Majors Creek SCA - Deua Catchment Parks Draft Plan of Management

[mbasko]

What's this about?

The Deua Catchment Parks Draft Plan of Management is on exhibition until 13 February 2017. The draft plan of management covers Berlang and Majors Creek State Conservation Areas and Frogs Hole Nature Reserve.
http://www.environment.nsw.gov.au/p...-catchment-parks-draft-plan-of-management.htm

Majors Creek SCA apparently has old gold diggings on the Eastern side? Might be of interest to those local to the area & others?

Have your say on it here:
http://www.haveyoursay.nsw.gov.au/c...s-plan-of-management/?date=2016-10-14&id=1721

 

[Tathradj]

Not another one.
Better get onto NAPFA and every one who prospects in that area.
What it means is instead of converting the area to a National Park,
It is a State Conservation Area.
No Prospecting and Fossicking.
Administered by National Parks.
It is a cheap and sneaky way of marking an area a Park.
I better shut up or I will start swearing on here.
We just lost a bloody lot of area owing to a State Forrest becoming a SCA.

 

[mbasko]

Hi Tath - had a quick look & the Majors Creek area has been a State Conservation Area since 2003. I think this is just a chance to have a say in the new management plan for the area as a whole. Maybe they might consider a designated fossicking area on the old diggings?
It wouldn't matter if it was a National Park or the current SCA the rules towards fossicking are generally the same - it's not allowed. The difference is a mining company can take out a tenement for exploration or even mining on completion of a satisfactory environmental impact statement in a SCA.

 

[Tathradj]

Yeah, I might have to take some of my words back on that as I just read the document.
I did note the relevant sections on Mineral Exploration and mining.
I bet that gets stamped out with tighter controls and that is the aim of the Management Plan.
Wonder how much it is going to cost to operate near tree's and disturb the grass.
I can see a couple of Million Dollars in that alone.

 

[mbasko]

If people don't have a say in the draft management plan/s when they are open for comments then fossicking/prospecting will never be considered in these areas. It's an uphill battle though no doubt there.
IMO State Conservation Areas in particular, that already allow for exploration & mining to be considered, are ripe for arguing that fossicking/prospecting should also be on the table in them. There are SCA's in NSW with current quarrying & mining activities - surely we can use a pick + detector with minimal impact in comparison?
Anyhow I just wanted to bring it to the attention of anyone nearby who may be interested. I don't know enough about the diggings or the scope of diggings there to put an informed argument forward. I could do something in general, & still might, but it really needs to come from people with a good knowledge of the area/s so a good argument of the pro's can be put forward.

 

[SinHof]

Ditto Copeland Tops SCA draft plan of management.
Sinhof.
PS: Mods; Perhaps the two posts should be made stickies for the duration of the submission periods to alert every one to their availability.

 

[iamagoldenoldie2]

public consultation is part of the process for legislative change, a feel good for the public but not really taken into consideration by the persons
proposing the changes, i have been involved in a number of so called public consultation processes with a number of different recreational activities and all have overlooked those affected. The best one yet was the combining of two pieces of legislation relating to living in caravan parks public consolation period was 21 days, at the end of that period , the new legislation became effective , most anniversary dates for change is the 1st september each 5 year period. At the end of the day , its a chance for you to have your say, so you can approach your local member and ask why the legislation makes it so difficult for you to enjoy your chosen interest, when the government publications promote how they are encouraging public recreational activites on crown and state designated lands.

 

[Tathradj]

Whole thing boils down to the fact that the government does not
make any money out of Prospecting as a Hobby.
Sure, They make a fair bit out of the Tax's on what you spend to get there
but as for the actual mineral you are retrieving.
You don't pay royalties or for Submissions, Any thing like that.
Prospecting as a hobby is the life style we enjoy and leaves us open to be
steam rolled as a Sub category of low importance.
We all really need to get together and join your local state lobby group to add a voice
so we can maintain our rights for more access to area's.
I have.
A hint, And am going further with it.

 

[Jaros]

Are you going to take over Tony Abbotts job?

 

[Tathradj]

Wish I could. LOL
I have been a bit sensitive on how I typed that one out.
Sticking to the Forum Rules.
I got some thing coming that I have to keep quite about at this stage but
it is for the good of us all.
Pretty excited about it actually.

