Kosciusko National Park Wilderness Proposal
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Business | Private Members Statements |
KOSCIUSKO NATIONAL PARK WILDERNESS PROPOSAL
Mr COCHRAN (Monaro) [5.53]: I speak on behalf of the families surrounding the Kosciusko National Park, particularly in those areas north of Adaminaby in the area of the Goodradigbee River, where in recent times the Colong Foundation has nominated as a wilderness area an area at the northern end of the national park, which I believe will eventually, if accepted, destroy the last remaining heritage of the man from Snowy River. I raise this issue in support of the honourable member for Burrinjuck, who spoke on it the week before last. I express grave concern for the commercial horse riding operations that operate at the northern end of the Kosciusko National Park. I speak of an area that is about 1,100 to 1,200 metres above sea level, within the snowline. It is a subalpine area, and until 1972 was grazed by landholders adjoining the Kosciusko National Park.
The area I refer to particularly is Cooleman Plains, Blue Water Holes, Pockets Hut and the Hardy's Lease area. All those names would engender recollections of
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heritage in the man from Snowy River, skilled horsemen and skilled stockmen from those areas. Names that I recollect from my youth are Bung Harris, Tom and Molly Taylor of "Currango" and Lack Maxwell of "Yaouk", all renowned mountain stockmen who have kept the name of the man from Snowy River alive for many years. The area proposed as a wilderness is really the last remaining playground and one of the last remaining areas of the Kosciusko National Park where the descendants of the man from Snowy River can ride through the mountains freely. Those who do not have the good fortune to live in the area but visit as tourists can make use of the commercial horse riding operations conducted by Reynella and Talbingo trails, which provide people with the opportunity to go into the high country and experience the wonders of the Blue Water Holes, the "Cooleman" homestead and many areas of excitement for those who enjoy visiting the wilderness without being restricted by the regulations proposed by the Colong Foundation.
The successful nomination of the Goodradigbee River area as wilderness would deny the tourists and the general population the opportunity to explore those areas on horseback and of listening to the many stories to be told by people like Don and Roslyn Rudd, who conduct Reynella Trail Rides, and Snow and Janette Miners, both of whom are descendants of the heritage of the man from Snowy River. I draw this to the attention of the Minister for the Environment and ask that he assist the honourable member for Burrinjuck and me in protecting the heritage values and in particular the symbolic image of the man from Snowy River and the mountain stockmen of the high country. I am sure that the Minister, who not long ago had the good fortune to join me on the banks of Lake Eucumbene when we managed to get him up on the back of a horse to experience the great joy of riding through the mountains in the high country, will feel sympathetic to those people who have enjoyed the area for so many generations. The people who conduct the trail rides at the northern end of Kosciusko National Park are fifth and sixth generation Australians, who have all had something to do with the management of that area. I, together with the honourable member for Burrinjuck, implore the Minister to protect the heritage of the man from Snowy River.
Mr MOORE (Gordon), Minister for the Environment [5.58]: In response to the honourable member for Monaro I should indicate to the House that on the occasion when he and I were mounted on our respective steeds on the banks of Lake Eucumbene there was a look of surprise on my face, a look of amusement on his, and a look of terror on the faces of both horses. I am familiar with the area proposed as a wilderness, the Goodradigbee. It extends from the northern extremities of Kosciusko National Park down through the "Currango" homestead area, the Blue Water Holes and some of the area round Mount Tantangara and the Tantangara water storage. The nomination made by the Colong Foundation for wilderness is a community nomination under the Wilderness Act. There is a statutory obligation upon the Director of the National Parks and Wildlife Service to assess the application, to make some comments to me within a period of two years, and for me to take that matter to the Cabinet for consideration.
I am well aware of the concerns that have been expressed by the honourable member for Monaro and the honourable member for Burrinjuck. The nature of the expressions from the local community was gleaned from a recent large public meeting held at Tumut. The meeting was called to discuss the matter and this Government was
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represented to hear the views of the local populace. I repeat that the proposal is not the Government's proposal, but the Government has an obligation to ensure that those people who have made the nomination are heard within our society. It is a matter of due process and freedom of speech in society that they have the right to advocate their position, just as the honourable member for Monaro, on behalf of his constituents and the constituents of the honourable member for Burrinjuck, has a right or, as the honourable member would see it, an obligation, to advocate the concerns of the people in the area. I inform the honourable member for Monaro that I shall draw the remarks he made this evening to the attention of the Director of the National Parks and Wildlife Service for consideration. In conclusion, I should inform the House that the honourable member played a very dashing Sancho Panza to my Don Quixote on the banks of Lake Eucumbene.