Ediacara Conservation Park

The Hon. D.J. SPEIRS (Black—Minister for Environment and Water) (11:19): I move:

That this house requests Her Excellency the Governor to make a proclamation under section 30(2) of the National Parks and Wildlife Act 1972 to abolish Ediacara Conservation Park.

The purpose of abolishing Ediacara Conservation Park is to allow for the land to be proclaimed as an addition to the Nilpena Ediacara National Park. The conservation park is approximately 4,767 hectares and was proclaimed in 2007 to protect the unique and well-preserved assemblage of fossilised Ediacaran soft-bodied marine organisms that are of international importance. It is also a place of cultural significance to the Adnyamathanha people.

The national park was recently proclaimed to protect the nearby fossil fields on Nilpena Station, which is recognised as arguably the greatest site in the world for Ediacaran fossils. Research is ongoing at Nilpena, with significant ongoing discoveries from the University of California, Riverside, and ongoing research by the South Australian Museum.

The proposed change in status of Ediacara Conservation Park will ensure that the entirety of the fossil fields are conserved within Nilpena Ediacara National Park and these fossil sites will form a core element of the Flinders Ranges world heritage nomination, which is currently being progressed by the South Australian government.

On reclassification of Ediacara Conservation Park as an addition to Nilpena Ediacara National Park, there will be no existing or future rights of access under South Australian state mining legislation over the entirety of the known fossil fields. This is important for the ongoing protection of that site. The land is located within the Adnyamathanha No. 1 Consent determination area.

Notification of the reclassification of Ediacara Conservation Park was provided pursuant to the Adnyamathanha Settlement Indigenous Land Use Agreement. The Adnyamathanha people, through the Ikara-Flinders Ranges National Park Co-management Board, hold an advisory role over the Ediacara Conservation Park, and this advisory role will be extended to cover the entirety of Nilpena Ediacara National Park.

Subject to the resolution of this house, Her Excellency the Governor will be requested to abolish the Ediacara Conservation Park and concurrently proclaim the land as an addition to the Nilpena Ediacara National Park, pursuant to section 28(2)(b) of the National Parks and Wildlife Act 1972. I commend this motion to the house.

Motion carried.