones," Mr Court said.

He said the declaration of the park was part of the Government's commitment to conservation of the State's natural environment and creating opportunities for nature-based tourism activities in regional Western Australia.
"The Government also is strongly committed to achieving a balance by creating a comprehensive conservation reserve network while at the same time appreciating the various competing land uses in the Goldfields," the Premier said.
"We want to encourage a conservation ethic that recognises the rights of future generations, and the responsibilities of the present generation, to manage natural resources so they remain a part of all of our futures."

The area also has much to offer for recreation and tourism, with the potential to develop a number of recreation and camping sites within the park and along the Great Eastern Highway and provide a tourist route to incorporate and interpret different biological and historical features.
These include distinctive rock catchments along the historical Goldfields railway and pipeline next to the Great Eastern Highway and the heritage trail from York to the Goldfields.
The famous and historic Holland Track from Broomehill to Coolgardie crossed the park from Diamond Rock through Thursday Rock and Victoria Rock to Coolgardie. This route is now developing as a popular outback four-wheel-drive track.
The State Government has committed to creating 12 new national parks throughout the South-West forest region, and a total of 15 new national parks and three conservation reserves across the State, to protect more of the State's natural beauty.

This is part of the Regional Forest Agreement's commitment to extend the conservation reserve system, meeting ecological criteria for an adequate reserve system and community attachment to special areas.
Media contacts:
Justine Whittome 9222 9475
Nigel Higgs, CALM, 9389 8644

Elder of the Gubrun people, Cadley Sambo, Minister for the Environment Cheryl Edwardes and Premier Richard Court at the declaration of the Goldfields Woodland National Park.