Key Recommendations

Reserve as state conservation area and national park the Gardens of Stone and those parts of the Western Escarpment as indicated on the proposed park map.

Develop a conservation management plan for the oil shale ruins at Mount Airly. The plan to preserve these relics and visitation controls should be developed in co-operation with Centennial Coal.

Develop a recreation management plan through the park plan of management process that promotes responsible driving on roads and respects closed tracks and management trails. The roads leading into the Wolgan River headwaters, access to Cape Horn, Mount Genowlan and the identified Wollemi Wilderness should be closed and all tributary roads in these areas allowed to rehabilitate naturally.

Implement subsidence management plans for coal mining that should include subsidence protection for the Newnes Plateau upland swamps, pagodas, cliffs and streams. Wastes effluent from coal mines should be minimised, adequately treated, discharged away from the World Heritage Area and used to enhance environmental flows to the Coxs River.

Implement a strategy and management plan for Sydney’s sand requirements which should investigate all options, including appropriate off shore options, so that Newnes Plateau and other sensitive sites can be permanently protected, while adequate sand reserves are identified and recycling of construction sand facilitated.

Facilitate termination of native forest logging operations on Newnes Plateau and the removal of the pine plantation, which should be revegetated using native plants of local provenance.

Establish appropriate management regimes for adventure recreation activities, particularly for adventure recreation on the Western Escarpment.

Prevent further climbing sites being developed on the Western Escarpment. Any intensification of use by commercial operations should be subject to environmental assessment, public comment and review processes. Sites selected for development should have a high resilience to impact and not have high environmental values.

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To comment on these letters, email: keith@colongwilderness.org.au

Last updated Thursday 06-Mar-2008