CANNING RIVER REGIONAL PARK

MANAGEMENT PLAN

1997 - 2007

Planning TeamJeanette Gilmour - Final Plan co-ordinator CALM

Alan Wicks - Draft Plan co-ordinator CALMLeon Griffiths - CALM

Steve Atwell - City of CanningJoanne Smith - City of CanningDaryl Miller - Swan River Trust

Peter Kane - Ministry for Planning

Department of Conservation and Land Management,

City of Canning and the National Parks and Nature Conservation Authority

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PREFACE

Regional Parks are areas of Region Open Space which are identified by planning procedures as having

outstanding recreation and conservation values. Regional Parks are a new land management category which

provides the opportunity for a co-ordinated planning strategy by different land management agencies and

private land owners.

Regional Parks were first proposed in the Stephenson and Hepburn Report of 1955 which was the basis of

the Perth Metropolitan Region Scheme in 1963. Since then, State planning agencies have been acquiring

land in anticipation of the time when Regional Parks would be formally created.

The Canning River Regional Park is the first to have a formal management plan prepared. This was

achieved through the co-operation of the City of Canning and the Department of Conservation and Land

Management and Ministry for Planning with specialist input from the Swan River Trust.

The role of CALM is to provide its expertise in the preparation of management plans and as a joint land

manager. CALM will manage the Conservation Areas that are proposed to be vested in the NPNCA, and

the City of Canning the Recreation Areas. The Swan River Trust is responsible for major issues affecting

the river and flood plain through its existing legislation. The creation of a Marine Reserve in this section

of the Canning River is also being considered.

The Canning River Regional Park is unique, in terms of both the conservation values and the recreational

opportunities it encompasses within a highly urbanised environment. This Management Plan, which is

based on previously prepared ecological, recreational and historical surveys, seeks to establish a clear vision

as to how best to manage and protect this important public asset.

While the Park has undoubtedly high ecological values and is a very popular recreation area, it is at the

same time beset by a number of critical management problems such as outbreaks of blue-green algae, and

the aquatic weed Hydrocotyle ranunculoides, the occurrence of fire, widespread invasion of weeds, areas

of degradation and vandalism.

This Management Plan cannot solve all of the river's ecological problems, especially those which are

whole of catchment issues. Integrated catchment management in the Canning Catchment is being addressed

through the Swan Avon Integrated Catchment Management Program. The Canning Catchment

Coordinating Group has been established to coordinate management on a whole of catchment basis and

many smaller groups have formed to tackle issues specific to their area. Past and present activities of

people also make it impossible to reinstate a pristine natural environment.

Work by management authorities supported by the local community has already begun to reverse the

negative impacts on the Park. This Management Plan aims to protect the existing natural areas and

provide a sound basis for planning to rehabilitate degraded areas whilst allowing for recreation activities

that will not compromise the natural assets of the Park.

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ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

Numerous individuals and groups have contributed valuable ideas and information in the preparation of this

plan and their efforts are gratefully acknowledged. In particular the contribution of those individuals who

were involved in the preparation of the draft plan is sincerely appreciated. This includes Alan Wicks (Draft

Plan -coordinator, CALM), Greg Davis (Swan River Trust) and Bob Curry (Ministry for Planning).

The contribution of the Canning River Regional Park Community Advisory Committee chaired by the

Hon. Graham Kierath and which included members Jane Blake, Jo Stone, Stephen Faulds, Max Hipkins,

Councillor Bruce Mason, Barry Ranford, Kelvin Davis, Brian Hayes, Ann Bellman, Rob Towers from

CALM and past members Pauline Hurst, Lance Deegan, Bob Moss and Alan Walker (CALM) is

appreciated.

Mrs. Duncanson (Woodloes Homestead), Robert Reynolds (Department of Aboriginal Sites), Luke Pen,

Water and Rivers Commission), Peter Morrison (City of Canning), Rae Burrows, Robert Powell,

Richard Hammond, Greg Keighery, Wayne Schmidt, Roger Armstrong, Gil Field, Colin Ingram, Grant

Revell, Alan Briggs,and Jim Williamson (CALM) also provided helpful comments. Marjorie Jackson

typed the Plan and the maps were prepared by Rod Properjohn and Steve Jones of CALM’s Information

Management Branch.

NOMENCLATURE

Inclusion of a name in this publication does not imply its approval by the relevant nomenclature authority.

CITY of CANNING

The City of Canning jointly with CALM is responsible for the management of the Park. The City of

Canning and CALM will develop a Memorandum of Understanding setting out the mechanisms for this

joint management arrangement. The City will manage the areas zoned for Recreation and some of the areas

zoned for Conservation and Protection as displayed in Table 1.

NPNCA and CALM

Under the CALM Act 1984 conservation reserves are specified as national parks, conservation parks, nature

reserves, and other similar reserves and are vested in the National Parks and Nature Conservation Authority

(NPNCA). These reserves are managed on behalf of the NPNCA by the Department of Conservation and

Land Management (CALM).

The NPNCA is responsible for having management plans prepared for all lands that are vested in it. A

Draft Management Plan for the Canning River Regional Park was prepared by CALM and issued by the

NPNCA for public comment. Thirty eight submissions were received and were considered in the

preparation of this final plan prior to its approval by the NPNCA and the Minister for the Environment.

The Fire and Rescue Service of Western Australia endorsed the plan on 24 June 1997. The Bush Fires

Board endorsed this Plan under Section 34(1) of the Bush Fires Act (1954) on 9 July 1997.

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CONTENTS Page

PREFACE ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... i

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ii

A. INTRODUCTION1. Regional Parks .... ... ... ... ... ... ... 1

2. Overview ... ... ... ... ... ... ... 1

B. PRINCIPAL MANAGEMENT DIRECTIONS3. The Vision for the Park ... ... ... ... ... ... 4

4. Policies.. ... ... ... ... ... ... ... 4

5. Land Tenure and Boundaries ... ... ... ... ... 5

6. Management Zones within the Park ... ... ... ... ... 5

7. Integrated Management of the Park and adjacent areas ... ... 8

C. CONSERVATION8. Principal Conservation Directions... ... ... ... ... 13

9. Geology and Soils ... ... ... ... ... ... 13

10. River and Flood Plain ... ... ... ... ... ... 13

11. Flora and Vegetation ... ... .... ... ... ... 15

12. Fauna ... ... ... ... ... ... ... 18

13. Weeds ... ... ... ... ... ... ... 19

14. Fire ... ... ... ... ... ... ... 21

15. Erosion ... ... ... ... ... ... ... 23

16. Mosquito Control ... ... ... ... ... ... 23

17. Pets and Feral Animals ... ... ... ... ... ... 24

18. Rehabilitation … … … … … … ... 25

19. Cultural Resources ... ... ... ... ... ... 25

20. Landscape ... ... ... ... ... ... ... 27

D. RECREATION21. Principal Recreation Directions ... ... ... ... ... 29

22. Visitor Use ... ... ... ... ... ... ... 29

23. Master Plan ... ... ... ... ... ... ... 30

24. Access... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... 30

25. Recreation Sites and Facilities ... ... ... ... ... 32

26. Leases and Commercial Operations ... ... ... ... 33

27. Services and Utilities... ... ... ... ... ... ... 36

28. Signs ... ... ... ... ... ... ... 37

iv

E. COMMUNITY RELATIONS29. Information, Interpretation and Education ... ... ... ... 38

30. Interaction with the Community and other Organisations ... ... 39

F. RESEARCH AND MONITORING31. Research and Monitoring... ... ... ... ... ... 40

G. IMPLEMENTATION32. Priorities, Funding and Staff ... ... ... ... ... 41

33. Community Involvement ... ... ... ... ... 41

34. Term of the Plan ... ... ... ... ... ... 42

REFERENCES and BIBLIOGRAPHY ... ... ... ... 43

ABBREVIATIONS USED IN THIS PLAN ... ... ... 45

APPENDICESAppendix 1 Contacts ... ... ... ... ... ... ... 46

Appendix 2 Priorities for Implementation of Strategies ... ... ... 47

MAPSMap 1 Location … … … … … … ... 2

Map 2 Tenure and Park Boundaries ... ... ... ... ... 6

Map 3 Management Zones ... … … … ... ... 7

Map 4 Vegetation ... ... ... ... ... ... ... 17

Map 5 Fire Management ... ... ... ... ... ... 22

Map 6 Recreation ... ... ... ... ... ... ... 31

FIGURESFigure 1Management Structure... ... ... ... ... ... ... 10

Figure 2Park Logo ... ... ... ... ... ... ... 37

TABLESTable 1 Land Use Zones as indicated on Map 3. ... ... ... ... ... 9

Part A. Introduction

1

PART A INTRODUCTION

1 . REGIONAL PARKS

The Regional Park ConceptThe concept of Regional Open Space was firstintroduced to Western Australia by Stephensonand Hepburn in 1955, and was later adopted inthe 1963 Perth Metropolitan Scheme. Theintention was to protect open space of regionalsignificance for conservation and recreation.

