Are candidates in the current NT election committed to supporting the Reserve?

Featured

Posted on 21/08/2024 by Ulrike Kachel

In recent years, uncontrolled fires, weeds and insufficient operational funding have combined to put the natural values of Casuarina Coastal Reserve into decline. Nearby clearing of the bush combined with increasing numbers of human visitors mean that it is a more precious asset than ever, and yet this isn’t reflected in Government spending priorities.

Friends of Casuarina Coastal Reserve, Rapid Creek and Casuarina Coastal Reserve Landcare Groups asked candidates in the upcoming Territory election four questions about their plans for the Reserve, funding and Landcare.

NT Labor and the Greens party answered each question, and no reply was received from the Country Liberal Party. Five independents replied: Justine Davis, Graeme Sawyer, Justine Glover, Belinda Kolstad and Martin Jackson. Lauren Moss and Natasha Fyles wrote separate letters detailing their commitment to local landcare and the Reserve.

Authorised by Deborah Hall, Kapalga Street Tiwi.

What we asked candidates:

If elected, will you commit to increase operational funding to the Parks and Wildlife Commission NT by at least 20% by 2026?
If elected, will you ensure that cleaning of visitor facilities in Casuarina Coastal Reserve is no longer the responsibility of rangers?
If elected, will you pledge to establish dedicated weed management and feral animal control rangers in Casuarina Coastal Reserve?
If elected, will you commit to ongoing operational funding for LandcareNT as per the rest of Australia, to support the important work of volunteer landcarers?

Below are response snippets from their individual submissions/replies. Text in italics indicates a missing or unclear response. The individual responses are linked as PDFs at the end of this page.

	Increase of operational funding?	Responsibilities of rangers?	Dedicated management?	Operational funding for LandcareNT?
Eva Lawler	No clear financial commitment but continued Implementation of NT Parks 10 Year Activation Plan	No answer	Will consider	$150,000 this financial year; will work on long-term funding agreement
Lauren Moss	Not clear	Costing for waste removal and maintenance work is underway	Supports looking for options	Involved with the Casuarina Landcare for a decade; will continue to advocate for increased operational funding
Natasha Files	Will advocate for increased funding	Some work underway in understanding the costs associated with waste and maintenance.	Understands the changes over the years of what needs to be done in maintaining the Reserve	Involved in the Rapid Creek Landcare Group since 2012
NT Greens	Yes, will commit to increasing funding to Park and Wildlife	Yes, will advocate for systems that support rangers to focus their time on the key environmental work	Yes, will advocate within parliament for biodiversity to be protected	Yes, this promise is explicitly included in our “Healthy country, thriving nature – Water, Environment and biodiversity” election platform
Belinda Kolstad	Will be guided by Constituents if the matter arises	Will be guided by Constituents if the matter arises	Will be guided by Constituents if the matter arises	Will be guided by Constituents if the matter arises
Graeme Sawyer	Yes, our park estate is badly underfunded	Yes, rangers have a much more important role to play in the management of Biodiversity	Yes, feral plants and animals are destroying the Biodiversity	Yes, there is a significant need for organisations such as Landcare and NRM to coordinate management
Justine Davis	Yes, support this	Yes, freeing up ranger time to protect and care for the natural values of the Reserve	Yes, this is essential	Absolutely
Justine Glover	Yes, as has been underfunded	Yes, rangers have more important work to do	Yes, weeds are causing significant damage	Yes, the NT is way behind and needs to fully fund this important group
Martin Jackson	Don’t know, need to know how and what is already spent	Don’t know the issues	Don’t know the issues	Supports Landcare but hesitant to commit

See below the individual responses we received:

http://fccr.org.au/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/Eva-Lawler.pdf

http://fccr.org.au/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/Lauren-Moss.pdf

http://fccr.org.au/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/Natasha-Fyles.pdf

http://fccr.org.au/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/NT-Greens.pdf

https://fccr.org.au/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/Belinda-Kolstad.pdf

http://fccr.org.au/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/Graeme-Sawyer.pdf

http://fccr.org.au/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/Justine-Davis.pdf

http://fccr.org.au/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/Justine-Glover.pdf

http://fccr.org.au/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/Martin-Jackson.pdf

Discovery Walks 2024

Posted on 02/07/2024 by Ulrike Kachel

Join the Friends of Casuarina Coastal Reserve Inc. on Sunday, 21 July 2024 (8-11 am) for a fun-filled morning to explore the beautiful Reserve. Six concurrent guided small group walks are on offer. Register for one of these special experiences. You will learn about the local flora and fauna, practice your art or photography and take in the breathtaking views of the coastline. The walks will be followed by light refreshments and a talk with Park Rangers and the Friends of Casuarina Coastal Reserve (10-11 am). It’s a great opportunity to get some fresh air, exercise, and learn something new about this amazing local wonder. Register for the activity of your choice through the ticketing options. All adult tickets are $7 to cover admin and refreshments (kids are free).

