SNOWY  MOUNTAINS  BUSH  USERS  GROUP  INC. (“SMBUG”)

Protecting our Mountain Heritage

14 February 2008

Mr Steve Horsley
Regional Manager, South West Slopes Region
National Parks and Wildlife Service
PO Box 472
TUMUT NSW 2720

RE-OUR RESPONSE dated 21 December 2007 to the HORSE MANAGEMENT PLAN DRAFT
“A Document for Discussion” NOVEMER 2007

Dear Mr Horsley, 

In our abovementioned response we reserved the right to make a separate submission in relation to the photographs appearing on page 15- Figure 3 of the Plan Draft.

We have identified the photographs in accordance with the location maps and details supplied by NPWS for the purpose of clarity. 

We have carried out our own independent site inspections and canvassed comment from a number of our members and draw the following conclusions: 

PAGE 15- HORSE MANAGEMENT PLAN DRAFT

Photo top left (Peppercorn Creek) Grid Ref 460604      PHOTO A 

·        In our view the major contributor to the creek spreading out and silting up is the construction of a road culvert across it that has significantly altered the creeks flow. The culvert has 2 x 51cm(20inch) pipes (one of which is 70% blocked by a large stone) that are totally inadequate to handle the flow of water after heavy rain and/or snowmelt. The result being that the water is dammed and silt deposited. The brumbies have merely taken advantage of a man-made situation. By NPWS presenting this photo as exclusive brumby damage is a gross misrepresentation of the facts and purposely intended to mislead the public

·        There is evidence of minimal stream bank disturbance from animals/herbivores drinking and grazing immediately upstream of the culvert. This disturbance is not of a permanent or irreversible nature and larger pipes will allow the creek to return to its natural course

·        If you go upstream 40 metres the creek is less than 1.5 metres wide with rocky banks and bottom and no evidence of brumby activity. Likewise, immediately downstream from the culvert the situation is the same.

·        There is significant roadside erosion immediately to the north of this culvert

·        It is interesting to note that this is the only culvert on Long Plain Rd from here to the Rules Point turn off that displays any evidence of brumby activity.

·        Peppercorn Creek is not the headwaters of the Murrumbidgee River as stated in the caption

·        The photograph and caption are both misleading and deceptive 

Photo top right (Fifteen Mile Ridge-Dry wallow) Grid Ref 252124    PHOTO B 

·        Having trucked our horses approx.60km (120km round trip) from Cooinbil to Bradleys Hut we then rode up to Fifteen Mile Ridge and believe that we located the one dry wallow on the high plain that covers an area of approx. 15 hectares. The wallow measured about 2 metres x 4 metres and is therefore totally insignificant in the overall scheme of things.

·        There is no evidence of frost heave or wind erosion in the wallow

·        There is significant evidence of recent soil and vegetation disturbance over the 15 hectares by pigs

·        This photograph and caption is vague and misleading

 Photos centre left and right (Gooandra Creek) Grid Ref 386384      PHOTO C 1&2

 ·        Brumbies by nature do not ascend or descend (in open country) in a straight line a slope greater than 10-12 degrees. It is clearly false and misleading for NPWS to present these photos as Brumby impact.

·        From our research we know that there was extensive mining around 1860 on Gooandra and Tantangra Creeks and within a 5 km radius of this crossing conceivably 500 miners. In the early 1830’s Dr. Gibson was grazing sheep in the area and in 1880 H.F.Lampe selected the Gooandra holding. By 1926 Lampe had increased his base (approx.1.5km to the crossing) from the initial Gooandra miners hut to include a new homestead, an 8 stand woolshed and numerous outbuildings and depending on seasonal conditions was running over 50,000 head of sheep.

·        In our view the early miners made the track crossing at Gooandra Creek. All manner of things would have been carted on this track by packhorses and iron rimmed wheeled bullock wagons. Obviously the pastoralists would have also used the track and crossing for access and stock movements.

·        Over the last 150 odd years the track has evolved as a multi-use track used by humans, native and introduced animals. SMHEA may have used this crossing in their vehicles when surveying the area for there has been what looks like a vehicle track cut in on the western side of the creek

·        The track into the creek on the western side (centre photo right) in the last 20 odd years has become exclusively a watercourse and the erosion is getting progressively worse. Rehabilitation work should be carried out immediately

·        To assert that these impacts are created by Brumbies is fraudulent misrepresentation 

Photo bottom left (a tributary of Tantangara Ck) Grid Ref 392364    PHOTO E

 ·        We could not locate/identify this site exactly.

·        There was evidence of pig wallow/damage in the bed of a small stream in the near vicinity

·        A joint site visit with your officer who took the photograph may assist

 Photo bottom right (Brumbies crossing the Snowy Mountains Hwy) PHOTO D

 ·        Please refer to our comments on pages 5 and 6 in our response dated 21 December 2007.  What a wonderful sight- with appropriate warning signage and speed limit reduction the vast majority of the Australian public would welcome the opportunity to experience such sightings

 SMBUG submits that the Photographs and captions appearing on page 15 of the Plan Draft are inappropriate and that further they are fraudulent misrepresentations of the facts that mislead the reader/public and implementer of the Plan and should therefore be removed from the Plan Draft or fully acknowledge in amended caption for what they are and represent.

 We further submit the purpose of these misleading photographs and captions are inflammatory and grossly prejudicial.

 Yours faithfully 

Clive Edwards 

President, SMBUG
For and on behalf of the Committee

 cc Megan Bowden, Project Officer, KNP Horse Management Plan Draft