A draft plan of management has been prepared for Yiraaldiya National Park. The format of this draft plan reflects a revised format proposed in response to recent changes to the park planning provisions of the National Parks and Wildlife Act 1974.
Public exhibition of the draft plan provided members of the community with the opportunity to have a say in the management direction for the park.
Yiraaldiya National Park is located in western Sydney in the suburb of Shanes Park on the traditional Country of the Dharug people.
The park protects an important remnant of Cumberland Plain woodland. It also protects significant cultural heritage and biodiversity values, and provides opportunities for public recreation, nature appreciation, and the conservation of species that were once widespread on the Cumberland Plain.
The park is a key part of a network of feral predator-free areas established across New South Wales to enable the reintroduction of native animal species that are either declining or locally extinct.
The Yiraaldiya National Park draft plan of management proposes objectives and operations to achieve:
- reintroduction of native animal species that are either declining or locally extinct
- continued recovery of threatened and rare ecosystems and species
- protection of Aboriginal cultural heritage and natural values
- opportunities for nature-based visitor activities including bushwalking, cycling, and environmental and cultural education.
What is a plan of management?
A plan of management must be prepared for each park reserved under the National Parks and Wildlife Act. They describe the special values of each park, threats to those values, objectives and strategies to achieve those objectives. They also perform a regulatory function by defining those activities that may or may not be permitted within each park. Once a plan is adopted, no management operations can be undertaken in the park unless they are consistent with the plan.
Why is a plan being prepared?
Parks and reserves established under the NSW National Parks and Wildlife Act 1974 are required to have a plan of management. Once adopted, this plan will be the first plan of management for Yiraaldiya National Park.
Proposed change to the format of plans of management
Plans of management communicate how a park will be managed. It is important that they are easy to understand and meet the content requirements as set out under the National Parks and Wildlife Act 1974. Several sections of the National Parks and Wildlife Act were amended last year. The Act now provides greater clarity about the requirements of a plan of management and the content to be included in each plan.
The Yiraaldiya National Park draft plan of management is one of the first draft plans to be placed on public exhibition since the amendments to the National Parks and Wildlife Act. This draft plan has a revised format designed to meet the Act requirements and be easier to read and understand.
You are invited to provide feedback on the format of the draft plan of management for Yiraaldiya National Park. Your feedback will be considered before a final plan is prepared for this park and will inform the format to be used in future plans of management. Your feedback on the format will be reviewed separately to any comments received on the plan itself.
Why has a revised plan format been developed?
The National Parks and Wildlife Act was amended in 2024, including changes to Part 5, which deals with plans of management.
The new format has been developed to align with these changes and to make plans easier to understand.
Why were the park planning provisions of the National Parks and Wildlife Act amended in 2024?
The park planning provisions were amended to ensure that plans provide readers with clear information about park management by clarifying the content to be included in each plan.
Which part of the Act describes the content that now must be included in plans?
Section 72AB of the National Parks and Wildlife Act outlines the content that must be included in plans of management.
What matters must be considered when preparing a plan of management?
Section 72AA of the National Parks and Wildlife Act outlines matters which must be considered during the preparation of a plan of management. This section was not changed through the 2024 Act amendments.
The Section 72AA matters are considered throughout the process of preparing a plan of management, including through planning workshops and liaison with experts and other stakeholders.
Sometimes, certain matters listed in Section 72AA may be addressed within plans where this information is necessary to contextualise plan policies.
How does the format differ from past plans?
The format seen in the draft plan of management for Yiraaldiya National Park revises previous plan formats to better align with the new requirements of the Act. It is structured around objectives, strategies to achieve these objectives, and the operations that are proposed to be undertaken.
The plan takes a theme-based approach to the setting of objectives, and also contains a consolidated summary of permissible operations, which more clearly outlines the operations that could be anticipated to be undertaken in the park and any plan conditions on these operations.
Will the management of parks change under the new format?
The matters that must be considered in developing a plan remain unchanged, and the new format is not expected to change the management policies.
How will feedback on plan format be used?
NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service will consider all points made on the format of the draft plan. This will inform decisions on any changes to the format of the Yiraaldiya National Park plan of management as well as the format of future plans for other parks.
When will the plan of management be finalised?
At the close of the public exhibition period, we provide the Greater Sydney Regional Advisory Committee with the plan and the submissions. The committee may then provide advice to the Minister for the Environment.
The Minister considers the plan, the submissions, and the advice from the regional advisory committee, makes any necessary changes, and decides whether to adopt the plan under the National Parks and Wildlife Act. Once a plan is adopted, it is published on the department's website and key stakeholders, including those who made a submission on the draft plan, are notified.