Naturescapes - NSW National Parks e-Newsletter

Having trouble reading this email? View it on your browser. Not interested anymore? Unsubscribe Instantly.

Welcome to the Autumn edition of Naturescapes, in this edition we'll look at the great Discovery events coming up this Easter, including the gazettal of a brand new national park in Sydney's South West.

We invite you on an exciting adventure with our new children's program WilderQuest, which has been launched by the Minister for Environment, the Hon. Robyn Parker MP, in time for these school holidays.

New experiences are being kicked off in the Riverina with a brand new parks operator, amongst the newly rejuvenated river red gums.

Also we'll celebrate our award-winning experiences and invite you to come and enjoy them for yourself.

Dharawal now a national park

Families in Sydney's South West and the Illawarra can now welcome a brand new national park in their neighbourhood with the official gazettal of Dharawal National Park.

Officially launched by the NSW Premier and the Minister for the Environment on Sunday 25th of March, the new national park features significant upland swamps, Aboriginal cultural sites and protects part of Sydney's largest surviving koala population.

Visitors will find new facilities to come over the next couple of years, with the NSW Government committing $1 million to visitor projects, such as a new wheelchair accessible lookout overlooking O’Hares Creek, improved walking tracks to Stokes Creek, a new loop track to Maddens Falls and a new picnic area in the northern part of the park.

A community day will be held on the 5th of May to celebrate the creation of the new national park. Everyone is welcome to join in these celebrations. Further information will become available on www.wildwildworld.com.au closer to the event.

A new adventure with WilderQuest

WilderQuest is the brand new children's program developed by NPWS to connect children with nature. The Minister for Environment, the Hon. Robyn Parker MP, launched the program on 4 April.

Incorporating an interactive website, a free iPad app and a range of dedicated WilderQuest Discovery activities, the program builds enthusiasm through play and games-based activities.

WilderQuest will also be making a splash at this year's Sydney Royal Easter Show from the 5th to the 18th in the Kids World Pavilion. If you're planning a visit, make sure you drop by and visit our rangers, try out the games and score some WilderQuest goodies.

Featuring Ranger Sam and a crew of animal cohorts, WilderQuest taps into children's interest in screen time to become familiar and comfortable with our state's natural environments.

In the months to come NPWS will launch more environments for the WilderQuest website, scope more opportunities for on the ground activities as well as launch more mobile-based apps - so keep an eye out for our WilderQuest critters!

Find an Autumn Discovery tour

This School Holidays we're proud to bring to you some brand new Discovery Tours, as well as return with some award-winning favourites in your local national parks.

Join Aboriginal Discovery Ranger Mark Flanders in Coffs Harbour as he introduces the dynamic culture of the Gumbaynggirr Aboriginal People on Muttonbird Island where participants can sample bush tucker of the region, as well as hear stories of the local muttobird colony. Mark's tours were recently recornised with the Gold Award at the Australian Tourism Awards for Excellence.

Travelling inland? Kinchega National Park has a raft of adventures for children this easter, with a diverse range of Junior Ranger options, the little ones can discover 'tracks and traces', learn about threatened species, or join an Aboriginal cultural tour.

For history buffs, Goat Island in Sydney Harbour will soon be the place to be. With April 14th seeing the launch of regular weekly tours that you can book and confirm online - and just in time for Heritage Week.

For these events and more this school holidays, visit www.wildwildworld.com.au.

Rains rejuvenate Country NSW

Summer rains have led to some dramatic landscape changes in our country national parks. A far cry from the decade long drought, these rains have brought changes to our wetlands and lakes.

Coupled with cooler temperatures, now really is the time to take your next country NSW journey. Parks including Warrumbungle National Park, Yanga National Park and Hill End Historic Site are still open for business - just make sure you check road conditions with the local parks office before you go!

Kosciuszko National Park has also benefitted greatly from the rains, seeing the mighty Snowy River regaining some of its strength as it flows across the Great Eastern Ranges.

With the rains comes challenging road and track conditions for park visitors this autumn, so visitors are advised to keep an eye on park closures information before you travel.

Mt Canobolas major track upgrades

Visitors to Mount Canobolas State Conservation Area over the upcoming school holidays will be among the first to walk on improved walking tracks currently being upgraded as part of a major capital works project.

Around 12 km of tracks let you discover the diversity and splendour of Mount Canobolas. This extinct volcano rises nearly 1500 m, it’s the highest point between the Blue Mountains and Perth, supporting varied vegetation and intriguing rock formations.

The upgrade involves widening, fixing erosion problems, installing steps, minor rerouting of some track sections and installing information signs. It's part of the continued upgrading of Mount Canobolas facilities, in order to improve your enjoyment of this fabulous walk.