The Environmental Protection Authority(EPA) Red Book recommendations for System6 (1983) identified and recommended areas ofland to be managed as Regional Parks. Theseparks are large areas of land with conservation,landscape and recreational value. A system ofRegional Parks was envisaged which includesthe Canning River Regional Park (System 6recommendation M68).

Areas of regional significance tend to becomposed of nodes of open space connectingsuch linear natural features as rivers,foreshores, and beaches. The original conceptinvolved private as well as public land. Anarea designated as Regional Park may include arange of land tenures, ownership, andmanagement agencies, but mainly involvingpublic land.

In 1989, the Government decided that theresponsibility for Regional Parks managementbe established within the Department ofConservation and Land Management (CALM)and that the responsibility for planning theacquisition of lands for region open space beretained by the Ministry for Planning (MFP).

A task force report (1991) was prepared by theformer Department of Planning and UrbanDevelopment (DPUD) and CALM outliningproposed administration, planning andmanagement of regional open space.

The EPA’s Red Book status report (1993)describes the transformation of Regional Parksfrom concept to reality as being difficultbecause of the range of land tenure involvedand funding requirements for continualmanagement of the Parks.

In June 1997 the State Government announceda commitment to introduce legislation to giveRegional Parks legal standing and vesting inthe NPNCA. The co-ordination ofmanagement of eight metropolitan RegionalParks would be progressively transferred toCALM.

Canning River Regional ParkBoth the Swan River Management Strategy(1988) and the State Planning Commission(SPC) (1989), recommend the establishmentof the Canning River Regional Park and thepreparation of a joint management plan. Inorder to realise this goal, the WesternAustralian Planning Commission (WAPC)has continued acquiring land.

Both bodies envisaged joint management ofthe Park between CALM and the City ofCanning. A joint management agreement wasestablished in April 1992, which has sincelapsed. A new agreement will need to beconsidered following the completion of thismanagement plan. A Cabinet minute(16/1/89) approved in principle theestablishment of the proposed Canning RiverRegional Park which will hereafter be referredto as the Park.

At this stage, none of the land in the Park hasbeen vested in the NPNCA, however MFP hascommissioned CALM to prepare thismanagement plan in anticipation of theimplementation of the management structureproposed in figure 1. CALM’s role will be tocoordinate the future management of the Parkwith the City of Canning. A recreationmaster plan and specific site developmentplans have also been prepared. (see Part DRecreation) These plans are available forviewing at the City of Canning Offices (seeAppendix one for address).

2 . OVERVIEW

LocationThe Park is located 9 kilometres south east ofcentral Perth in the City of Canning. The Parkextends for approximately six kilometresalong both sides of the Canning River fromthe Nicholson Road Bridge in Cannington, tothe Shelley Bridge (Leach Highway) inRiverton (Map 1). The Park covers an area of266 hectares and is of regional significancebecause of its conservation and recreationresources in a suburban setting.

Conservation valuesThe Park contains the best estuarinevegetation in the entire Swan-Canning Riversystem. The Park contains a wide diversity ofhabitats which include: Salt water estuary anddeltine Islands; Salt marshes and Riverine

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Part A. Introduction

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environment; freshwater environment;billabong; modified forest and woodlands onthe flood plain. The Park is also highly valuedas a refuge for birds and other wildlife. ThePark is listed on the Register of the NationalEstate.

Recreation valuesBeing so close to Perth and surrounded byurban development, highlights the importanceof the area as a recreation resource. A widevariety of recreation activities and experiencesare available to users of the Park. Recreationdevelopment plans have been developed inconjunction with this Management Plan. SeeSections 23 and 25.

Previous studiesThe Swan-Canning River System and thissection of the Canning River in particularhave been the subject of numerous studies, anda wide range of literature exists that covers thebiological and cultural aspects of the Park.

This Management Plan does not seek torepeat that information, but does refer to it asa basis for identifying and evaluating futuremanagement options and directions.

A common management directionThe establishment of a management structure,common goals and agreement on priorities isnecessary for safeguarding this regionalresource where a number of land owners, thegeneral public and interest groups areinvolved. This Management Plan has beenwritten in conjunction with all the proposedland managers and comments were soughtfrom the public on the draft plan in order toestablish a common management direction.Community involvement and communityeducation are important ingredients inachieving the management goals set out inthis plan.

Part B Principal Management Directions

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PART B PRINCIPAL MANAGEMENT DIRECTIONS

3 . THE VISION FOR PARK

The objective is to adopt a vision forthe Park and establish goals that willachieve this.

The vis ion is that the Park is recognised asan important natural resource of lands andwaters, where sustainable habitats andecosystems are protected, where a widerange of appropriate recreational activitiescan take place, where degraded areas arerestored and protected, where the communityand management agencies share thestewardship and educational tasks for parkusers and the community.

Goals have been set for each major part of theManagement Plan, while objectives designedto achieve these goals have also beenidentified. The following management goalsare proposed for the Park .

ConservationProtect and conserve the Park's natural,cultural and scenic resources and activelyrehabilitate the Park's natural resources.

RecreationProvide opportunities and facilities forappropriate public recreation in a manner thatminimises conflict between users and isconsistent with other management objectives.

Information, Interpretation andEducationPromote an understanding of the Park's historyand natural environment and an awareness andappreciation of its values.

Research and MonitoringPromote and undertake studies of the Park'snatural ecosystems and processes and itsrecreational and cultural values. Monitor theimpacts of visitor use, changes to naturalsystems and management practices.

STRATEGIES

1 . Establish conservation as theprimary goal of the Park andallow recreation and other usesof the Park to occur to theextent that the primary goal isnot impaired. (CC and CALM)

4 . POLICIES

The objective i s to integrate thepolicies of the management agenciesto complement and support thevision for the Park.

Swan River Trust PoliciesThe Park lies wholly within the Swan RiverTrust Management Area. See also Section 7for more detail. The Swan River TrustPolicies (1993) most relevant to the Park'smanagement are: EA 1 - Conservation,environmental and landscape protection, EA 2- Foreshore Reserves, EA 5 - Heritage, DE 2- Cycle Paths and Dual Use Paths on theforeshore, DE 4 - Stormwater disposal and DE9 - Commercial Development. Copies of theSRT policies are available on request (seeAppendix 1).

NPNCA and CALM ManagementPoliciesThis plan is based on current National Parksand Nature Conservation Authority (NPNCA)and CALM policies. These policies derivefrom legislation, principally the CALM Act(1984) and the Wildlife Conservation Act(1950), and associated regulations. Policiesare published and distributed throughoutCALM as policy statements. They areavailable to the public on request. Thesepolicies, as they relate to this Park, coveraspects such as recreation, conservation andeducation.

City of Canning ManagementPoliciesThe City of Canning management actionsneed to reflect the policies advocated in thisplan. The City is considering the adoption ofthe principles outlined in this managementplan as policy for the future management ofthe Park.

STRATEGIES

1 . Manage the Park to support therelevant SRT pol ic ies . (CCand CALM)

2 . Apply CALM and NPNCArecreation, conservation andeducation pol ic ies in the Park.(CC and CALM)

3 . Prepare a specific policystatement for consideration byCouncil which reflects the

Part B Principal Management Directions

5

principles outlined in thismanagement plan. (CC)

5 . LAND TENURE AND PARKBOUNDARIES

The objective i s to ensure that theva lues o f the Park are protected bysecurity of tenure and i t s gazettedpurpose.

The Park boundary has been determined by theMFP and is based on the boundary advocatedby the former SPC in 1989. A number ofminor amendments have been made to theboundary advocated in 1989 which are set outin the South East Corridor OmnibusAmendment of 1995.

The boundary for the Park is shown on Map2. The boundary reflects the currentMetropolitan Region Scheme (MRS). Anychanges will be consistent with future MRSamendments.

Currently land within the Park is vested in anumber of different government agencies orowned privately. There is at present 10hectares or less than 5% of the Park in privateownership. The WAPC and its predecessorshave been progressively acquiring land to meetopen space goals in preparation for vesting inthe management agencies as advocated inSection 6. Negotiated settlements are requiredin order to obtain the remainder of the privateland within the Park boundary.

STRATEGIES

1 . Adopt the Park boundary asshown on Map 2. (MFP)

2 . Seek to purchase the remainderof the private land as soon aspossible and preferably within12 months from wi l l ing landowners. (WAPC)

3 . Amend the MRS to inc lude a l lthe proposed park area in theParks and ReservesReservation. Ensureconsistency between thegazetted boundary and the MRSboundary. (MFP)

4 . Recognise Regional Parks as anindependent category in theMetropolitan Region Scheme.(MFP)

5 . Vest the land in themanagement agencies asoutlined in Section 6 Zoning.(DOLA)

6 . Initiate the vesting of the rivercomponent of the Park withNPNCA, as a Marine Park (seeSection 6) . (CC, CALM, SRT)

7 . Investigate the closure ofundeveloped Road Reserveswithin the boundary of the Parkand include in the gazetted areaof the Park where appropriate.(CALM,CC )

6 . MANAGEMENT ZONES WITHIN THE PARK

The objective i s to adopt amanagement zoning system thatprotects conservation values,provides for appropriate recreationand other uses , and provides forefficient management of the Park.

