Fresh new visitor guide for 2011

A new look Visitor Guide has been launched for 2011, offering inspirational holiday ideas and images to help readers to start planning their next trip to a national park. While the 92-page glossy guidebook has been jazzed up with a fresh new look it still includes all the need-to-know details that visitors have come to depend on.

The 2011 guide is organised according to the NSW tourism regions, to align with visitnsw.com. There is also new information on the Discovery program of walks, talks and tours and fresh new maps to better help visitors create their itineraries.

Visit the NSW National Parks website to order your printed copy, request a bulk order or download a soft copy of the new 2011 Parks Visitor Guide.

Harbour Hopper charts new course over summer

NPWS was part of an exciting new visitor experience over summer, with Captain Cook Cruises and Bass and Flinders Cruises joining forces to pilot a Harbour Hopper ferry service linking ten of Sydney's best attractions, including the islands and foreshore areas of Sydney Harbour National Park.

The Harbour Hopper, which trialled over late December and January, linked three ferry circuits on one ticket, allowing visitors to hop on and off at their leisure over 1 or 2 days, taking in Darling Harbour, Circular Quay, Luna Park, Fort Denison, Taronga Zoo/Athol Bay, Shark Island, Watsons Bay, Quarantine Station, Clifton Gardens/Chowder Bay and Manly.

NPWS' involvement in the Harbour Hopper is part of the Agency's commitment in the Draft Plan of Management for Sydney Harbour National Park - on public exhibition until 30 April - to encourage people to experience and enjoy all that Sydney Harbour has to offer. The concept of a Hopper service was recently supported as a key strategy in Harbour View, the Tourism and Transport Forum's recently-released vision for the revitalisation of Sydney Harbour. Partners in the Harbour Hopper trial will now meet to review the summer program and future opportunities for the experience.

Alpine Resorts Sustainability Forum

NPWS is gearing up to host the seventh annual Alpine Resorts Sustainability Forum this May, under the theme ‘Diversity-Beyond the Boundaries’ at the Lake Crackenback Resort.

The two-day event, held in partnership between the NPWS and the Victorian Alpine Resorts Co-ordinating Council (ARCC), has already lined up some industry speakers to speak including Professor Mike Archer from UNSW’s Biology, Earth & Environmental Sciences Division and Rachael Oakes-Ash, a ski blogger.

NPWS stakeholders and partners are invited to participate in the upcoming event as delegates, with expressions of interest and further information requests to be directed to 2011sustainability.forum@environment.nsw.gov.au . Up-to-date information can be found on the NSW National Parks website.

Innovative partnerships piloted on South Coast

This summer, an innovative partnership between national parks along the NSW south coast and international cruise operators, has seen hundreds of international travellers enjoying our South Coast parks for the very first time.

In conjunction with Orion Expedition Cruises, NPWS officers showcased the amazing experiences in and around Batemans Marine Park and Montague Island Nature Reserve. Taking full advantage of the warm weather, passengers experienced a traditional Aboriginal smoking ceremony welcome, enjoyed a tour to see nesting seabirds, and even said hello to the resident seal colony on Montague Island. Marine Parks staff provided an introduction to the visitors on board the ship before the groups departed on their day tours.

Not to be outdone, Eden on the Far South coast welcomed the giant 61,214 tonne Volendam into Twofold Bay, whereupon the 1,400 passengers were invited to explore the Davidson Whaling Station and a bushwalk to Haycock Point in Ben Boyd National Park. The latter included an Aboriginal smoking ceremony welcome and other cultural activities.

NPWS is working with Orion and Holland America Line to identify opportunities for future cruise ship visitors to get out and about in a national park while they are in the region.

Exhibition takes to international stage

Discovering Country, the photography exhibition that powerfully captures the many moods of the stunning environments of the NSW Snowy Mountains and the connections Aboriginal people have with this ancient landscape, went international over summer with an invitation to exhibition at the Gu Yuan Museum of Art in China in December.

The exhibition is the result of a successful collaboration between NPWS and the Discovery Photographers Community, originally developed as a fundraiser promoting the natural, cultural and historic landscapes of Kosciuszko National Park and the NSW Snowy Mountains through imagery inspired by the land's Traditional Owners, the Wiradjuri and Wolgalu People.

The collaboration is part of a broader Aboriginal partnership program underway in the NPWS Tumut Region helping to deliver increased opportunities for Aboriginal communities to develop careers in tourism and, through this process, reconnect with Country and traditional practices.

The exhibition, which was hosted in Zhuhai Provence, was a unique opportunity to showcase to the Chinese public the majesty of the NSW Snowy Mountains and its Aboriginal culture, along with the special tourism experiences on offer.

For more information on the exhibition and Tumut's Aboriginal partnership activities, call (02) 6947-7023.

New zoning plans for Marine Parks

Improved zoning plans for Solitary Island and Jervis Bay marine parks have just been finalised, with new changes aimed at enhancing biodiversity conservation, manageability as well as sustainable use of the parks.

These revised plans for our state's two oldest marine parks are based on scientific information as well as extensive community consultation initiatives and detailed reviews.

Under the new Solitary Islands Marine Park zoning plan marine habitats will be better protected, prawn trawling will continue in a reduced area of the park and recreational fishing access will be improved at three key spots. Jervis Bay Marine Park's new zoning plan sees the prohibition of commercial trawling and lift netting in the park, better protection at the Beecroft Peninsula, and improved boat access to beaches in Hare Bay. Roughly 80% of both marine parks will still provide for recreational fishing.

Local NPWS park managers report a bumper summer period in the marine parks with holiday makers taking advantage of no take zones for snorkelling but also enjoying dropping a line in the 80% of the parks still available for recreational fishing.

To find out more, visit the marine parks website. Community information sessions will be held in February, with new user guides available before March.

Parks now make up 9% of NSW

In NSW just over seven million hectares of land, an area roughly equivalent to the size of Tasmania, have now been conserved in 850 parks and reserves. This means that some 9% of the state, covering a vast range of landscapes and habitats is now protected in the reserve system.

NSW now has one of the most comprehensive park systems in the world, providing refuge for a wide diversity of native animals and plants, including over 1,000 endangered species.

Over 450 parks have been added to the NSW reserve system over the last 15 years, and in 2008 alone, more than 38 million domestic visits were recorded to national parks throughout the state, with Blue Mountains, Royal, Ku-ring-gai Chase, Lane Cove and Kosciuszko national parks being the five most popular.

Find out about park closures

With the recent floods in northern and central NSW, and the closure of many areas within local parks, visitors and tour operators alike should keep a keen eye on the Floods, fires and park closures page on the NSW National Parks website. The page is updated regularly and is a key go-to for the latest national park information. And of course please do not hesitate to contact the local NPWS office for up to date information on local conditions.

Smooth Operator

Each edition, we profile one of our fantastic Parks Eco Pass tour operators and find out a little about what makes them tick!

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Bundeena Kayaks offers both kayaking and paddle boarding experiences in and around Royal National Park. From two hour 'learn to kayak' lessons to full day journeys, Bundeena Kayaks gives visitors the chance to view the beautiful Sydney coastline from a brand new perspective. Bundeena Kayaks currently holds a ten-year Parks Eco Pass.

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