NSW WILDERNESS RED INDEX
Published by the Colong Foundation for Wilderness Ltd (September 1999)
2/332 Pitt Street Sydney NSW 2000 ph 02 9261 2400; fax 02 9261 2144
email keith@colongwilderness.org.au web site colongwilderness.org.au
| NAME: | Mt Ballow |
| NOMINATED BY: | The North East Forest Alliance (NSW section only), June 1998. |
| LOCATION: | Along the New South Wales-Queensland border, 70 km north-west of Lismore. |
| SIZE: | 13,306 ha |
| TENURE: |
Existing National Park Estate (Oct.
1993) Mt Barney National Park (QLD) 7,900 ha New National Park Estate (Oct. 1993 to Sept. 1999) Former Donaldson State Forest (NSW) 2,180 ha Former Koreelah State Forest (NSW) 1,426 ha Other Tenure State Forest (NSW) approx. 1,600 ha Freehold land (NSW) 200 ha |
Wilderness Declared:
None
Wilderness Not Declared (QLD):
Mt Barney National Park;
| Size: | 7,900 ha |
| Percentage of entire NPWS assesment area: | 59% |
Wilderness Not Declared (NSW):
Mt Nothafagus National Park;
| Size: | 2,180 ha |
| Percentage of entire NPWS assesment area: | 16% |
Mt Clunie National Park;
| Size: | 1,426 ha |
| Percentage of entire NPWS assesment area: | 11% |
State Forest;
| Size: | 1,600 ha |
| Percentage of entire NPWS assesment area: | 12% |
Freehold land;
| Size: | 200 ha |
| Percentage of entire NPWS assesment area: | 1% |
DESCRIPTION:
The area is part of the crater of a former shield volcano centred on Focal Peak. The shield originally formed an uplifted basalt plateau which has eroded to a massive mountain complex rising to 1362 metres on the Mt Barney Summit. A ring of peaks surround the central focal peak. The landscape is further complicated by subsidiary volcanic vents remaining as domed or tiered rocky peaks which rise abruptly above the surrounding country. These peaks are formed of resistant trachyte, rhyolite and granophyre. Mt Nothofagus in NSW is a Tertiary basalt residual, underlain by Jurassic sandstones and other sedimentary rocks.
The region experiences a subtropical climate with particularly high rainfall with persistent humidity on the ranges. Substantial areas of Subtropical, dry, temperate and developing rainforests occur across the range of altitudes, volcanic soils and moisture. A 153 ha stand of Antarctic beech (Nothofagus moorei) on the higher flanks of Mt Ballow is the largest single stand of cool temperate rainforest on the Border Ranges. Mt Nothofagus is also clothed with a stand of Antarctic Beech of approx. 85 ha in size, the second largest on the Ranges.
The Lindsay Creek catchment on the southern side of the border supports significant stands of subtropical rainforest, dominated by Yellow Carabeen and Flame tree at higher altitudes and Black Booyong - Giant Stinging Tree - Flame Tree associations at moderate altitudes. Dry rainforests on basalt soils are dominated by Hoop Pine (Araucaria cuninghamiana). On west facing ridges and slopes, at middle altitutes, rainforest is replaced by Sydney Blue Gum and Tallowwood, with Brushbox in the gullies. Mt Barney National Park, and part of Mt Nothafagus National Park, were included in the Central Eastern Rainforest Reserves World Heritage property in stages, in 1986 and 1994.
Over forty species of endangered fauna have been recorded from the area. These include the Rufous Scrub bird, Southern Angle-headed Dragon, Steven's Banded Snake, Long-nosed Potoroo and Spotted-tailed Quoll.