Management zones are a framework forprotecting the Park by minimising existingand potential conflicts between uses andactivities. They provide a broad guide to thepublic uses and management activities whichare appropriate in certain areas and indicatewhich management objectives have priority inany area.

The zoning plan for the Park is based onrecommendations made by the former StatePlanning Commission (1989). It reflects theconservation significance of the area and theintensity and types of recreation uses.

This Management Plan significantly variesfrom the SPC (1989) recommendations in thatit is proposed to make the river within thePark a Marine Park which would be managedby CALM to SRT standards. This isproposed for the following reasons. The riveris integral to the conservation and recreationvalues of the Park. The difficulty of definingmanagement zones between differentmanagement agencies will be reduced ifCALM manages the river and conservationareas. The status of the Park would be raisedif the importance of the river wasacknowledged in this way. The zoning plan(Map 3) will guide future management.

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Part B Principal Management Directions

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STRATEGIES

1 . Base future management of thePark on the zoning p lan . (CCand CALM)

7 . INTEGRATED MANAGEMENTOF THE PARK ANDADJACENT AREAS

The objectives are to integrate themanagement of the Park and seek co-operation from adjoining landownersto support the management goals andobjectives of the Park.

7 .1 The Park Management StructureThe Park management structure is shown inFigure 1. The joint managers of the Park areCALM and the City of Canning and theirareas of responsibility are set out in theprevious section on management zones.Close co-operation is required by these landmanagers for the Management Plan to beimplemented efficiently and effectively. It isproposed that the City of Canning and CALMdevelop a Memorandum of Understandingsetting out how they will jointly manage thePark. Many agencies have planning powersand controls that effect the management of thePark and their relationship is shown inFigure 1.

7 .2 Adjoining landowners andmanagement authoritiesThe main management authorities with avested interest in or adjacent to the Park are:The Swan River Trust, City of Canning, Cityof Gosnells, Water and Rivers Commission,Main Roads Western Australia, and publicutilities such as Western Power and the WaterCorporation.

7 .2 .1 Swan River ManagementStrategyThis strategy was prepared for the WesternAustralian Government by the ManagementStrategy Task force in 1988. It includesrecommendations concerning planning,development and use of specific areas of theSwan and Canning Rivers and their foreshores.The Canning Wetlands (Shelley Bridge toNicholson Road) is identified as a specific areain the strategy and recommendations A64,A65 and A68 to A70 specifically apply to thePark. Recommendation A64 calls for thedeclaration of the Canning River RegionalPark. The preparation of this ManagementPlan satisfies recommendation A65 of thestrategy. Recommendation A68 is for a reviewof land zoning adjacent to the Park to ensurecompatibility with conservation of flora and

fauna. Recommendation A69 concerning theinvestigation of the mud flats betweenShelley and Riverton Bridges into the Park isaddressed in this Plan (see section 5,recommendation 6); and recommendation A70relating to the need to restrict power boatusage in the Park has been addressed in thisManagement Plan. The Plan has beendeveloped to be consistent with the themes ofthe Swan River Management Strategy.

7 .2 .2 Swan River TrustOverall responsibility for planning, protectionand management of the Canning RiverThe Park falls wholly within the Swan RiverTrust (SRT) Management Area. The Trustwas established to bring together all State andlocal government authorities which have amajor interest in the Swan and CanningRivers with an overall role of co-ordinatingand implementing activity associated with theriver. This means that any developments,including a change of use within the Trust'sarea, must be approved by the Minister for theEnvironment under Part V of the Swan RiverTrust Act. The Trust assesses suchapplications and makes recommendations tothe Minister who determines the application.

The SRT was set up on 1 March 1989, underthe Swan River Trust Act 1988. Itsresponsibilities are to plan, manage andprotect the SRT Management Area, whichincludes the waters of the Swan-CanningRiver system and adjoining MetropolitanRegion Scheme Parks and RecreationReservations.

The Swan River Trust must advertise anysignificant developments that fall within itsmanagement area. CALM has a responsibilityto advertise draft management plans, proposedchanges to approved management plans andthe creation of new reserves. It may bepossible to combine these advertising periods.

Implementation of this Management Plan issubject to development plan approval by theSRT. If the SRT considers thatimplementation proposals differ from theintention of the management plan, then theTrust would treat this as a separatedevelopment application requiring publiccomment. CALM and the SRT (incollaboration with the Water and RiversCommission) are currently preparing a“Memorandum of Understanding” outlininghow their organisations will work together tostreamline consideration of developmentapplications. The memorandum will includeadvertising of significant developments,liaison between CALM field staff and SRTinspectors and the implementation of CALMmanagement plans.

Part B Principal Management Directions

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TABLE 1

LAND USE ZONESAS INDICATED ON MAP 3

MANAGEMENTZONE

PLANAREA

MANAGEMENT BODY MANAGEMENT EMPHASIS

CONSERVATION &PROTECTION

AREA 4AREA 6AREA 8AREA 9AREA 17AREA 20AREA 21AREA 29

DEPARTMENT OFCONSERVATION & LANDMANAGEMENT

Restricted public access, vehiclesprohibited. Development offacilities restricted to minor naturetrails, signs, cycle tracks throughaccess where necessary.Rehabilitation of vegetation.Habitat protection for water birdsand other fauna.

NATURALENVIRONMENTUSES

AREA 2AREA 11AREA 13AREA 15AREA 16AREA 19AREA 22

DEPARTMENT OFCONSERVATION & LANDMANAGEMENT

Predominantly naturalenvironment uses, public accessby walking trails and cycle trails.Rehabilitation of vegetation.Some development of facilitiesnecessary.

RECREATION AREA 1AREA 3AREA 5AREA 7AREA 10AREA 12AREA 14AREA 18AREA 23AREA 25AREA 27

CITY OF CANNING Predominantly passive recreationpursuits, allowing for car parkingand picnic facility development,rehabilitation and landscaping ofareas. However , allows forlimited development of activerecreation pursuits, eg. carparking, buildings, reticulated andlandscape areas. High use areas.

CONSERVATION &PROTECTION

AREA 24AREA 28AREA 30

CITY OF CANNING Restricted public access, vehiclesprohibited. Development offacilities restricted to minor naturetrails, signs, cycle tracks throughaccess where necessary.Rehabilitation of vegetation.Habitat protection for water birdsand other fauna.

AREA 26Water Body

DEPARTMENT OFCONSERVATION & LANDMANAGEMENT

Maintenance of water quality toensure survival of aquatic ecosystem. Allowing thoserecreational activities which arecompatible. Protection of riverbanks and erosion control.

Part C Principal Management Directions

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The Lower Canning River Management PlanThe area to the west of the Park is covered bythe Management Plan for the Lower CanningRiver prepared by the SRT (1995). Therelease of this Plan satisfies RecommendationA 56 of the Swan River ManagementStrategy. The Lower Canning Plan overlapswith this Management Plan in the areabetween the Leach Highway and the RivertonBridge. The Lower Canning Plan uses theSystem 6 boundaries whereas this plan usesthe boundary advocated by the SPC (1989).

Water qualityThe SRT has the ability to influence thequality of water in the river. See Section 10.

7 .2 .3 City of GosnellsHester Park Hester Park to the east of Nicholson Road, ismanaged by the City of Gosnells. The parkcontains 45 hectares of public open space onthe western banks of the Canning River. Thefacilities include: parking, toilets, Dual UsePath and space to launch canoes, making thisrecreation area a natural focus at the easternend of the Park. A management plan has beenprepared for this area. The philosophy andmanagement practices proposed are compatiblewith maintaining the values of the Park.Hester Park could serve as the major entrypoint at the eastern end of the Park. Thepossibility of including Hester Park in thePark should be investigated.

7 .2 .4 The City of CanningPlanning and implementing the CanningRegional CentreThe Carousel Shopping Centre is proposed asa Regional Shopping Centre by the City ofCanning following the release of the CanningRegional Centre Structure Plan in 1991. TheRegional Centre will have a commonboundary with the Park. The Structure Planacknowledges the benefit of having such anatural asset adjacent to the Regional Centre.Work has begun to implement the plan. TheRegional Centre will focus attention on theGreenfield Street section of the Park, possiblyleading to greater use and demands torehabilitate degraded areas and to improve thevisual appeal of the Park.

Planning and development controlsThe majority of neighbours to the Park comeunder the City of Canning Town PlanningScheme No 40 which establishes planningzones within the City.

Services and facility provisionRoads, footpaths, street trees and drains(seebelow) are examples of services and facilitiesprovided by the City, adjacent to the Park.The manner of construction and maintenance

of these, may impact on the values of thePark.

7 .2 .5 Water CorporationStorm water outlets and drainsA large number of stormwater outlets anddrains are present in the Park, which raisestwo main issues. The first is water quality(see below) and the second is the aesthetic andphysical impacts of these utilities.