 

[reefer]

WOW! ...KNOWING YOU(a little)..its gonna be good!..I'm excited already..hehe filling out a submission later 9in the wee hours of the morning)..when i do my best.
You've every right to be pissed off about this Doug...(crude way of putting it i know..apologies to sensitive ears) but there's just no better way of expressing the frustration of constantly monitoring these mini) I hope one or two a listening in...what is it that you cannot understand about the simple freedom of enjoying ,appreciating ,taking care of and finding peace and tranquility in these areas by members of our community.? Yes we do take a little of the minerals you speak of in your Plan of Management for these areas but we give back to the environment in numerous ways ..not the least is the HEAVY METALSwe take out of these areas..you know LEAD, MERCURY,How so ?you might ask..Metal detecting I ,say.and the remedial work on the Huge Excavation! ..(up to several cubic centimetres) IS DONE IMMEDIATELY ANS WILLINGLYMost of us however also enjoy to take our families and friends to to a little panning, a good example is at Tuena township and in the Valley below majors ck where long term fossicking has caused absolutely no damage to the environment whatsoevver,be it Floral or Faunal. END OF RANT

 

[Tathradj]

Thanks Reefer.
And that's some pretty strong words coming from you.

 

[Imadogman]

Thanks Mbasko for picking this one up. Please continue to alert the community about these POM reviews when they come up.

If people don't have a say in the draft management plan/s when they are open for comments then fossicking/prospecting will never be considered in these areas. It's an uphill battle though no doubt there.
IMO State Conservation Areas in particular, that already allow for exploration & mining to be considered, are ripe for arguing that fossicking/prospecting should also be on the table in them. There are SCA's in NSW with current quarrying & mining activities - surely we can use a pick + detector with minimal impact in comparison?
Anyhow I just wanted to bring it to the attention of anyone nearby who may be interested. I don't know enough about the diggings or the scope of diggings there to put an informed argument forward. I could do something in general, & still might, but it really needs to come from people with a good knowledge of the area/s so a good argument of the pro's can be put forward.

This is precisely what NAPFA has been working on with the Department of Environment and Heritage. i.e. a NPWS policy to enable fossicking in some areas of some SCAs and National Parks. Nature reserves etc are out. Detail of that draft policy here: http://www.environment.nsw.gov.au/policies/fossicking-policy.htm

The problem we face is that SCAs are governed by legislated Plans of Management that are supposed to reviewed every 5 years. When they come up, it is vital that any members of the recreational fossicking community with knowledge and a stake in these areas put in submissions to argue the case for enabling fossicking with detector, pans and sluices. As per the draft policy, sluices with pumps are not going to be considered. Remember that at present you cannot fossick in an SCA at all (Torrington and Abercrombie Karts Reserve excepted).

Submissions for these Plans of Management will take quite a while to be considered. But if our interests are not represented then we won't be considered. Unfortunately we have to argue for access area by area. The government will not do any overall fix-up because they say each area is different and needs to considered separately.

NAPFA will work to lodge its association submission on these areas. However individuals should also speak up and argue your own case. Submissions don't have to be major documents -- anyone that can write a post can lodge a submission. Use your own experiences and anecdotes to frame your submissions.

Greenies have fought for decades to lock aras up and marginalise fossickers, and now we have to fight to get back into the game in these reserve areas - which so often include old diggings etc.

When (and if) the new fossicking in parks policy is actually confirmed -- we are hoping for early 2017 -- then we will have a better basis to argue for access to these areas. NAPFA has had two meetings with staff from the Minister for Environment and Heritage's Office in the past month about this policy development.

However in the meantime we need to respond. Don't bother with the nature reserve section of this POM. Ain't gunna happen!

Meanwhile here is all you ever wanted to know about SCAs and how they work:

http://www.environment.nsw.gov.au/resources/parks/14568SCAreview.pdf

cheers

Stephen.

 

[bazza2210]

Something else looming on the horizon that may complicate access where fossicking on crown land is a legal activity but if it ceases to be crown lands ???

http://www.smh.com.au/nsw/warnings-of-crown-land-fire-sale-by-baird-government-20161023-gs8j3t.html

 

[jimnyjerry]

Meanwhile here is all you ever wanted to know about SCAs and how they work:

http://www.environment.nsw.gov.au/resources/parks/14568SCAreview.pdf

Not happy about flow chart on page 7. If not viable minerals the areas default into NP

 

[NAPFA]

Plans of Management reviews need submissions from a broad range of the community.

