Better protection for Ningaloo coast

28/11/02
The State Government has acted to ensure future protection of the environmentally sensitive coastline along the Ningaloo Marine Park.
Planning and Infrastructure Minister Alannah MacTiernan said the Government had advised pastoralists that it would exclude a two-kilometre strip along the coastline from pastoral leases when they were renewed in 2015.
Ms MacTiernan said the leaseholders would have two years to negotiate the exact boundaries and arrangements for management of the land to be excluded.
It was expected that in many cases an early surrender of the excluded areas could be negotiated.
"Since the pastoral leases were carved out more than 50 years ago, competing demands on the land have meant a reorganisation of land allocation is necessary," the Minister said.
"On the Ningaloo coast the tremendous growth of local, interstate and international tourist interest has put pressure on this fragile area.

"There are hundreds of informal camping sites, many of them semi-permanent, up and down the reef coast.
"At the same time, increased community awareness of the importance of protecting the environmental values of this area requires us to manage the coastal area much more carefully.
"We appreciate that for some pastoralists the process will be difficult and the Government will be open to discussions in some areas as to how this change can be best managed.
"These exclusions cover only 42,277ha of the total 448,500ha occupied by the leases.
"They have been carefully assessed against the need to ensure the future viability and sustainability of the State's pastoral industry.
"Where the exclusions cover homesteads occupied by the leaseholder, we have indicated we will be prepared to negotiate an alternative form of tenure."
Ms MacTiernan said the proposed exclusions included:

• a strip approximately two-km wide from Gnaraloo Bay on Gnaraloo station to the southern boundary of the Coral bay townsite and then from north of Mauds Landing to the Northern Boundary of Ningaloo Station and a 10,482ha area adjoining the Cape Range National Park. This exclusion was requested by the Department of Conservation and Land Management (DCLM); and

• a 735ha area on Cardabia Station immediately north of Coral Bay Townsite, which includes an airstrip, a new town tip and service and access roads. This was sought by the Department of Land Administration to provide for future service and infrastructure needs.

The Minister said the future management and vesting of these coastal exclusions would form part of the deliberations of the Carnarvon-Ningaloo Coast Regional Strategy.
"Leaseholders, the Shires of Carnarvon and Exmouth, Government agencies and interested community members are all contributing to the development of this strategy," she said.
"The exclusions will play an important role in the nomination of the Ningaloo Marine Park, the coastal strip and Cape Range National Park as a world heritage area by the Department of Conservation and Land Management."
Minister's office: 9213 6400