For information on the walks and booking, please visit https://events.humanitix.com/discovery-walks-casuarina-coastal-reserve

Parks and Wildlife has called for submissions about whether the Reserve should become a National Park.

Posted on 10/04/2024 by Ulrike Kachel

The Friends of Casuarina Coastal Reserve welcome the proposal to convert the Reserve into a National Park. Currently, Parks and Wildlife is seeking submissions from the wider community.

The announcement said:

‘by bringing management of the Reserve and the new area of land under the Territory Parks and Wildlife Conservation Act, the land will be managed by Parks and Wildlife in perpetuity, with improved powers to manage the land for its conservation, cultural and recreational values’ (our emphasis). Now is a good time to propose changes to fulfil this charter.

FCCR have discussed some ideas based on the current state of the Reserve and what we think is important to consider when establishing it as a National Park. We would like to share these with you and encourage you to make your own submission. Below are some ideas for you to consider in your submission and links to the background information. You can comment on just one topic or as many as you like.

‘Have Your Say’ about Casuarina Coastal Reserve

Parks and Wildlife has called for submissions about changes to the Reserve. The Friends of Casuarina Coastal Reserve Inc. have some suggestions to consider in your comments.

Plants and animals, birds, insects and reptiles	It’s been decades since the area has been comprehensively surveyed, and a lot has changed in the local area. Surveys would discover what’s there and needs protection. Should this be done?
Rangers	Current management prioritises maintenance of visitor facilities (toilets, BBQs etc). Do you agree this is most important? Are there enough rangers?
Fire	Arson has devastated parts of the Reserve in recent years. What could be done to limit the damage and reduce the risks? (e.g. better control of grassy weeds, more surveillance, trained volunteer firefighters)
First Nations culture	Casuarina Coastal Reserve is important to Larrakia people, but there’s minimal presence at present. Do you have some changes to suggest?
Weeds	Weeds dominate parts of the Reserve and new weeds are coming in. What should be done about this? (e.g. spraying, revegetation of disturbed areas, more use of volunteer labour)
Visitor facilities	What do you use and enjoy? What would improve the Reserve?
Recreation	Humans enjoy the Reserve in many ways. What activities are compatible with sustainable management of the Reserve’s natural values? Should there be any restrictions or exclusion zones for certain activities?
Sandy Creek, Rapid Creek and the marine environment	Little is known about the water quality in Sandy Creek, should this be surveyed and monitored? Some of the best seagrass meadows in Darwin Harbour are offshore in the Reserve. How should they be protected for dugongs, turtles and other marine life? (e.g. limits on outboard motorboats and powered craft, controls on fishing)
Migratory Shorebirds	Thousands of endangered birds feed and roost in the Reserve. Are they adequately protected, and if not, what should change? (e.g. more ranger patrols, barriers at roosting sites, education for beach users, less dogs)
Education	What could be done to better inform and educate park users about the wildlife and the bush? (e.g. signs, wildlife encounters, guided walks, online resources)
Advice from the community	Would an Advisory Committee be a good way for ongoing community input to the management of the Reserve? Or have you got another idea?
Dogs	Lots of dogs and their owners enjoy the Reserve What changes if any would you suggest to the management of dogs in the Reserve?

Background information is at https://haveyoursay.nt.gov.au/casuarina-coastal-reserve

Send your submission to: parkplanning@nt.gov.au by 22 April 2024.

Plans for a Golf Course at Lee Point

Posted on 01/11/2023 by Deb Hall

Morandini Investments, lessees of the 85-hectare block behind Club Tropical and the Lee Point Caravan Park plan to build a golf course on this vacant land. The Friends of Casuarina Coastal Reserve have written a submission for consideration by the proponents and the Development Consent Authority. You can read it here.

Friends of Casuarina Coastal Reserve Inc submission to DCA re PA2023-0340 27102023 Download

Exploring the Reserve

Posted on 07/05/2023 by justin Tutty

Use the map below to explore points of significance in the Reserve, or download our map.