Many outlets are unattractive and moreattention to detail is necessary so that theyblend with their natural surroundings. Opendrains are frequently straight and have almostvertical walls. Consideration should be givento their appearance and function by batteringback walls and planting the sides with nativevegetation. This would have the effect ofimproving existing outlets and strippingnutrient from storm water before it reaches theCanning River. Together with modificationsto their alignment these treatments should leadto utilities that remain functional and yetmerge into their surroundings. In 1993 thethen WAWA co-operated with MFP andCALM in works carried out near CockramStreet in an effort to reduce the impact ofdrainage and sewerage works. A similarapproach is needed in other sections of thePark.

The discharge point for stormwater outletsalso requires consideration as fresh waterflushing of salt marshes and other wetlandsmay be responsible for the bulrush invasion,Brock and Pen (1984). See Sections 11 and13.

Water qualityThe issue of water quality is discussed inSection 10. The discharge of raw sewage ontothe flood plain or directly into the river mayoccur if a power failure or equipment failureoccurs. This occurrence could have seriousconsequences for the natural environment andmust be avoided. The Water Corporationhave contingency plans to put into actionshould this situation arise, however there is noguarantee there will not be sewage overflows.

7 .2 .6 Public Ut i l i t ies , eg . WesternPowerElectricity supply Every attempt should be made to reduce thevisual impact of power lines and power polesin the Park. Power to services within thePark should be placed underground.Alternative routes for mains power linesshould be considered and only routed throughthe Park as a last resort. The visual impact ofany infrastructure proposed by public utilitiesshould be carefully considered.

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7 .2 .7 Private LandownersThe majority of the Park boundary is borderedby private landowners and private residences inparticular. These people have the enormousbenefit of living in an urban situationimmediately adjacent to an extensive naturalarea. Residences bordering the Park can have agreat impact on the Park through the spread ofweeds and garden escapees, the appearance oftheir properties as seen from the Park, havingpets in close proximity to wildlife, andincreased likelihood of fire. On the other handthese neighbours may help with itsmanagement and security.

STRATEGIES

1 . Develop a 'Memorandum ofUnderstanding' to facilitateimplementation of the Plan.(CC and CALM)

2 . Promote Integrated Managementof the Park with adjoining landmanagers. (CC, SRT andCALM)

3 Educate and encourageneighbouring land owners tosupport the managementobjectives of the Park (seeSect ions 29 and 30) . (CC andCALM)

4 . Prepare plans for the areaadjacent to the Regional Centrethat take into account themanagement objectives of thePark. (CC and CALM)

5 . Liaise with consultants, Cityof Canning and otherauthorities that wi l l providefacilities and infrastructure forthe Regional Centre to ensurethat the conservation values ofthe Park are protected. (CC andCALM)

6 . Investigate the inclusion ofHester Park into the Park.(MFP, CG, CC and CALM)

7 . Complete the Memorandum ofUnderstanding between CALM,SRT and WRC. (SRT, WRCand CALM)

8 . Survey and review currentdrainage outfalls within thePark with a view toestablishing a program for theredesign and rehabilitation ofthese in accordance with SRT

and CALM guidelines. (CC,WRC and WC)

9 . Ensure design and maintenanceand operation of WaterCorporation facil it ies preventsoverflow of sewage andconsider installing facilities forthe storage of sewage overflowand emergency power generatorsat sewerage pumping stationsadjacent to the river. (WC)

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PART C CONSERVATION

8 . PRINCIPAL CONSERVATIONDIRECTIONS

CONSERVATION GOALProtect and conserve the Park's physical,cultural and scenic resources.

The objective is to protect the Park'svalues, restore degraded areas andpromote a conservation ethic for thePark.

CONSERVATION STRATEGYThe strategy for conservation management ofthe Park is to conserve natural areas andminimise conflict between recreational use andconservation values (Section 6), control weeds(Section 13), minimise the effects of fire(Section 14), rehabilitate degraded areas(Section 18) and promote communityeducation and involvement in the managementof the Park (Sections 29 and 33).

9 . GEOLOGY AND SOILS

The objective i s to protect andconserve the exist ing geologicalstructure and soil associations in thePark.

The Swan-Canning River system is a drownedriver valley system, adjacent to a semi-aridhinterland of low relief and sluggish drainage(L.B Collins 1987). These rivers are part ofthe drainage system of the Swan CoastalPlain, which lies between the Darling Scarpand the sea. A description of the geology andsoils of the Swan Coastal Plain may beobtained in Seddon (1972).

The Park contains two distinct soilassociations. The Swan Soil Associationoccurs within the flood plain of the river andconsists of clay-silt based wetlands and loamyalluvial river flats. It is rich in humus andrelatively fertile. The Bassendean SoilAssociation occurs on the higher groundthroughout the Park, and is typical of theSwan Coastal Plain grey infertile sands.

STRATEGIES

1 . Use c lean so i l , which i s free ofdisease and weeds and similar tothe natural so i l types of thearea when i t i s necessary to

import soil into the Park. (CC,CALM, WP, , WC, WRC,MRWA)

10 . THE RIVER AND FLOODPLAIN

The object ive is to manage the Parkin a manner which wi l l complementthe Swan River Management Strategy(1988) and current SRT policies forthe Canning River.

10 .1 Management ResponsibilityThe SRT has overall responsibility forwaterways planning, protection andmanagement. It provides advice to the Ministerfor the Environment who is responsible fordevelopment control. (see section 7). TheWater and Rivers Commission hasresponsibility for flood plain managementplanning and advises planning authorities onmatters affecting the passage of floods alongrivers and flood plains. Filling of the floodplain (from urban development and landfilling) can result in loss of wildlife habitatswhich provide food and nesting grounds forfauna. Proposals for the filling of the floodplain need to consider the ecologicalimportance of the area. Agencies ororganisations such as CALM and the City ofCanning will carry out management of thePark. A number of environmental issues aremanifest within the Park, namely the presenceof Hydrocotyle ranunculoides and otheraquatic weeds and the increase in nutrientlevels evidenced by the recent occurrence ofalgal blooms.

10.2 Hydrocotyle and other aquaticweedsHydrocotyle ranunculoides is an aquaticspecies native to Europe and possibly Northand South America and is a common aquariumplant throughout Australia. First observed inBannister Creek in 1983, it spread and coveredlarge sections of the river by 1991. It isconsidered to have the potential to develop intoa serious environmental, economic andrecreational threat to the Park and other lakesand waterways. There appears to be no otherinfestation of Hydrocotyle in Australia andthere is no established protocol for the controland eradication of this weed. Klemm et al(1993) has developed a short term control and along term eradication strategy for this weed.The long term control of Hydrocotyle is still

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being debated and removal of the weir boardsto allow a salt water wedge to move up theriver has been considered. However, theremoval of the weir structure isn't consideredas a major focus in the long term strategy.The Trust considers that the weed is currentlyunder control.

10.3 Water QualityThe Canning River is described as moderatelynutrient enriched and annual blooms of themicroscopic green algae Euglena have beenreported in this section of the river since 1976.The reduction of nutrient loads would reducethe opportunities for species such asHydrocotyle ranunculoides and Euglena toinvade. Nutrient reduction is not achievable inthe short term and must be considered as partof a long term strategy for the health of theriver system.

Nutrient additions to the river is one importantsource of nutrient and the other is the nutrientcontained in the sediments of the river. Even ifall nutrient discharges to the river ceased, thereis potentially enough nutrient stored in thesediments to maintain high nutrient levels.

The reduction of nutrient loads and sinkswithin the river is the long term aim of theSRT. The Trust is monitoring drains thatenter the river to measure nutrient loads andidentify major contributing catchments.Through the Swan Avon Integrated CatchmentManagement Program and the Swan CanningCleanup Program the Trust in partnershipwith the community is focusing on theSouthern River and Upper CanningCatchments. A project team supported by acatchment officer has been established todevelop a catchment plan for the twocatchments which will assist in reducingnutrient loads to the river. The CanningCatchment Coordinating Group is alsoinvolved in various activities on a whole ofcatchment basis with the aim of reducingnutrient loss from the catchment.

Chemical pollutants from industry andhouseholds may enter the river fromstormwater outlets and petrol, oil, andhazardous chemicals may spill into thedrainage network. Sewage pollution hasoccurred when power failure or equipmentfailure results in sewage discharge fromWater Corporation pumping stations. Thismaterial may flow directly into the river or beheld on the flood plain for a later clean up.The Department of Environmental Protectioncontrols most of the pollution and industrialdischarges to the river. The SRT, ChemistryCentre of WA, Health Department and theWater and Rivers Commission continuallymonitor the water quality of the rivers and

drains of the Swan and Canning Riverenvirons.10.4 Kent Street WeirThe Kent Street Weir was constructed tomaintain freshwater for agricultural purposesfor settlers adjacent to the Canning River.The weir stops the movement of saline waterin a previously tidal section of river. Asecondary function is the access way the bridgeprovides across the river. The Water andRivers Commission is responsible for theoperation of the weir. Wooden barriers areremoved in April, to allow for winter flow andre-installed in October to maintain the depth inthe summer months. There is currently 1(one) water licence for drawing water from theriver between Kent Street and Nicholson Road.No further licences will be issued and existinglicences will eventually be cancelled throughnatural attrition.

