NSW WILDERNESS RED INDEX
Published by the Colong Foundation for Wilderness Ltd
(September 1999)
2/332 Pitt Street Sydney 2000 ph 02 9261 2400; fax 029 299 5713
email keith@colongwilderness.org.au web site colongwilderness.org.au
| NAME: | Banyabba |
| NOMINATED BY: | Colong Foundation on 23rd November 1998. |
| LOCATION: | 50 km north-east of Grafton, 10 km south of Evans Head. |
| SIZE: | 19,005 ha |
| TENURE: | Nominated Identified Existing NPWS estate (Oct. 1993) Banyabba NR 12,560 ha under assessment New NPWS estate (Oct. 1993 to Sept. 1999) Former Fortis Creek State Forest 4,243 ha under assessment Other tenure Crown Reserve (managed by NPWS) 1,385 ha under assessment State Forest (NPWS reservation pending) 121 ha under assessment Freehold land 10 ha under assessment Crown land 686 ha under assessment |
Wilderness Declared:
None
Wilderness Not Declared:
Banyabba Nature Reserve and Fortis Creek National Park;
| Size of nominated area: | 16,803 ha |
| Percentage of entire nomination: | 88% |
State Forest;
| Size of nominated area: | 121 ha |
| Percentage of entire nomination: | <1% |
Crown Reserve (managed NPWS);
| Size of nominated area: | 1,385 ha |
| Percentage of entire nomination: | 7% |
Crown land;
| Size of nominated area: | 686 ha |
| Percentage of entire nomination: | 4% |
Freehold land;
| Size of nominated area: | 10 ha |
| Percentage of entire nomination: | <1% |
DESCRIPTION:
The Banyabba Wilderness lies at the southern end of the Richmond Range. The Range is an expression of the resistant Kangaroo Creek Sandstone within the Clarence-Moreton Basin. This quartz dominated sandstone has a nature similar to the Sydney Basin sandstones, with numerous outcrop and ‘cave’ overhang formations present. In the east of the area an overlying layer of the erodable Grafton Formation rock remains, while Jurassic Wallon coal measures occur in the northern escarpment areas. The vegetation of the area reflects the shallow impoverished soils which occur in such sandstone regions, ranging from patches of tall moist open forest of E. tereticornis, E. bancroftii, E. notabisis, Angophora paludosa and Lophosternon suaveolens, to woodland with the endemic subspecies Eucalyptus pachycalyx ssp. banyabba to heathland. Several rare plant species are found in the area, including understorey species restricted to the sandstone vegetation communities of the Clarence region. These include Grevillia banyabba and Boronia chartacea. There are 19 recorded animal species in the area which are listed as threatened including the Tiger Quoll, Masked Owl, Rufous Bettong, Brush-tailed Phascogale and Yellow-bellied Glider. The area is also predicted habitat for the Brush tailed Rock Wallaby. The entire upper catchment of Sportsmans Creek is within the wilderness area and this is among the least disturbed water courses in the hinterland of the lower Clarence coastal plain.
