Arkaroola Protection Area

The Hon. G.A. KANDELAARS (15:19): My question is to the Minister for Sustainability, Environment and Conservation. Will the minister inform the chamber about his recent visit to the Arkaroola Protection Area and Vulkathunha-Gammon Ranges National Park?

The Hon. I.K. HUNTER (Minister for Sustainability, Environment and Conservation, Minister for Water and the River Murray, Minister for Climate Change) (15:19): I thank the honourable member for his most important question. Yes, I did in fact spend some time recently in the beautiful Arkaroola Protection Area and Vulkathunha-Gammon Ranges National Park last month, from 30 April.

The Arkaroola Protection Area was created by virtue of the Arkaroola Protection Act 2012. While it is not a national park or under government control, it is a unique protected area in private hands as a pastoral lease, I think, from memory. However, the area is provided with a high level of protection consistent with that of a national park to ensure that its special geological, landscape and biological values are protected for posterity.

Immediately adjoining Arkaroola is the Vulkathunha-Gammon Ranges National Park, which in 2005 was one of the first parks to be co-managed through the establishment of a co-management board. The board has assumed the director of national parks and wildlife's role as the management authority for the park. The board comprises ministerial and Adnyamathanha representatives, and is chaired by Adnyamathanha woman Pauline McKenzie.

When we met, we discussed the board's achievements over the past 10 years and its hopes and aspirations for future directions in terms of self management and handback to the traditional owners. I also had the opportunity to meet with the leaseholders of Arkaroola. I was given a valuable overview of the geological significance of the region and its potential for world heritage listing.

I met with Dr Worboys, an internationally renowned protected area specialist who is regularly engaged to provide independent reports on world heritage geological nominations, including most recently in China and Italy, I understand. He accompanied us on the ridgetop tour, and provided a comparative overview of the world heritage potential for the site. He has convinced me of the overwhelming requirement for government to list this site.

South Australia has a number of unique fossil values that have long been the subject of research, with the Precambrian Ediacaran fauna being of particular renown. I know the Leader of the Government in this place has particular interest in Ediacaran fossils. These fossils are the oldest known examples of complex, multicellular life on Earth, and they have a special significance for the area, because while they are found throughout the world, they are named after the Ediacaran Hills, where they were first recognised and described by Dr Reg Sprigg, the founder of the Arkaroola Wilderness Sanctuary.

South Australia also has other locations of significant fossil records, including relatively recent megafaunal fossils. In 2012 the South Australian government nominated Arkaroola for entry on the National Heritage List. However, unfortunately the federal government did not progress the nomination, and in November 2013 I wrote to the federal environment minister (Hon. Greg Hunt) requesting that the nomination for Arkaroola to be national heritage listed be reactivated.

The federal environment minister wrote to me in January 2014, refusing to reactivate the nomination. On 23 January, I again wrote to the federal environment minister, highlighting that the federal government's refusal of my request stands in the way of another vital component to the protection of Arkaroola: the nomination of the area for inclusion on Australia's Tentative List for World Heritage.

Arkaroola is a globally important region of concentrated and diverse geological, geomorphic and geo-historical phenomena, and elevating its status as a site of national and international heritage significance is incredibly important. I will continue to raise the issue with the federal government and advocate strongly for Arkaroola to be nominated for national and world heritage listing.

Whilst up at Arkaroola, I also released the draft Arkaroola management plan for public consultation. As the Minister for Sustainability, Environment and Conservation, I am obliged under section 8 of the act to develop a management plan. This draft plan has been developed by the Department for Environment, Water and Natural Resources, together with a steering committee that includes representatives from Arkaroola Wilderness Sanctuary and Mount Freeling Station.

As well as in consultation with the lessees, the traditional owners and relevant scientific specialists were involved. It sets out how natural and cultural values will be protected and how the rights of traditional owners, property owners and lessees will be preserved. As required under the act, the draft plan has been released for a period of three months, and comments can be made on the government's YourSAy website.

Mr President, I would like to thank everyone who welcomed me during my two day visit to Arkaroola. It is a fantastic part of South Australia, and I believe we should all work together to ensure it is protected. I invite all honourable members to lobby the federal government for its listing as a world heritage area.