Kosciuszko National Park ("KNP")
673,542 hectares / 1.664 million acres
In 1943 this area was proclaimed Kosciuszko State Park (KSP Act 1944) and the Act clearly stated that "the area to be
available for recreation etc. subject to the Regulations, land within the KSP shall be available to the public for the purpose of
riding, hiking, camping, snow sports and any other form of recreation and the public shall have free access to and over all roads
and tracks, and to all fishing streams in the park."
With the passage of the National Parks and Wildlife Act 1967( consolidated and amended in 1974) the result was the transfer of
management responsibilities from the Kosciuszko State Park Trust to the newly created National Parks and Wildlife
Service ("NPWS").
The National Parks and Wildlife Act 1974 states "the purpose of reserving land as a national park is to identify, protect and
conserve areas containing outstanding or representative ecosystems, and natural or cultural features, landscapes or phenomena that
provide opportunities for public appreciation, inspiration, sustainable visitor use and enjoyment."
To-day public recreational use by those other than bushwalkers, is prohibited in over 50% of KNP due to wilderness zonings. If the
extreme green groups get their way the "lockout" would be 100%.
We, the Australian public, are progressively losing access to our own public land and are not protecting what little European
heritage that still remains. How did this happen? We trusted our Politicians to look after our interests, we allowed the very
extreme/radical minority environmental groups to exercise undue influence in the community and they now appear to hold political
parties "hostage" by the allocation of preference votes. We the silent majority did not speak out effectively, not like the
way we did in the "Save our Snowy" campaign.
Therefore, the purpose of SMBUG( with its growing membership of likeminded people) is to speak out, lobby our politicians and
create public awareness as to what is happening in our "beloved" Snowy Mountains in relation to our mountain heritage, the
mountain brumby, the ever increasing access restrictions and inept land management by NPWS.
SMBUG focus our efforts on three key issues:-
HERITAGE
By promoting and protecting the cultural heritage values, for future generations, of the-
- LEGENDARY AND ICONIC MOUNTAIN BRUMBY
- HISTORIC PASTORAL (Stockman’s) HUTS
- HISTORIC STOCK ROUTES, WAGON AND BRIDLE TRACKS
- HISTORIC MINING, LOGGING AND GRAVE SITES
- HISTORIC ABORIGINAL SITES
ACCESS
By promoting responsible access to-
- HISTORIC SITES WITHIN WILDERNESS ZONINGS ETC.( MAIN RANGE MANAGEMENT UNIT EXCLUDED) BY HORSE RIDERS PROVIDED THEY ARE CONFINED TO FIRE AND MANAGEMENT TRAILS, HISTORIC STOCK ROUTES, WAGON AND BRIDLE TRACKS
- WHERE APPROPRIATE FIRE OR MANAGEMENT TRAILS EXIST AND WITH PERMISSION ALLOW VEHICULAR ACCESS TO HISTORIC SITES FOR PEOPLE WHO HAVE DIRECT OR GENERATIONAL LINKS WITH THE SITE AND WHO HAVE NO OTHER MEANS OF ACCESS EG. THE VERY YOUNG/OLD OR DISABLED
By reversing the additional exclusion areas introduced in the 2006 Plan of Management for KNP.
By expanding the number of vehicle based camping areas with horses, crowding in the peak holiday periods will be reduced and the riding experience enhanced.
LAND MANAGEMENT
We have expressed our concern on many occasions to NPWS and our politicians in what we see as the
decline in the overall health and well being of KNP. Since the withdrawal of grazing in 1972(after 135 years) we have lost the
management practices initiated by the Aboriginal and adopted by the European pastoralists. The native grasses were healthy, there was
an abundance of native fauna and flora( the wildflowers had to be seen to be believed).
To-day KNP has become almost a wasteland due to the horrendous devastation caused by ineffective bushfire prevention techniques
and the pursuit/killing skills of the wild dog, fox, cat, pig etc.
By promoting and encouraging significant improvement in NPWS land management skills in relation to-
- Bushfires- prevention/containment through fuel load reduction, appropriate and accessible fire trails and fire breaks. Re-introduction of a controlled level of cattle grazing in appropriate areas
- Predator feral animals- eradication of all wild dogs, foxes, cats, pigs etc
- Weeds- eradication of all noxious weeds with particular emphasis on the blackberry which is spreading like a wildfire and is choking the streams and gullies and providing safe harbour for the predator feral animals. Also, needle bush is taking over the once pristine plains and frost hollows. Likewise, st.john’s worte, serrated tussock, hemlock, pattersons curse, yarrow are all on the march.
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Did you know that...............The KNP is the largest national park in NSW and one of the largest conservation reserves in Australia.