LAND USE HISTORY:
| Aboriginal | The coastal Bundjalung people traditionally occupied the area containing the wilderness proposal. |
Forestry
| 1919-20 | Banyabba and the southern part of Fortis Creek State Forests are dedicated. |
| 1950-60 | Regular harvesting and roading within Banyabba State Forest. |
| 1976-77 | Further harvesting of Banyabba State Forest is undertaken. |
| 1983 | The 4,470 ha northern section of Fortis Creek State Forest is dedicated. This area is not subject to any major logging operations. |
HISTORY OF CONSERVATION MEASURES:
| 1969 | Banyabba Nature Reserve is dedicated. |
| 1978 | Banyabba Nature Reserve is listed on the register of the National Estate for its outstanding natural catchment and river system values. |
| 1996 | September: The Carr Government announces 9 new National Parks or Nature Reserves in north-east NSW as part of its interim forest protection decision. This includes the 7,747 ha Fortis Creek National Park. |
| September: The Government also announces the
Dunphy Wilderness Fund of 1 million dollars per year over 5 years for the acquisition of
leasehold and freehold wilderness lands. December: The Forestry Revocation Act (1996) is passed by State Parliament, creating the Fortis Creek National Park. |
|
| 1997 | Subsequent to the 1996 interim forest park outcome, the Government establishes the Occupational Permit fund of 3.7 million dollars which flags 17 leasehold or freehold properties for acquisition as a compensatory measure to landholders whose occupational grazing permits were in areas gazetted as new National Parks. This schedule includes one property within the Rocky Creek area. |
| 1998 | July: As part of the Comprehensive Regional
Assessment (CRA) for north-east forests, the NPWS identifies as ‘wilderness
capable’ an area of 19,005 ha in Banyabba Nature Reserve, Fortis Creek National Park
and adjoining State Forests and Crown land. 23 November: The Colong Foundation for Wilderness nominates Banyabba wilderness along with fourteen other areas. December: The Forestry and National Park Estate Act (1998) is passed by State Parliament. A Crown Reserve of 3,055 ha is proclaimed over a former part of Banyabba State Forest, with the Director General of NPWS appointed as sole trustee. This reserve is deemed a Nature Reserve addition in waiting because a mineral interest is due to expire in 2004. Some 1,385 ha of the Crown Reserve is within the proposed wilderness. A 121 ha inholding of Fortis Creek State Forest is left within the proposed wilderness due to underlying grazing lease tenure. |
| 1999 | 19 March: The Carr Government presents its
wilderness policy to environment groups. The Government commits to complete the assessment
of the Banyabba area by the end of 1999 and determine an area for declaration by the end
of 2000. 20 March: The Carr Government commits to fund the Dunphy Wilderness Fund beyond its anticipated expiry in 2001 and maintains a logging moratorium over wilderness leasehold lands, including leasehold State Forest areas. May: The NPWS acquires 121 ha of Crown leasehold underlying the remainder of Fortis Creek State Forest in the Rocky Creek catchment through the Occupational Permit Fund. |
THREATS:
| Four Wheel Drive Vehicles | Forestry roads and fire trails have provided
access for 4WD vehicles into the area for some years. The use of off road vehicles in wilderness areas is highly detrimental to the environment. Such vehicles introduce weeds, can degrade walking tracks, damage fragile ecosystems and leave trails that destroy the aesthetic qualities of wilderness, as well as taking years to overgrow to a state where they do not compromise wilderness qualities. These vehicles often carry generators, firearms and dogs, which are also incompatible with wilderness appreciation and management due to the level of noise created and the destruction of wildlife. |
Recommendations: National parks should only be expected to meet the recreation needs of low impact users. Trails within the wilderness area should be closed and allowed to revegetate. The concept of wilderness style park management, where visitor infrastructure and public road access are focussed around the edges of natural areas, also provides a diversity of opportunities for vehicle users. The Myrtle, Whiporie, Camira and Bungawalbin State Forests within the Clarence to Richmond River subregion provide ample opportunities for 4WD touring. Coastal rainforest at Iluka, scenic lookouts and drives provide further opportunities for the motor tourist.
| Coal Mining | The Banyabba Crown Reserve is affected by a coal exploration license which is due to expire in 2004. If the minor coal measures proved viable, the addition of this area to NPWS estate and declaration of wilderness over the identified 1,385 ha could be obstructed by the Department of Mineral Resources. |
Recommendations: The Government should negotiate the early termination of exploration rights over this area and add the entire Crown Reserve to Banyabba Nature Reserve.
| Private land | A small block of 10 ha freehold land remains on the boundary of the reserve. |
Recommendations: The freehold lands should be acquired using the Dunphy Wilderness Fund.
CONTACT ORGANISATIONS AND INDIVIDUALS
North East Forest Alliance
Big Scrub Environment Centre
123 Keen Street
LISMORE NSW 2480
Contact: Susie Russell Ph: (W) 02 6550 4481
Mob: 018 672 044
Fax: 02 6550 4433
e-mail gladneys@tpgi.com.auColong Foundation for Wilderness Ltd
Level 2, 332 Pitt Street
SYDNEY NSW 2000
Contact: Keith Muir (Director) Ph: 02 9261 2400
Fax: 02 9261 2144
e-mail keith@colongwilderness.org.au