|
At a historic meeting in Perth today Commonwealth and Western Australian
Ministers agreed in principle to a new administrative agreement for the
Shark Bay World Heritage Property.
At a historic meeting in Perth today Commonwealth and Western Australian
Ministers agreed in principle to a new administrative agreement for the
Shark Bay World Heritage Property.
Federal Minister Senator Robert Hill and WA Minister Cheryl Edwardes,
along with Federal Attorney General Daryl Williams and WA Tourism Minister
Norman Moore, met in Perth today for the first Shark Bay World Heritage
Property Ministerial Council.
The Ministers considered outstanding issues in respect of the proposed
agreement and expected these would be finalised in the next few weeks.
Senator Hill and Mrs Edwardes said the new agreement would ensure there
was continuing close co-operation between the two Governments and the local
community over the management of the property.
The Ministers also announced members of the Shark Bay Community Consultative
Committee and the Scientific Advisory Committee.
The consultative committee will provide advice to the Ministers on the
community perspective of management of the area. Its members are environment
consultant Dr Barry Wilson (chair); Carnarvon businessman Barry Scott;
Carnarvon fishing operator Richard Patty; Denham fisherman and pastoralist
Dennis Hoult; Denham tourism operator Mrs Jessie Shankland; pastoralist
Brian Wake; Conservation Council of WA co-ordinator Ms Rachel Siewert;
tourism operator Bob Mason and a Scientific Advisory Committee representative.
The scientific committee provides advice on research priorities, relevant
new scientific information or developments, the scientific basis for management
and the relevance of research funded by agencies. Its members are marine
ecologist Dr Diana Walker (chair); fisheries specialist Dr Lindsay Joll;
zoologist Dr Per Christensen; botanist Greg Keighery; geologist Dr Brian
Logan; coastal specialist Dr Ian Eliot and a representative of the Community
Consultative Committee.
Other issues discussed by the Ministers included the process for finalising
the Shark Bay World Heritage Property Strategic Plan and a proposal for
a Shark Bay World Heritage Centre.
The Ministerial Council recognised the significant value a centre would
have in the area.
The Ministers endorsed a proposal that an independent consultant be
employed to evaluate the Shire of Denham's proposal to locate a centre
in Denham.
"It is important not only for visitors but also those who live in the
region to understand fully and appreciate the World Heritage area's uniqueness.
A centre would fulfill this purpose," Senator Hill said.
The Ministers also reviewed progress of Project Eden, the Department
of Conservation and Land Management's program to establish the Peron Peninsula
as a haven for native wildlife.
Mrs Edwardes welcomed the recent Federal grant of $490,000 from the
Natural Heritage Trust for a number of projects at Shark Bay.
Part of the funds would be used to finance the construction of enclosures
and the establishment of captive breeding programs for banded hare-wallabies,
western barred bandicoots and mala (rufous hare-wallabies). These were
species that would be reintroduced to the peninsula.
CALM already has established a captive breeding colony of bilbies and
has successfully raised about 40 malleefowl chicks at Denham. It is intended
to reintroduce malleefowl and woylies to the peninsula later this year
if monitoring continues to show that fox and cat numbers have been controlled.
Media contact: Diana Russell Coote (08) 9421 7777 |
Page Top