The construction of the weir has a longhistory. It started as a sandbag weir in 1913,and has had numerous reconstructions, the lastbeing in 1962. The new pedestrian/cycle pathover the weir was opened in 1989. The weirhas considerable heritage value as there is along history in getting the weir built, and itsassociation with previous land uses, inparticular farming. The weir has been proposedto be entered on the Register of HeritagePlaces, under the Heritage Act of WesternAustralia 1990.

The weir is also highly valued as a recreationresource. The weir has been a popularswimming and fishing spot since the 1920'sand is still a major focus for recreation today.

The construction of the weir has impacted onthe environment. The change from saline tofreshwater in this section of the river hasaffected the vegetation and led to changes inspecies composition. The vegetation hasadapted over the last 80 years to the changedsalinity levels and removing the weir wouldcause another change in the vegetationcommunity along the river's edge. It is alsoconsidered that the spread of Bulrush in thissection of the river occurred due to the changein the salinity of the water. See Section 13(Weeds). The outbreak of Hydrocotyleranunculoides and algal blooms have alsooccurred in this section of the river. SeeSection 10.2 above. The weir also providesan increased area of freshwater whichencourages bird life and provides recreationalopportunities upstream.

The construction of the weir has impacted onthe environment as noted above. However,the natural system has adapted to this change.The WRC will be undertaking studies on thewider implication of the weir’s operation andthe results of this research may influence a

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decision on management of the weir. Supportwill only be given to change the operationalfunction of the weir after full consideration ofthe long term ecological, recreational andsocial implications.

The management of the Park can make acontribution to maintaining a healthy riversystem by adopting the followingrecommended actions.

STRATEGIES

1 . Provide management supportfor the Hydroco ty l eranunculoides control strategyimplemented by the SRT. (CC,WC, MFP, APB and CALM)

2 . Support government initiativesto monitor and reduce nutrientlevels in the Canning Rivercatchment. (CC and CALM)

3 . Investigate the use of nutrienttraps and pollution controlmechanisms in conjunctionwith storm water outlets in thePark, as advocated by SRTp o l i c i e s , ( e g D E 4 Stormwaterdisposal). (CC, CALM andSRT)

4 . Support and endorse the SwanRiver Trust Pollution ControlPlan and the Western AustralianHazardous Materials EmergencyManagement Scheme whichcover emergency procedures andrecommendations regardingcontrol of petrol, o i l andchemical sp i l l s . (CC andCALM)

5 . Adopt the management zoningsys tem (Sec t ion 6 ) . (CC, SRTand CALM)

6 . Adopt management practicesthroughout the Park, especiallyin the recreation areas that donot add to the build up ofnutrients and other pollutants inthe river. eg. turf managementprogram based on minimalnutrient loss. (CC and CALM)

7 . Retain access across the river atthe Kent Street Weir. (CC andCALM)

8 . Continue management of theKent Street Weir operations tocontrol the water f low until

studies present alternativeoptions for management. (WRC)

9 . Liaise with WC to developappropriate methods to addresspotential sewage overflow intothe Park. (CC and CALM)

11 . FLORA AND VEGETATION

The objectives are to protect,conserve, rehabilitate and regeneratethe indigenous vegetation in thePark.

The best example of estuarine habitat foundalong the Swan and Canning Rivers occursbetween Riverton Bridge and Kent Street,Brock and Pen (1984). This is one of themain reasons for establishing the Park. Pastland uses, and urban development, have had,and are continuing to, impact on thevegetation. The indigenous plant communitystructure and species composition have beenaltered by past agricultural practices, clearing,fires, landfill, rubbish dumping andstormwater disposal and has resulted in thePark being a vast repository of weeds. Theconstruction of Kent Street Weir changed theriver from saline to freshwater upstream toNicholson Road, which has subsequentlyaltered the streamside vegetation.

A number of exotic or introduced plants havebeen planted in the Park. These plants havebeen planted for amenity purposes inrecreation areas, or are remnants of previousland use eg. Woodloes homestead, or otherhome sites in Ferndale flats or near NicholsonRd and at other locations. Unless these plantsare invasive or a liability to the conservationvalues of the Park, they should be retained fortheir heritage value. Given the loss of habitatand food sources, especially for birds, theremay be instances where exotic species or nonindigenous vegetation is grown to provide afood source all year round. This would requirecareful consideration by the managers of thePark. See also European History, Section19.2, and Landscape, Section 20.

A comprehensive vegetation survey of thePark has been undertaken by Brock and Pen(1984) - see Map 4. The SRT is developing avegetation data base of fringing vegetation ofthe Swan and Canning River system.

The plant communities found in the Park aresummarised below.

11.1 The salt-marsh and shore-rushcommunities.

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The salt-marsh zone comprises three plantcommunities. The shore-rush community isassociated with salt-marsh but is also foundfringing the river. The salt marsh communityis being affected by the mosquito controlprogram (see Section 16, Mosquito Control).

The Samphire community occurs ontidal flats, often adjacent to barren salt-pansand is dominated by Sarcocorniaquinqueflora (samphire). The communityis separated from the river by a levee bankvegetated by shore-rush, sheoak andpaperbarks.

The Shrubby Samphire communityis dominated by Halosarcia species and isfound adjacent to the Samphire communitybut at higher elevations. The communityoften occurs between samphire and thefringing forest of saltwater sheoak andswamp paperbark.

The Club-rush community consistsof a single native species, Bolloschoenuscaldwellii which is normally only foundas part of the samphire community. Theoriginal samphire community is slowlybeing replaced by club-rush in areas wherefreshwater flushing from storm waterdrains occurs. Eg. Ferndale salt marsh andadjacent to Adenia Road lagoon.

The Shore-rush community isdominated by Juncus kraussii and is foundin areas which are more frequentlyinundated by tidal water, where groundlevels are higher and salinity is lower.

11.2 Fringing Forest CommunitiesThree communities comprise the fringingforest of the wetland.

The Sal twater Sheoak-PaperbarkCommunity (Casuarina obesa andMelaleuca rhaphiophylla). Thiscommunity fringes both the estuarinesection of the river and some of the salt-marshes at higher elevations and lowersalinity. These plant associations aretypical of the Canning River Estuary.The Paperbark Community(Melaleuca rhaphiophylla) is found inswampy areas, some of which havedeveloped only recently with the advent ofstorm water drains and associatedwidespread clearing.

The Paperbark-Flooded GumCommunity (Melaleuca rhaphiophyllaand Eucalyptus rudis). Occurs onriverbanks upstream from Kent StreetWeir, where freshwater conditions areexperienced. The predominant understorey

species, the bulrush (Typha orientalis),seems to be encouraged by the highsummer water level maintained by theweir.

11.3 Bulrush CommunitiesTwo types of bulrush communities occur,characterised by different species and oftendistinguished by the different habitats theyoccupy.

The Bulrush (Typha orientalis) anintroduced species, is typically found inareas subjected to freshwater flushing, ie.associated with stormwater runoff. It canwithstand high salinity and quicklydisplaces salt-marshes subject tostormwater runoff. Whilst being able tooccupy a variety of habitats, it grows mostprolifically in stationary water.

The Narrow Leaf Bulrush (Typhadomingensis) a native species, occursupstream of the weir at higher elevationsthan the Typha orientalis community.This Typha has formed large stands inrecent years by colonising abandoned wetpasture.

11.4 The Flooded Gum Community(Eucalyptus rudis) occupies sections of theflood plain. Only two small patches of theplant community remain in Ferndale, torepresent a community that was probablywidespread along the rivers before settlement.The flood plain was cleared for pasture andonly the flooded gums remain with anunderstorey of weeds and grasses.

11.5 The Veldt Grass Communityoccupies the low sand dunes of the BassendeanSoil Association. The dominant species isveldt grass, an introduced perennial (Ehrhartacalycina).

11.6 Disturbed Communities arecharacterised by the Flooded Gum Communityand other areas once cleared and nowabandoned, which are readily colonised byweeds and exotic species and eventually formweed communities.

Other native species such as orchids,sundews, fringe lillies, and trigger plants wereidentified by Brock and Pen (1984).

11.7 Aquatic FloraAquatic plants form the basis of the food chainand are the food source for larger vertebrates,fish, mammals and birds. The distribution offloral species in the river is governed by eachspecies range of salinity tolerance. Theestuarine component of the Park which occursdownstream of the Kent Street Weir supportsaquatic plants which can tolerate both saline

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and fresh conditions. Macroalgal blooms haveoccurred between Shelley and RivertonBridges. There are some patches of seagrassHalophila ovalis present in this area. Thereare

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no recorded persistent occurrences of floatingaquatic plants downstream of the weir.