The walking track project follows upgrades to the Federal Falls camping area in recent years, where $225,000 has been spent improving facilities and protecting Aboriginal sites.

Jenolan Caves the best in Australia

In an amazing double-header, Jenolan Caves has received two gold awards at the recent Qantas Australian Tourism Awards. Jenolan Caves accepted the gongs in the categories of Tourist Attraction and Heritage and Cultural Tourism.

Jenolan Caves has a rich tradition of technical innovation, scientific discovery and cultural connection for generations of visitors. Its gold award for Heritage and Cultural Tourism is a tribute to the many ways it has integrated its unusual history and contemporary culture into underground activities, such as cave tours led by historical characters. The caves are also a unique venue for musical concerts and theatrical performances.

If you haven’t been for a while, now is a great time to visit Jenolan Caves and discover the amazing treasures in and around the caves and karst.

To celebrate our accolades we're giving away a Multi-Park Pass to one lucky reader who can answer the question: "How many show caves are there in the Jenolan Karst Conservation Reserve?" Remember to email through your name, email and contact number along with the answer!

For a full list of winners, visit the Australian Tourism Awards website.

What's On

6 Apr	Good Friday
6-9 Apr	Back to Perisher weekend
8 Apr	Easter Sunday
6-22 Apr	Campground Hosts
18 Apr	World Heritage Day
22 Apr	Earth Day "Green School Leadership Centre"
7-12 Apr	International Composting Awareness Week (ICAW)
14-20 Apr	National Volunteer Week

Great Things to Do

Our River Red Gums parks are drawing new visitors to the Riverina - and with our latest Parks Ecopass licensed operator, you can join an organised tour to explore these magnificent natural attractions with an experienced and enthusiastic local guide.

Riverina Experience offers a variety of tours exploring the river red gum forests, enchanting towns and magnificent rivers. If you're after a nature experience, the kayak and cycling tours are a must - and the kids are welcome to join in too.

Kayak tours run from two hours to a full day, depending on your interests and experience. You’ll enjoy a tour along the Murrumbidgee River, interacting with myriad bird life with plenty of native animals to view along the way. With experienced local guides, it's really up close and personal with nature.

Riverina Experience also offers cycling tours that meander through the majestic red gum forests and alongside the Murrumbidgee River - keep your eye out for koalas that inhabit the red gums (there's a koala sanctuary nearby). Again you'll see amazing bird life - there are more than 180 species recorded in the Riverina red gum forests - on your gentle journey.

Contact Riverina Experience to book your next tour.

Wildlife Spot

If you’re sitting or walking quietly near a casuarina tree in a NSW national park and you hear a gentle cracking sound, make sure you take a good look at that tree.

It just might be Glossy Black Cockatoos, hoeing into the tree’s seed pods, the birds’ preferred food source. They’re quite calm about letting you watch them as they choose a favourite tree for meal time.

There are three sub species of Glossy Black Cockatoo. The one most likely to be spotted in northern and eastern NSW is Calyptorhynchus Lathami, usually seen alone or in small groups. You’ll probably notice its orange or red-paneled tail first; males have a soft brown on the head and breast; and the females have irregular yellow blotches on their head and neck while their tail panels have black bars. If the birds are in flight, you’ll probably hear their raucous squawking overhead before you see them.

Glossy Black Cockatoos are listed as a vulnerable species, so it’s a real privilege to see them in the wild.

About NSW National Parks

NSW's national parks and reserves are cared for and managed by the NSW National Parks & Wildlife Service . There are more than 850 national parks and reserves across the state, taking in four World Heritage Areas and four National Landscapes. There are also 11 sites on the National Heritage List, while more than 300 parks form part of the extensive Great Eastern Ranges. NPWS is part of the Office of Environment and Heritage within the NSW Department of Premier and Cabinet.

For further information: T | 02 9995 5572 E | naturescapes@environment.nsw.gov.au

Images: Autumn Discovery (L. McKinley/OEH), Dharawal NP (L. Boyd/OEH), Rains (S. Cenedese/OEH), Blue Mountains (D. Finnegan/OEH), Mt Canobolas (B. Hlavica/OEH), Jenolan Caves (J.Lin/OEH). Great Things to Do (D. Finnegan/OEH), Glossy Black Cockatoo (A. Henderson/OEH)

*Naturescapes competitions full terms and conditions can be found at Wild Wild World.

First time you've received Naturescapes? You may have signed up for more info from us via our websites or at a recent event. If it isn't for you, you can unsubscribe instantly at the top of the page. The NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service (NPWS) is part of the Office of Environment and Heritage within the NSW Department of Premier and Cabinet. The information contained in this publication is of a general nature only and is, as far as the Department is aware, correct at the time of publishing. The Department accepts no responsibility for any loss or damage incurred as a result of reliance on any information contained in this publication. Privacy Policy.