New Work Health and Safety laws

New Work Health and Safety (WHS) laws have come into effect in NSW replacing the existing OH&S legislation. The new laws aim to harmonise legislation governing workplace health and safety across all states and territories. Several major changes will impact lessees and licensees operating within the NSW parks system.

The new WHS Act extends the duty of care provisions to all persons who may be put at risk from the conduct of the business or undertaking. This includes employees, volunteers, contractors, subcontractors, labour hire staff, trainees and visitors.

Lessees and licensees need to take steps to ensure that their operations comply with their duties and obligations under the WHS laws.

Over the next few weeks the Office of Environment and Heritage, of which NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service is a part, will be writing to all its lessees and licensees to provide further information. In the meantime, lessees and licensees should familiarise themselves with their duties and obligations under the new laws.

Parks engaging children in nature

In order to encourage children to develop a love of nature and nature-based activities, a new program was launched on 4 April by the Hon. Robyn Parker, Minister for Environment in the Sydney Botanic Gardens. The target age range is five to eight year olds.

Incorporating an interactive website, a free iPad app and a range of dedicated WilderQuest Discovery activities during the NSW school holidays, the program builds enthusiasm through play and games-based activities. Already the program has seen numerous accolades including Apple iPad App of the Week and a Gold Award for the WilderQuest stand at the Sydney Royal Easter Show.

NPWS has also been invited to present at the upcoming Department of Education and Communities 2012 Event Learning for Sustainability: Video Conference Festival on WilderQuest. Efforts will also continue to align the WilderQuest program to existing NSW curriculum.

Coastal park operators, be a part of WAW 2012

The spectacular HUmpback migration has already started and NPWS is busy ramping up for another exciting Wild About Whales campaign over the 2012 whale watching season.

This highly successful campaign encourages visitors to get out into coastal national parks or hop aboard a whale watching tour. The campaign aims to motivate people to visit our coas during the cooler low season period.

Wild About Whales (WAW), now in its third year, generated outstanding results in 2011, particularly in its online reach, with a 123% increase in visits to the campaign website and a 384% increase in social media engagement via Twitter and Facebook year on year. Key whale watching spots along the coast, such as Kamay Botany Bay National Park, have also experienced significant increase in visits since the launch of the campaign in 2010.

Boosting bookings of tours and experiences is a key objective for WAW in 2012, so this year we’re broadening the campaign story to showcase the wide variety of nature-based opportunities visitors can also enjoy in and around our coastal parks over winter and spring.

If you’re a licensed operator and you’d like to find out how you can participate and promote your tour of guided activity through the WAW 2012 campaign, contact the NPWS Marketing & Promotions Unit now on wildaboutwhales@environment.nsw.gov.au.

Outback campaign planned for spring

In anticipation of a fantastic spring season for our outback national parks, NPWS are once more partnering with Destination New South Wales for a digital marketing campaign.

Giving visitors plenty of time to plan and book, the campain is going into market this June and July and will motive and inspire visitors to consider the outback for their next holiday destination - and while they're at it, to experience a unique nature experience in one of our national parks.

Working with our tour operators, the campaign will promote the range of experience offerings in the outback through campaign pages on the Destination NSW, so keep an eye out for the new content come June.

Sculptures calling for judges and entrants

Trial Bay Gaol in Arakoon National Park is gearing up once more for the annual Sculptures in the Gaol exhibition, which takes place in September to October.

In the run up to this year's event, NPWS is calling for interested parties to register to become a judge and all artists are invited to submit their artworks for consideration.

This will be the forth time that the historic Trial Bay Gaol site will be transformed into an outdoor gallery and entries will close on the 18th of July. For more information on becoming a judge or an entrant, please contact the Event Coordinator, Neville Nunney at neville.nunney@environment.nsw.gov.au or (02) 6566-6419.

Congratulations to our award winners

NPWS was recently recognised in the Australian Tourism Awards, where Coffs Coast Aboriginal Discovery was awarded a Gold Award for Indigenous Tourism, Lane Cove River Tourist Park took the Gold in Excellence in Sustainable Tourism, whilst Jenolan Caves won a Gold Award for both Tourist Attraction as well as Heritage and Cultural Tourism.

Additionally NPWS has also confirmed its sponsorship for the upcoming 2012 Inland Tourism Awards, for which East Kunderang Homestead, Green Gully Track and Yanga Homestead Precinct are all preparing nominations.

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