What is a National Park?

WHAT IS A NATIONAL PARK?

In your book – Write your own definition of what you think a National Park is...

List some of the National Parks that you have heard of...

Some examples from around Australia

Kakadu, Uluru, Kosciusko, Murray River, Flinders Ranges, Fraser Island, Daintree, Cape Tribulation, Cradle Mountain-Lake St Clair, Margaret River and Franklin-Lower Gordon Rivers.

Some Victorian National Parks you may have heard of and included...

HighlandsParks include Mount Buffalo and Baw Baw.

GippslandParks include Wilsons Promontory and Tarra Bulga.

Murray RiverParks include Hattah-Kulkyne and Murray-Sunset.

GrampiansFeatures aboriginal rock paintings.

Gold FieldsThe Goldfields Botanical Gardens in Ballarat

Great Ocean RoadParks include Otway, Tower Hill, Lower Glenleg, Cape Bridgewater, and Cape Nelson.

What is a National Park? Park management agencies throughout

Australia and New Zealand use the following definition of a national park. A national park is 'a relatively large area, set

aside for its features of predominantly unspoiled landscape, flora and fauna, permanently dedicated for public enjoyment, education and inspiration, and protected from all interferences other than essential management practices, so that its natural attributes are preserved.'

What is a National Park? The Victorian legislation (National Parks

Act) defines a national park as certain Crown Land characterised by its

predominantly unspoilt landscape, and its flora, fauna or other features, that should be reserved and preserved and protected permanently for the benefit of the public.

What is a National Park? The National Parks Act is a law passed by the

Victorian Parliament in 1975. Under this Act, parks are named on one of five criteria (called schedules or lists). Decisions about which areas are placed in which schedule are based on their size, diversity of ecosystems, and significance of their conservation values.

1. A relatively large area.2. Predominately unspoiled landscape, flora and fauna or other

features.3. Public enjoyment, education and inspiration.4. Essential management practices.5. Preservation of Natural attributes.

5 key parts of a National Park1. A relatively large area.2. Predominately unspoiled landscape, flora and fauna or

other features.3. Public enjoyment, education and inspiration.4. Essential management practices.5. Preservation of Natural attributes.

Activity For each of the above, give a definition of each and

an example. i.e. Essential management practices – the protection of

endangered species such as the Sugar Glider in Mount Buffalo NP.

What other types of Parks are there?

Total area of Victoria: 22.76 million Hectares

43% of this (8.8 million Hectares) is Public Land Owned by the ‘people’ or ‘Crown Land’

Goes back to the colonisation of Australia – Land claimed in the name of the British King

Over time – much was sold or given to settlers Crown land used for:

Parks Schools Hospitals Railways Roads

Victoria’s Public Land Main Types of Public Land

Differences in purpose and management (Parks Victoria manages types of parks other

then National Parks) What does Parks Victoria Manage?

36 National Parks 3 Wilderness Parks 31 State Parks 22 Other Parks Over 30 Metropolitan Parks Over 2500 Conservation Reserves