LAND USE HISTORY:
| Aboriginal | The wilderness area is near the western margin of lands traditionally used by the Bundjalung Aboriginal People |
| Logging | Logging of Red Cedar began in 1790 in the Hawkesbury Basin and soon spread throughout rainforest stands in NSW. Logging of Hoop Pine, White Beech (Gmelina leichhardtii), Rose Mahogany (Dysoxylum fraseranum), Native Teak (Flindersia australis) and Coachwood followed later, with sawmills being established in most rainforest stands early this century. |
| 1914 | 24 June: Donaldson State Forest No 121 of
4,665 ha is dedicated. After the establishment of the Forestry Commission (FCNSW, now called State Forests) in 1916 extensive areas of previously unallocated Crown Land were dedicated as State Forest. In the Border Ranges, large areas were dedicated along the border. These became Wiangarie, Roseberry, Mt Lindsay, Donaldson and Koreelah State Forests. Selective logging below 1,000m continued for the next 50 years, with higher areas remaining inaccessible. |
| Prior to World War II most logging was confined to Hoop Pine, which grew north of the Macleay River. By 1937 total production of all rainforest timber reached 140,000 cubic metres a year. Such high levels were brought about by mechanisation, which enabled previously inaccessible areas to be logged. Logging of Hoop Pine declined during and after the war, while logging of other species increased, in particular Coachwood which was used for the construction of Mosquito bombers. | |
| In 1953 the transition from "area allocations" to sawmill quotas led to substantial overcutting of the state's rainforests, as sawmills were no longer reliant on what was contained within their allocations. These quotas remained the basis of allocation until rainforest logging was abandoned. | |
| 1974 | Sawmilling company Carricks given an undertaking by Country Party Minister, George Freudenstein, that there would be "no diminution of the resource" available from the Border Ranges. |
| 1976 | Country Party Committee recommends continued logging of the area's rainforests. Inter-departmental Committee (IDC) appointed by victorious Wran Labor Government after the election. Prevarication continues. Premier Wran signs letter to Colong Foundation agreeing to an investigation into the issue by the State Pollution Control Commission (SPCC). |
| 1979 | FCNSW concedes logging moratorium until 1984
for the eastern Border Ranges, but presses for access instead to Toonumbar State Forest
(recommended as a Flora Reserve by the District Forester). Due to the August Terania Creek blockade, in the Goonimbar and Whian Whian State Forests of the Nightcap Range, rainforest logging receives national media coverage. Forced into action, Premier Wran appoints retired Judge, Simon Isaacs, to conduct an inquiry. |
| 1980 | Relative impasse. FCNSW refuses to revoke State Forest areas. |
Identification of alternative timbers for veneer manufacture (Scribbly and Flooded Gum) was rejected by the Plywood Association until all Coachwood was exhausted - virtually sanctioning the logging of Washpool's Willowie Scrub.
Botanist, Professor David Bellamy, in a visit to Australia, strongly supports anti-logging stance.
June: Colong Committee lobbies Premier to establish a Rainforest Fund to compensate sawmillers. This was introduced as a Bill and passed in August.
October: Isaacs determines that logging should proceed at Terania Creek.
Due to the intervention of Premier Wran, logging did not recommence at Terania. The judgement of Mr Justice Cripps of the Land and Environment Court confirmed the logging moratorium on October 22, pending the production of an Environmental Impact Statement by the Forestry Commission.
| 1982 | January: Australian Conservation Foundation
(ACF) and National Trust (NT) release poll that indicates 69% of the population is opposed
to any rainforest logging; 87% if compensation packages were provided to those affected in
the timber industry. FCNSW decides to obtain quota from Urbenville, a recommendation previously made to the SPCC by Dr Neville Schaefer in 1978, but rejected by FCNSW at that time as impractical. |
HISTORY OF CONSERVATION MEASURES:
| 1947 | Mount Barney National Park is Gazetted in QLD. Subsequent additions have brought the area reserved to 13,000 ha. |
| 1948 | Queenslander, Arthur Groom, advocates protection of Rainforest of NSW side of the Border from Springbrook to Wilson's Peak. Groom extracts promise from Commissioner for Forests, E. F. Swain, that all areas above 3,000 ft would be protected in National Park. |
| 1952 | The submission by the National Parks Association (NPA) of Queensland to the NSW Liberal Premier for a Border Ranges National Park rejected. |
| 1969 | Second attempt to obtain park by Kyogle Community Development Association and Kyogle Chamber of Commerce falls on deaf ears as FCNSW begins allocation of forest to local sawmillers. |
| 1973 | Border Ranges Preservation Society formed.
