Kooyunderup / Mount Hallowell Draft Management Plan Review

The purpose of updating the Kooryunderup/Mount Hallowell Management Plan is to decide how we as a community expect to use, enjoy, share and look after our much-loved local Reserve into the future.

Further information on the process and background to this review

The Kooryunderup / Mount Hallowell Management Plan is now complete. The plan was prepared in accordance with legislative requirements and reflects extensive consultation with all relevant stakeholders, including the local community, Traditional Owners and environmental / conservation groups. The document outlines the strategic direction for the Reserve’s use, conservation, and ongoing management, ensuring alignment with its designated ‘Conservation and Recreation’ purpose, as well as community values and expectations.

Key components of the plan include:

• Protection of environmental and cultural values;
• Sustainable recreational use and community education engagement;
• Governance and operational responsibilities; and
• Monitoring and review mechanisms.

How did the community get involved in this final review?

The Shire conducted a last round of public consultation, seeking further feedback from the community before finalising the Management Plan.

This review period opened on Wednesday, 18th June and closed at 5pm on Friday, 18th July.

The community feedback received so far has been valued, however, there has been minimal input from people under 30 years of age (less than 2.5% of respondents to the earlier community survey).

To ensure the Management Plan represents what the whole community wants and expects, the Shire strongly encouraged this age group to provide their views.

In addition to providing your views and feedback, community members also had the opportunity to meet privately in person with the independent consultant responsible for preparing the Draft Management Plan.

This took place in the Function Room at the Denmark Recreation Centre from 12pm to 2pm on Wednesday, 9th July.

For anyone unavailable at this time, the independent consultant (Melanie Price at Aurora Environmental) could be contacted on 0447 446 343 or melanie.price@auroraenvironmental.com.au to provide your feedback.

What did the Draft Management Plan say?

The Draft Management Plan proposed six goals, listed below.

Key findings of the site assessment and first round of community consultation are listed under each goal.

Conservation: The primary goal of managing the Reserve is to protect the natural environment.

Recreation and Infrastructure: The goal is to encourage low-key recreation activities (such as walking and hiking) where these don’t have a negative impact on the environment.

• The community supports low-impact activities, including walking dogs on leashes (but not on the Bibbulmun Track), hiking (Bibbulmun Track and Sheila Hill Trail) and birdwatching.
• Some existing infrastructure needs to be formalised and/or upgraded, including walking tracks, signage and car parks.
• Consultation with stakeholders to date indicates that recreational biking in the Reserve is (for the most part) not supported. While additional bike trails or an expanded trail network for Mount Hallowell are no longer considered suitable responses by the Denmark Shire Council, staff have stated their position that there are limitations associated with completely prohibiting biking within the Reserve. Shire officers are concerned that it isn’t realistic to enforce a total ban on biking – for example on emergency access tracks along certain parts of the Reserve boundary, where such a ban isn’t seen as justified from an environmental or safety perspective. Accepting limited use of bikes will reduce uncertainty and compliance enforcement challenges, as well as provide a reasonable balance between different user groups while not compromising the primary goal of protecting the natural environment.

Fire Management: The goal is to protect the environment and the lives/property of surrounding landowners through best-practice fire management and wildfire suppression.

• Firebreak and emergency access tracks are crucial for quick access to manage fire or other emergencies.
• The northern emergency access track is in good condition with turning and passing areas.
• Emergency access to Monkey Rock and behind Heather Road is highly eroded and unsafe for emergency vehicles. Drainage and gravel re-sheeting are required to bring these tracks to a serviceable standard.

Culture and Heritage: As a significant cultural and heritage site for Traditional Custodians, the goal is to protect these values.

Community Engagement, Research and Education: The goal is to raise awareness of the Reserve's intrinsic and educational values while promoting ongoing citizen science and other research initiatives.

Land Use Planning and Compliance: The goal is to manage threats such as fire and the spread of dieback, as well as user safety, and the interface with neighbouring properties.

• Private use of a public Reserve (e.g. landowners adjacent to Heather Road) is less than ideal, with potential weed introduction and other risks. Given that this use has been long-term, the Shire must work with landowners to develop an acceptable solution.
• The Shire Local Law regarding dogs on leashes may need to be updated for Mount Hallowell so that dogs are prohibited on the Bibbulmun Track and must be on leashes in other parts of the Reserve.