The Kent Street Weir has significantly slowedthe water movement upstream and hasprovided opportunities for a range of floatingand other aquatic species which have includedHydrilla and Hydrocotyle. Section 10, Riverand Flood Plain and Section 13, Weedscomments further on Hydrocotyle andspecies emergent on the river banks.Hydrocotyle control is favouring theproliferation of other submerged plants such asPotamogeton. Other aquatic plants recordedinclude a species of macroalga Spirogyra andthree phytoplankton species Oscillatoria,Euglena and Carteria.

STRATEGIES

1 . Document and monitor thevegetation and changes to plantcommunities in the Park. (CC, SRT and CALM)

2 . Control weeds (Section 13) andrehabilitate degraded vegetationcommunities according topriorities (Section 18) . (CC,SRT and CALM)

3 . Revegetate degraded areas (seealso Section 18) , usingindigenous seed sourcescollected within the Park orfrom the nearest viable source.(CC and CALM)

4 . Reduce the frequency of fire,ut i l is ing strategies set out inSection 14 . (CC, , FRSWA,CALM)

5 . Investigate altering drainageoutlets so that freshwaterflushing of salt marshes nolonger occurs. (see SRTPolic ies DE 4 - Stormwaterdisposal) (CC and WC)

6 . Stop rubbish dumping in thePark to prevent furtherintroduction of weeds includinggarden escapees. (CC andCALM)

7 . Investigate any wilful damageto vegetation in the Park andprosecute offenders.(CC, SRTand CALM)

12 . FAUNA

The objectives are to maintain viablepopulations of al l indigenous faunain the Park, and to provideopportunities for visitors to view andgain an understanding of the Park'snative fauna.

Conservation of wildlife habitat is one of themain reasons for establishing the Park. Arange of habitats, provides refuge for a largenumber of birds, mammals, reptiles, insects,spiders, tortoises and fish. Brock and Pen(1984) collated information and carried outfurther observation to compile a detailedassessment of the fauna of the Park.

12.1 Avian FaunaA total of 97 bird species have been observedin the Park. The total includes 44 waterbirds,41 forest and woodland birds and 12 commonsuburban birds, being about half the numberof bird species found on the Swan CoastalPlain. A wide diversity of species exists dueto the diversity of habitats in the reserve,namely: open estuarine waters, open riverinewaters, beach, mudflat, salt-marsh, rushes,bulrushes, estuarine or riverine fringingforests, forest, woodland, and grassland.

The waterbird records of the Park have beenincorporated into the South-West WaterbirdProject which has been carried out by theRoyal Australasian Ornithologists Union(RAOU), the former Department of Fisheriesand Wildlife and later CALM. Of the 11 basicwaterbird habitat types recognised in theSouth-West Waterbird Project, 8 are found inthe Park.

The Park is of regional importance as anumber of birds use it to breed, many othersfor feeding and refuge and other migratorybirds use it during the summer months.Australia is a signatory to internationaltreaties such as the Japan-Australia MigratoryBirds Agreement (JAMBA) and the China-Australia Migratory Birds Agreement(CAMBA). Australia is also a signatory to theRamsar Convention on Wetlands. There is anobligation under these agreements to protectthe wetlands which provide habitat formigratory birds and to wisely manage wetlandsgenerally. An extensive list of birds seen inthe Park is found in Brock and Pen (1984) andis also available from the RAOU.

12.2 Terrestrial Fauna

12 .2 .1 Mammals

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Two mammals, the Brush-tail Possum(Trichosurus vulpecula ) and the Short nosedBandicoot (Isoodon obesulus ) inhabit thePark and it is thought that native water rats(Hydromys chrysogaster) may also bepresent.

12 .2 .2 Reptiles and AmphibiansFive large reptiles are found within the Parkand there are also many smaller lizards whichare abundant, providing a rich source of foodfor predatory birds. The five large reptiles are;Long-necked tortoise (Chelodina oblonga),Dugite ( Pseudonaja affinis affinis) , WesternTiger Snake (Notechis scutatusoccidentalis), Bob-tailed Skink ( Tiliquarugosa) and the Western Bearded Dragon (Pogona minor minor). Numerous amphibians (frogs) inhabit the area.Species recorded include Litoria moorei,Litoria adelaidensis, Heleoporus eyrei andCrinia glauerti and Crinia insignifera.

12 .2 .3 Insects and SpidersInsects are abundant throughout the Park andinclude mosquitoes (see Section 16),butterflies, dragonflies, damsel flies, scorpionflies and grasshoppers.

Spiders are also abundant throughout the Parkand include (Brock and Pen 1984): the GoldenOrb-Weaving Spider (Nephila edulis), SaintAndrew's Cross Spider (Argiope aetherea) andthe Christmas Spider (Gasteracantha minax).

12.3 Aquatic FaunaStudies by McDermot (1981) and Bridgewaterand Potter (1982) cited in Brock and Pen(1984) list species of fish found in theCanning River with the latter report carriedout specifically in the Park. The mostabundant fish was Perth Herring. There arealso a number of fish important forrecreational fishing which includes the Bar-tailed Flathead, Yellow-eye mullet, BlackBream and Cobbler. A list of the fish speciesfound in the Park is to be found in Brock andPen (1984).

Zooplankton occurring in greatest abundanceinclude Acartia clausi , Sulcanus conflictus,Gladioferens imparipes and Oithona sp.Benthic invertebrates are important to fish andbirds which feed on shallow sand mudflat areasof the river and include bloodworm,tubeworm, crab, shrimp, prawn and mussels.The introduced freshwater snails Lymnaeacolumella and Physa sp. have also beenrecorded.

STRATEGIES

1 . Continue monitoring,researching and surveying thefauna of the Park. (CC,Educational Institutions, WAMuseum, RAOU and CALM)

2 . Repeat the type of birdobservation study carried out byBrock and Pen (1984) to helpascertain trends of bird numbersand species numbers over thelast 10 years. (CC and CALM)

3 . Identify and protect birdhabitat and breeding areas. (CCand CALM)

4 . Identify seasonal mowing areasand areas not to be mown topreserve habitat and breedingsites. (CC and CALM)

5 . Apply the intent of the JAMBAand CAMBA migratory birdagreements in the Park. (CCand CALM)

6 . Design and locate facilities andinfrastructure according toapproved plans, to minimiseenvironmental damage andmaximise visitor appreciation.(CC and CALM)

7 . Continue to developopportunities to promote anunderstanding and appreciationof the Park's fauna by:• developing an inter-

pretation plan for the Park(see Section 29) (CALM)

• supporting and encouragingthe Canning RiverVolunteers (see Section 29).(CC and CALM)

8 . Educate neighbours about theeffects of the dumping of exoticf ish in the river system e .g .Carp. (CC and CALM)

13 . WEEDS

The objective is to control and wherepossible , eradicate weeds with thepotential to cause seriousenvironmental degradation, usingmethods which minimise impacts onnative species and the environment.

A weed is defined as a plant or speciesgrowing out of place. They may originatefrom within a region, interstate or overseas

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and may or may not be declared under theAgriculture and Related Resources ProtectionAct 1976.

The presence of weeds is a serious problem inthe Park. The existing plant communities asdescribed in the previous section, includeestablished weed communities and manyindigenous plant communities that aresuffering from weed infestation andcompetition. The area occupied by weedscontinues to grow and unless controlled maylead to the eventual demise of the indigenousvegetation.

There are many reasons for the presence ofweeds in the Park. Past land uses such asclearing and developing pasture for grazing,introduced many grass and weed species. Soildisturbance from vehicle access, constructionof paths, other facilities or drainage channelsallows weeds to establish. Frequent firespromotes the growth of weeds. Drainageoutlets that flush out saline wetlands withfresh water promote the growth of weeds tothe detriment of the existing vegetation.Garden refuse dumped in the Park introducesmany plants that vigorously compete withnative vegetation. The dumping of aquariumcontents in the river system is alsodiscouraged as this can lead to the spread ofaquatic weeds.

The following species listed and located byBrock and Pen (1984) represent potentiallyserious weed problems and need a controlprogram to address the problem. Blackberry(Rubus fruticosus), Caster Oil Bush (Ricinuscommunis), Pampas grass (Cortaderiaselloana), the giant reed (Arunda donax),Pepper tree (Shinus terebinthifolius), Coraltree (Erythrina caffra), Fig tree (Ficus sp.),and Willow tree (Salix sp.) of which onlyblackberry is a declared noxious weed.

Introduced grasses such as veldt, kikuyu andbuffalo are well established in the Park,sometimes to the total exclusion of theindigenous vegetation. Grasses used foramenity purposes in parkland settings need tobe controlled to stop them invading remnantvegetation. The SRT (1993) trialed the use of'flauziflop-butyl' to control introduced grassesamongst native vegetation, with promisingresults.