Colong Committee undertakes support of the campaign. Mt Nothofagus Flora Reserve No. 79981 of 650 ha is gazetted. |
| 1975 | Colong Committee undertakes an identification and photographic study for a National Park Proposal including whole of Wiangarie, Roseberry and Mt Lindsay State Forests. The campaign was subsequently supported by NPA and ACF. |
| 1978 | Border Ranges listed on the Register of the National Estate. Inter-Departmental Committee recommends a thin "snake park" hugging NSW/QLD border. |
| 1979 | Border Ranges National Park gazetted. |
| 1982 | May: In a meeting with Cabinet members,
conservationists produce seven "non-negotiable" areas: Border Ranges; Murray
Scrub; Washpool; Black Scrub; Forbes River; Nightcap; and Barrington Tops. Government prevarication continues as Premier lacks numbers in Cabinet. October 26: Cabinet finally agrees to halt logging of most of NSW's rainforests. Border Ranges National Park extended to include the whole of Wiangarie, Roseberry and part of Mt Lindsay State Forests. |
| 1986 | February: The National Parks Association of
NSW produces ‘The Focal Peak Region’ (compiled by D. Pugh) which contains
reserve proposals for Border Ranges extensions, Tooloom Nature Reserve, Yabbra Nature
Reserve and Toonumbar National Park. The Sub-tropical and Temperate Rainforest Parks of Eastern Australia are given World Heritage listing including Mt Nothofagus Flora Reserve. |
| 1994 | The Queensland Department of
Environment’s Draft Plan of Management for parks of the scenic rim proposes
wilderness type zoning over most of Mt Barney National Park. Additions are made to the Central Eastern Rainforests World Heritage Listing, including Mt Barney National Park. |
| 1998 | June: The North East Forest Alliance (NEFA) submits a nomination under section 7 of the Wilderness Act 1987 for the NSW section of the Mt Ballow Wilderness. |
| November: The Government announces its
determination on new reservations in the north-east region of NSW. No wilderness
announcements are made. Reserve and subsequent logging moratoria decisions, and informal
reserves in state forests do not specifically address wilderness areas identified through
the Comprehensive Regional Assessment (CRA) process. December: The Forestry and National Park Estate Act 1998 is passed by State Parliament. This proclaims the new Mt Nothofagus National Park of 2,180 ha (which includes the former Flora Reserve) and Mt Clunie of 1,426 ha (which includes the former Mt Clunie Forest Preserve of approximately 400 ha). |
|
| 1999 | 19 March: Carr Government undertakes to assess wilderness nomination by 1999 and to determine the area for declaration by the end of 2000. |
THREATS:
Logging is the most immediate threat to wilderness integrity of the NSW section.
| Logging | Most compartments in the 1,600 hectares of Mount Lindsay State Forest No. 542 would be available for logging under the Upper North East NSW Forest Agreement. Under the proposed Integrated Forest Operations Approval (IFOA), two thirds of these state forest areas would be logged. The remainder (530 ha) consist of rainforest and high conservation old growth forests should be protected under the IFOA. | |
| Recommendation: That the forest within the nominated wilderness area be quarantined from the IFOA area for the purposes of wilderness assessment only; and the endangered species provisions of the IFOA apply to these areas. A logging moratorium over the wilderness assessment area should be imposed immediately and the areas subsequently identified as wilderness should be reserved as soon as possible after public exhibition of the Assessment Report. | ||
| State Services Access | A number of government organisations occupy or use lands reserved as National Park. These works, facilities and operations affect the wilderness integrity of the nomination. The fences maintained by the Moreton-Darling Downs Rabbit Board (Qld) and Department of Agriculture (Board of Tick Control) along the NSW-Qld border are partly contained within the wilderness area. These fences necessitate burning off and slashing to keep them clear and allow access by management vehicles. | |
Recommendations: Tracks should be ripped and allowed to revegetate. Burning, clearing and associated vehicular access are incompatible with wilderness management as well as encouraging the colonisation of the area by weeds. Removal of stock from the National Park will result in the decline of tick populations. Fences are an anachronism and are not effective in reducing rabbit numbers. Regeneration of rainforest along the border would provide the most effective impediment to rabbits. No extension of vehicular access should be permitted in the wilderness area.
| Weeds | Parts of the rainforest understorey in the area are infested with Lantana (Lantana camara). This species, which is able to arrest forest regeneration for decades, is generally confined to area below 700m altitude. |
Recommendations: The NPWS should undertake bush regeneration, including the regular release of approved biological control agents, in those areas affected by weeds.
CONTACT ORGANISATIONS AND INDIVIDUALS
North East Forest Alliance
C/- Big Scrub Environment Centre
123 Keen Street
LISMORE NSW 2480
Contact: John Corkill Ph: 02 6622 4737
FAX: 02 6622 2676
e-mail brushbox@mail.nrg.com.auColong Foundation for Wilderness Ltd
2/332 Pitt Street
SYDNEY NSW 2000
Contact: Keith Muir (Director) Ph: 02 9261 2400
FAX: 02 299 5713
e-mail keith@colongwilderness.org.au
RELEVANT ARTICLES:
There is an extensive bibliography of articles found in the Colong Bulletin contained in Appendix 2 of How the Rainforest was Saved (op cit).
Colong Bulletin 157, July 1996 p3, "Wilderness Protection Scheme".