Source: NSW Minister for the Environment

NPWS to employ more than 100 to work in new parks and additions, Minister announces

12 November 1998

NSW Minister for the Environment Pam Allan today announced the employment of more than 100 people by the National Parks and Wildlife Service (NPWS) to help manage the new parks and additions to existing parks declared as part of the upper and lower north east forestry agreements.

Ms Allan said as part of the jobs package, 15 Aboriginal positions would be made available to help facilitate joint management and works between the State government and the Aboriginal community.

Ms Allan said the jobs package would provide a stable future for up to 30 displaced timber workers, while at the same time ensuring the 85 new parks and reserves and 37 additions — totalling about 380,000 hectares — are professionally and effectively managed.

"As part of this forestry agreement, the NPWS will employ 105 people to work as rangers, field officers, planners and fire, pest and neighbour relations officers in national parks and reserves in Armidale, Grafton, Dorrigo, Glen Innes, Lismore, Port Macquarie and Hunter districts.

"The new officers will have the chance to be part of the management of these additions to the protected area reserve system which stretch from the Queensland border as far south as Raymond Terrace," Ms Allan said.

"Priority projects include the upgrading and maintenance of about 25 new camping areas and 45 day use areas, including lookouts and walking tracks.

"To support these new members of the NPWS workforce and the new parks and additions they will have to manage, works depots will be upgraded at Arakoon, Walcha, Urbenville, Taree, Tenterfield and Macksville throughout the northern region, while a further six depots will be upgraded in the Hunter district.

"A new NPWS sub-district office will be opened at Walcha with a staff of up to 10, and a field operations group is in the planning for Tenterfield."

Ms Allan said as part of the jobs package, all new staff will undergo an intensive training program to ensure they operate with the same level of skill and professionalism as their counterparts across NSW.

"They will have diverse and challenging roles in managing the state’s protected areas, including feral animal and weed control programs, fire management and neighbour relations.

"Particular emphasis will be given to providing and upgrading visitor facilities and public access in the new parks and additions, in recognition of the significant growth in nature-based tourism in the region.

"Some urgent projects the new staff members will be attending to are fire management including the purchase of new equipment, the implementation of endangered species recovery plans, and pest animal control, especially wild dog control to help protect neighbouring stock.

"Another priority will be the maintenance of the vast network of roads the NPWS will inherit along with these new areas. Many of the new roads will be upgraded and maintained, while others will be eventually closed and revegetated as they were only ever designed as access for logging purposes and serve no other management purpose," Ms Allan said.

Ms Allan said 10 additional Aboriginal trainees and cultural heritage officers would also be employed as part of a joint NPWS and State Forests initiative to coordinate park management opportunities with local Aboriginal communities.

"Their work might include cooperative planning, the provision of access for traditional purposes, Aboriginal site management and the enhancement of awareness of traditional links with the land.

"Many of these new areas are rich in Aboriginal cultural heritage, and it can only benefit the broader community to have local Aboriginal groups directly involved in their management."

Ms Allan said additional jobs would be available for biodiversity surveys and contractors to undertake capital works.

"The declaration of these new parks and additions will have a flow-on affect for local contractors in the region, who will be employed to construct visitor facilities in the parks, as well as biologists and other specialists, whose expertise will be needed over the coming years to undertake biodiversity surveys," Ms Allan said.

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