Bulrushes have invaded many sections of thePark. Storm water outlets in many instancesflush fresh water through wetland areasresulting in the displacement of salt-marsh anda change in the species composition of thepaperbark-flooded gum (riverbank)community. Typha orientalis, the introducedbulrush, is the major invading species to the

detriment of the local bulrush species Typhadomingensis which is being confined tocolonisation of abandoned wet pasture lands.Brock and Pen (1984) document the invasionof the bulrush community. Pen (1981) hasshown a relationship between bulrushinvasion and a decrease in salinity possiblydue to freshwater flushing from storm wateroutlets.

Whilst Typha orientalis is an introducedspecies, it does perform a number of valuablefunctions. It provides nesting sites and a foodsource for swamp hens and other creatures.Bulrush stands may also filter and storequantities of nutrients, thus helping to controloutbreaks of blue-green algae. Filter bedswould need to be cleaned out to removenutrients from the system. Typha willcolonise areas given the right conditions andthen stabilises. Unless Typha appears to bereplacing an entire stand of native species or iscovering the entire wetland, it should be leftto complement the existing communities. Ifremoved, Typha will continue to coloniseareas if conditions remain favourable. Itsremoval from the Park therefore needs to becarefully considered.

All methods of weed control need to beconsidered ie. chemical, physical, orbiological. Ecological considerations placeconstraints on weed control, as side effectssuch as those on native plants or habitat, orthe pollution of water bodies, may rule out theuse of some techniques. There are alsofinancial constraints on the amount of weedcontrol that can be carried out.

Weed control can greatly benefit fromcommunity involvement. Management hasonly limited resources and weed control can bevery labour intensive. Management co-ordinated community involvement ineradication or control programs and replantingis highly desirable.

STRATEGIES

1 . Minimise physical disturbanceto plant communities bycontrolling vehicle andpedestrian access to and withinthe Park. If ut i l i ty or facilityprovision occurs in the Park,rehabilitation and revegetationshould be considered as anintegral part of the worksprogram. (CC, CALM, WP,WC, WRC)

2 . Develop criteria for settingpriorities for weed control andthen carry out a co-ordinated

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weed control program. (SRT,CALM, CC, APB)

3 . Weed control programs to bepart of a rehabilitation strategyand not carried out in isolation.S e e S e c t i o n 1 8 Rehabilitation.(CC, SRT, CALM, APB)

4 . Investigate controlling Typhaor ienta l i s , the introducedbulrush, including modificationof stormwater outlets . (APB,CC, SRT and CALM)

5 . Set boundaries to grass areasused for recreation and controlthe spread of grassesaccordingly. (CC and CALM)

6 . Investigate the operationalfunction of the Kent Street weiras a method to control Typhaor ien ta l i s . (SRT)

7 . Manage and control weedinfestations in accordance withCALM Pol icy StatementNo.14. Weeds on CALM Land.(CALM)

8 . Adopt a fire management planfor the Park to help controlweeds caused by unwanted fires.(See Section 14) . (CC andCALM)

9 . Document and continue tomonitor the extent of weeddistribution and abundance inthe Park and relate results toprevious studies to determinetheir spread. (CC and CALM)

10 . Educate neighbours aboutrubbish dumping and gardenrefuse, especially in new areas,and the dumping of aquariumcontents in the r iver system toassist in reducing weed andaquatic weed problems. (CCand CALM)

11 . Ensure the non-target effects ofany use of chemicals to controlweeds in minimised. (CC andCALM)

12 Seek alternatives to chemicalcontrol of weed infestationswhen undertaking works in thePark. (CC and CALM)

13 . Liaise with WC regarding weedinfestations and control

methods, in creeks and drainsthat f low into the Park. (CCand CALM)

14 . FIRE

The objective i s to protect people,property and the conservation valuesof the Park, by preventing f ire fromoccurring, except for conservationpurposes.

Large areas of vegetation in close proximityto urban development will be threatened byfire from natural causes but in manyinstances, fires will result from humanactivities, being either accidentally ordeliberately lit.

Wildfires need to be avoided in the Parkbecause they threaten human life, property andnature conservation values. Wildfiresuppression is the responsibility of the Fireand Rescue Service of WA.

Prescribed burning may be practiced in thePark to protect its values. Most native plantsregenerate successfully after periodic burning,a high proportion of which have a firedependency for reproduction. This involvesregeneration from sprouting or seeds. Thefrequency of fire in the Park needs to bemanaged so that burning regimes optimisesthe protection of values, the specialreproductive characteristics of sensitive plantsand the maintenance of biological diversity.

Fires that occur in the Park need to becontrolled quickly and the frequency of firesreduced. The Fire Management Strategy thatis proposed to help control wildfire in the Parkis shown on Map 5. The strategy includesmaintaining numerous fire breaks to helpcontrol fire and fuel reduction, eg mowing andslashing grassed areas. Large stands ofBulrush also pose a fire hazard. TheDepartment of Conservation and LandManagement is guided by Fire ManagementPolicy (1987) Policy Statement No.19.

STRATEGIES

1 . Develop and adopt firemanagement objectives andstrategies that protectenvironmentally sensit ive areasfrom frequent wildfire andincluding pre suppressionactivities. (CC and CALM)

2 . Maintain a record of the date,cause and impact of a l l f ires in

Part C Conservation

23

the Park. Analyse trends andtake fire prevention measureswhere necessary. (CC andCALM)

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Part C Conservation

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3 . Provide the FRSWA with aplan of the Park which sets outal l access points , roads andtracks and strategies forprotecting highly sensitive areasin the Park. (CC and CALM)

4 . Where possible , reduce fuelloads by mowing large opengrassed areas. Mown areas to bedelineated so that mowingpractices do not inhibit naturalregeneration and fauna habitat.(See Sect ion 12 Rec. 6) (CCand CALM)

5 . Consider constructing futureDual Use Paths to a standardthat wi l l carry fire trucks, sothat access i s improved tostrategic sections of the Park.(CC and CALM)

6 . Ensure that adequate firefighting equipment, includingequipment developed for firesuppression that operates onthe river, i s available to thePark. (CALM and FRSWA)

7 . Allow burning, specif ical ly forthe protection of values and themanagement of native species.(CALM)

15 . EROSION

The objective i s to control erosionthat is not part of a natural processor where property or assets may belost .

Erosion and deposition occurs naturally in anyriver system but there are many factors whichprevent the river system from acting naturally.Localised erosion can occur at the surface fromwave action, being either wind induced or inheavily trafficked waters, from boat wash andforeshore use. Erosion can occur where banksare altered to provide access for boats andcanoes. Degradation of fringing vegetationwill also ultimately result in exposed riverbanks leading to erosion. Uncontrolledforeshore access for pedestrians may also leadto erosion of river banks.

Various options exist to control erosion.Both the Department of Marine and Harbours(1990) and the Swan River Trust (1993) havestrategies which include natural solutions andin some instances engineering solutions.Depending on the situation, either type or

both types of solution can be used. The SwanRiver Trust (1994) advocates stabilisation ofriver banks using natural vegetation whereever possible.

The Swan River Management Strategy (1988)recommendation A 70, that the need to restrictpower boat usage and control boat launchingareas be investigated, is endorsed in this plan(see Section 24).

STRATEGIES

1 . Implement measures to dealwith erosion by plantingvegetation as appropriate andconsistent with existingvegetation communities. (CCand CALM)

2 . Construct suitable bankprotection i f other measuresfail to relieve erosion. (CCand CALM)

3 . Control access to areassuffering from erosion or likelyto erode. (CC and CALM)

4 . Protect shoreline vegetation bycontrolling access and thespread of weeds. (CC andCALM)

16 . MOSQUITO CONTROL

The objective i s to support anappropriate mosquito control programand to minimise the environmentalimpact of control measures.

Wetlands in urban areas often require amanagement response to mosquitopopulations. Brock and Pen (1984) list elevenspecies of mosquitoes that occur along theCanning River. The mosquitoes may cause anuisance to nearby residences and are a publichealth risk as some species have the potentialto transmit diseases such as Ross River Virus.The Health Department of WA administers amosquito control program that subsidisesContiguous Local Authority Groups (CLAGs)that have been identified as having locallycontracted mosquito-borne viruses, to controlmosquitoes and protect from viruses. The Cityof Canning would therefore have todemonstrate known cases of locally contractedmosquito borne disease before qualifying forthis assistance. The NPNCA also has a formalpolicy on mosquito control.

Part C Conservation

26

Mosquitoes also form part of the diet of localand migratory birds. Ninox WildlifeConsulting (1990) showed that peaks in thenumber and abundance of waterbird species inmosquito breeding areas during the summermonths coincides exactly with an equivalentpeak in populations of the mosquito Aedesvigilax. This species is known to be a RossRiver Virus carrier north of Carnarvon.Reports of the virus being recovered from thesouth west population around the Perth areahave only recently (1996) been recorded.

The City of Canning has an extensivemosquito control program in place. Breedingsites have been identified and some sections ofthe wetlands altered by drainage and filling toreduce mosquito nuisance. Constantmonitoring is carried out and, when necessary,chemical control methods are used tocomplement the physical modifications tobreeding areas.