Explore by clicking on the points of interest.

Fire and Weeds

Posted on 07/03/2023 by Deb Hall

Weeds, especially pasture escapees like Gamba and Mission Grass increase the risk that uncontrolled fires pose to Top End forests and woodland. Parks and Wildlife, the Gamba Army, Landcare Groups and Adopt a Spot volunteers are all working to reduce these weeds in Casuarina Coastal Reserve.

This recent research highlights the effects of not acting quickly and decisively to control weed infestations.

2023 Gamba LNP Rossiter et al (1)Download

Our Story

Posted on 11/02/2023 by Deb Hall

Our Story

Just before sunset one August day twenty years ago about a hundred people, me and my family included, watched baby Flatback Turtles make their way into the shallows at Casuarina Coastal Reserve. The ranger said when we went to bed that night those tiny turtles would still be swimming out to sea. He said that if all went well in about twenty years those turtles would return to the very same beach to lay their eggs. This year could be that year.

Twenty years ago the beach where the turtles nested was fringed by tall Casuarinas. Those trees are gone now, victims of arson events. That part of Casuarina Coastal Reserve now has very little plant diversity and not much in the way of habitats for small mammals, reptiles, birds and insects. As a landcare volunteer I’ve helped restore native vegetation at a few sites in the Reserve, but I realised that landcare alone isn’t enough to protect the natural values of the place. I wondered if other people thought the Reserve was under threat.

In March 2022 six Darwin locals met to consider the state of Casuarina Coastal Reserve. The consensus was that it’s a special place but it’s on a trajectory downwards. I agreed to organise a meeting to find out if other people agreed and wanted to do something about it.

In May thirty-five people came together at Dripstone Picnic. The group included runners, birdwatchers, cyclists, picnickers, beach walkers, dog walkers, academics, botanists, landcarers and many more who know and love the Reserve. They shared what they value about the Reserve, what they believed the threats to be, their vision for the place and what actions should be taken to look after it. Many of those present were worried about the Reserve’s future.

Soon after that meeting a group of twelve began to meet regularly. They decided it was important to become a legal entity and in September the Friends of Casuarina Coastal Reserve was incorporated (FCCR). FCCR now has a committee of seven, has held a planning day, is building a social media presence, has met with government policy makers and written to NT Ministers about the Reserve’s management and its future.

FCCR is dedicated to recognising, protecting, enhancing and caring for the natural values of Casuarina Coastal Reserve. It is already taking action to change the future for this special and well-loved part of the Top End.

Deb Hall

NT PARKS MASTERPLAN 2022-52 What You Thought Consultation Summary

Posted on 11/02/2023 by Deb Hall

Friends of Casuarina Coastal Reserve is in tune with lots of the people who had a say about the NT Parks Masterplan. 39,597 people viewed the Facebook posts or the website; there were 426 email submissions and 171 people responded to the ‘have your say’ survey questions.

Here’re some highlights that relate to our much loved local Reserve:

‘People want their parks to stay, and they want the biodiversity and cultural values respected and protected (page 5).’

‘People want more parks, and…they wish to see the natural qualities of our parks and reserves preserved when considering development for tourism or recreational access (page 5).’

‘A strong preference was shown for new development to be balanced with looking after country, and for infrastructure to be kept simple and low key (page 6).’

‘Overwhelmingly, people stated that they believed that the parks estate should be expanded for the protection of biodiversity‘(page 7).

‘Very strong support was provided for Parks and Wildlife Rangers confining their management efforts to those areas that are managed for national park and reserve-related purposes where their focus should be on core functions such as the conservation of biodiversity‘ (page 7).

‘An overwhelming majority believe that the management of parks and reserves should be linked with health and wellbeing outcomes’ (page 8).

‘A very high level of support was displayed for the view that the park estate should be considered as the cornerstone of biodiversity conservation in the Northern Territory’ (page 9).

‘A frequently expressed view was that Territory parks should be leading protected area management and a role model for biodiversity conservation’ (page 9).

‘The majority of respondents highlighted that the balance between biodiversity conservation, recreation and tourism needs to strongly favour biodiversity and protection over development’ (page 9).

‘Respondents expect that the majority of Parks and Wildlife resources should be allocated to protecting natural values‘ (page 9).

NT_Parks_Masterplan_Consultation_Summary_Paper_FINAL-web Download