There are clearly many passionate writers on this forum. Please put some of that passion into prose for NPWS!

Indeed we speak now or it is gone for another 5 years minimum before review.

Of course no guarantee that we get a positive result but if we are not in there, we have no chance.

Members who know the areas can provide good input about the fossicking potential of the areas in question.

cheers

stephen.
President
NAPFA

 

[LONEWOLF]

Here WE go again... more land grab by greedy goverments.....
If it's money they need why don't they Enforce the laws they made and prosecute offenders... I have reported on several occasions of illegal mining at Gadens Mine in Torrington SCA...Someone has been using Jackhammers to extend the old Drive an extra 30m into solid rock. All this under the eyes of NPWS.... Spoken to some "rangers'' last week and they couldn't be bothered with the info I had.... THESE are the type of activities that will go against us in our loosing battle... I have no faith in whatever they do cause they will do it anyhow....

LoneWolf...

 

[greencheeks77]

The problem that I see is when comes down to enforcement by rangers is that they are only looking for things that are within their job descriptions like keeping access to roads clear and fire prevention animal welfare as in hunters in the wrong area even with hunters its usually a police issue not theirs it seems that most of them are to quick to pass the buck so to speak, I know here in Vic its very much the same like fisheries and wildlife for example they have Taskforces for individual activities say like abalone poaching for example and that is solely there job where a standard ranger will walk past such activity's and not realise what they seeing but just another scuba diver so when it comes to reporting such illegal mining activity's you would have to report it to the correct department before you achieve the outcome you are looking for as in an inspector of mines as they are called here in Victoria, even then then due to laying of a lot of rangers off in recent times and there is limited numbers of say inspectors of mines to cover such vast areas throughout the state therefore making it to easy for people to do things like using jackhammers and so on, our local one here has to travel over 100kms to inspect such illegal activity's so you can clearly see how it works and why people get away with it but on their behalf I am under the belief that he will and does act on such reports from the public as I myself have been on the receiving end in the distant past lucky for me it was a positive outcome.. what's not or maybe is realised by rangers is that by not taking the time to do things outside their job description is that the more they ignore such activity's they are slowly putting themselves and other work colleges at risk of loosing their jobs over time or is it the more they ignore illegal mining and not enforcing the law it may well be easier for them to blame us as hobbyist for the damages and therefore making it to easy for them to have bills put through parliament without any hesitation from ministers say like Land Grabs and so on....... that's my 10x2 bobs worth.... regards GC

 

[mbasko]

After nearly 3 years the Deua Catchment Parks Plan of Management has been signed off on by the Minister for Energy & Environment.
They said in my email that only a modest number of submissions were received during public exhibition of the draft plan. Changes made to the exhibited plan include clarifying the reason for not allowing fossicking so I assume there were some other submissions apart from mine that asked for fossicking to be considered?

Quote "Although fossicking is not consistent with the management principles of nature reserves, it can occur in state conservation areas subject to appropriate environmental and risk assessment.

Fossicking, such as panning and detecting, could potentially be undertaken on creeks within Majors Creek and Berlang state conservation areas. However, visitor activities in Majors Creek State Conservation Area are limited by the lack of suitable public access. Areas around Bells Creek are accessible but contain the remains of dwellings and mine workings which have not yet been assessed for their shared cultural heritage significance (see Section 3.4). The former mine workings pose a safety risk to visitors. Fossicking in Majors Creek State Conservation Area will not be allowed unless visitor access is improved and shared cultural heritage values around Bells Creek are assessed.

Visitor access at Berlang State Conservation Area is provided along Berlang and Telowar trails. Being located on higher ground, along ridge lines and spurs, these trails are not expected to provide suitable opportunities for fossickers. Fossicking will not be allowed in Berlang State Conservation Area.

Issues There is limited public access to the parks.
Desired outcomes Any visitor use of the parks is ecologically sustainable.
The parks continue to provide opportunities for nature-based recreation with minimal impact on natural and cultural values." End quote.

 

[user 794]

Thanks mbasko.

I wonder if the same arguments will be used when the next one comes out.