The effectiveness of the mosquito controlprogram however does have ramifications forthe natural environment. Salt marsh areas aredrained by minor disturbance to the surface orrunnelling which is very effective. The wateris directed to larger drainage channels whichlink to the river. Over time the larger drainagechannels have grown in size and length asmachines are used to dig out silt and keepthem flowing. The drainage activities havehad the effect of altering the salt marshvegetation. Constant monitoring of breedingsites requires vehicle access to many sensitivesections of the Park. Constant access cancause areas to degrade and may contribute tocreation of breeding habitat for mosquitoes.The amount and type of access to breedingareas needs to be monitored.

STRATEGIES

1 . Review the mosquito controlprogram annually, for i tseffectiveness in reducingmosquito numbers and continueto seek alternatives which areenvironmentally acceptable.(CC and CALM)

2 . Monitor mosquito controlmanagement practices andamend i f necessary. (CC andCALM)

17 . PETS AND FERAL ANIMALS

The objective i s to minimise theimpact of pets and feral animals onthe Park's environment.

17 .1 PetsThe ownership of pets in close proximity tothe Park has ramifications for parkmanagement . Domestic cats are likely tohunt for birds, reptiles and other creatures.Cat owners should be encouraged to keep themat home especially at night and have them desexed to help control feral populations. Dogsmay roam unattended in the Park or be takenthere for exercise. Dog walking is a commonactivity in the Park and a legitimate activity incertain areas. However, restraint of dogs isnecessary if they are not to have an adverseeffect on wildlife and on the activities of otherpark users. Dog owners should not allowtheir dogs to roam. Other pets such as rabbitsand rats that escape into the Park will alsoneed to be removed. Pet fish should not bedisposed of in the river, or waterways anddrains flowing into it.

17.2 Feral AnimalsFeral cats, foxes and rabbits occur in the Parkbut precise numbers are not known. All theseanimals have a detrimental effect on the Park'swildlife and their control and removal willhelp protect the integrity of the Park. Feralducks (which are mostly escaped domesticducks) should be monitored for anyinterbreeding with native ducks and the hybridsremoved from the Park. Hybridisation betweendomestic and native ducks is believed to be athreat to the survival of native duck species. Park users should be discouraged from feedingducks and other birds. Artificial feedingencourages greater numbers of birds than canbe naturally supported. Uneaten food such asbread also provides increased nutrient ( in analready nutrient rich river) and decaying breadcan also allow botulism to spread in birdpopulations.

STRATEGIES

1 . Exclude dogs from conservationareas; ensure dogs are on aleash elsewhere in the Parkexcept for gazetted dog exerciseareas. (CC and CALM)

2 . Install dog excreta bins ingazetted dog exercise areaswhere appropriate. (CC)

3 . Review the current gazetted dogexercise areas within the Parkin consultat ion with CALM, in

Part C Conservation

27

l ight o f s trateg ies wi th in th i sstudy. (CC)

4 . Educate local residents aboutthe impact that cats anddomestic escapees may have onnative fauna, with the aim ofencouraging residents to eithernot own pet cats, rabbits andrats or strictly control them (egkeep cats in at night). Thedanger of dumping pets in thePark should also be included.(CC and CALM)

5 . Implement bait ing for foxes inthe conservation zonescoinciding with an appropriatewarning system for park users,especial ly dog owners. Run aneducation program inconjunction with the baitingprogram. (CC and CALM)

6 . Monitor the Park for feralanimals (eg cats, hybrid andexotic ducks, foxes , rats),determine their impact onconservation values, andinvestigate control options.(CC and CALM)

18 . REHABILITATION

The object ive i s to restore degradedareas of the Park to a stablecondition, resembling the naturalenvironment.

Environmental degradation is a majormanagement issue in the Park. Uncontrolledvehicle and pedestrian access in the past hascaused severe degradation. The Access andCirculation Plan (Section 25) sets out roadsand tracks in the Park. Other areas are to beleft to rehabilitate but should be monitored andactive restoration carried out if necessary.

Past land uses have resulted in modificationsto vegetation communities (Section 11) andweeds have also become a major problem(Section 13). The provision of utilities andfacilities in the Park (Section 26) also adds tothe areas that need rehabilitation works carriedout.

A variety of techniques are available forlandscape rehabilitation and the mostappropriate is determined by the specificcircumstances encountered. All plant materialor seed used in rehabilitation works shouldoriginate from the Park or the nearest viable

seed source, in order to conserve the integrityof the vegetation communities. Riverbankregeneration should be given a high priority.

Local residents and school groups should beencouraged to be actively involved in thepropagation and rehabilitation works (seeSection 33). These activities must be co-ordinated by the joint managers of the Park.

STRATEGIES

1 . Prepare a rehabilitation planand set priorities forrehabil i tation works. (CC andCALM)

2 . Co-ordinate rehabilitationworks between al l the landmanagers and relevantcommunity groups . (CC, SRTand CALM)

3 . Close and rehabilitateunnecessary vehicle tracks andfootpaths. (CC and CALM)

4 . Rehabilitate areas immediatelyfol lowing the installation ofutilities or recreation facilities.(Implementing Authority, co-ordinated by CC and CALM)

5 . Carry out rehabilitation worksas part of any weed controlprogram. (CC and CALM)

6 . Establish a seed collection off ire sensit ive plants within thePark. (CC and CALM)

7 . Use locally collected seed (fromthe nearest viable source) forpropagating plants or for directseeding. (CC and CALM)

8 . Actively involve members ofthe local community andschools in rehabilitation works.(CC and CALM)

19 . CULTURAL RESOURCES

19.1 ABORIGINAL HISTORY

The objective is to protect and whereappropriate interpret Aboriginalcultural features in the Park.

An insight into Aboriginal associations withthe Canning River is summarised in Richards

Part C Conservation

28

(1991). At the time of European settlement,the Swan and Canning basins supported apopulation of Aborigines. At least six familygroups are thought to have claimed territorialrights to the land which is now themetropolitan area. The wetlands wereimportant to Aborigines for food and materialsfor shelter and artefacts. The Department ofAboriginal Sites has identified anarchaeological site (S1989) within the Park.Numerous other sites have been recordedoutside the boundaries of the Park. Other sitesmay exist within the Park, so it is importantthat people involved with park managementand the Canning River Volunteers (in liaisonwith the Aboriginal custodians) should befamiliar with the identification of sites andartefacts and be acquainted with the AboriginalHeritage Act 1972-1980.

STRATEGIES

1 . Ensure that managementobligations are fulfilledaccording to The AboriginalHeritage Act 1972-1980, beforeany development takes place.(CC and CALM)

2 . Arrange for an Aboriginal sitestudy of the Park to beundertaken and ensureAboriginal consultation is partof the process. (CC andCALM)

3 . Incorporate information on theAboriginal history of the Parkinto interpretive material whereappropriate. (CC and CALM)

19.2 EUROPEAN AND ASIANHISTORY

The objective is to protect and whereappropriate interpret European andAsian historical features of the Park.

An Historic Survey of this section of theCanning River was carried out by Richards(1991) which " is not a history of the Parkitself but rather a guide to the referencematerial and sources of information about howthe area now occupied by the Park was usedand settled in former times ".

This document makes fascinating reading andprovides ample material for the preparation ofinterpretation material, park signs,information displays and for the CanningRiver Volunteers. The information served as avaluable reference during the development ofthe Recreation Development Plans.

A historic walk has been established in AdeniaReserve which identifies a number of differentfeatures in that area including a SikhCemetery. Plaques associated with this walkhave been vandalised and need to bemaintained. An information shelter is in placebut requires information panels.

One prominent historic site with strongassociations with the Canning River isWoodloes Homestead located in WoodloesStreet. The property is significant locally andto the State. The homestead is owned by theCity of Canning and is open to the public.With the rear of the property to be included inthe Park, a site plan is needed so thatconnections between the homestead and theriver can be maintained. See also Section 26.

STRATEGIES

1 . Continue to collate informationon historic s i tes located in thePark and establish an archive ofvisual and written materialincluding calibratedphotography to be available forinterpretive use andconservation. (CC, HistoricalSocieties and CALM)

2 . Nominate s i tes for heritagel ist ing on either the MunicipalHeritage Inventory, or State andNational Heritage Lists . (CCand CALM)

3 . In accordance with the ICOMOSBurra Charter, developmanagement guidelines for anyhistoric s i tes in consultationwith other appropriateconservation bodies, such asthe WA Museum, WA MaritimeMuseum, National Trust,Australian HeritageCommission and historicalsocieties. (CC and CALM)

4 . Identify, and conserve or restoreimportant sites such as the claypits, old bricks and Sikh burialground in Adenia Reserve, thetank stand in Ferndale flats andthe wharf near Wharf St . (CCand CALM)

5 . Where appropriate, incorporateinformation on the Europeanand Asian history of the Parkinto interpretive material. (CCand CALM)

Part C Conservation

29

6 . Encourage the WoodloesHomestead managers to developa site plan which includes linkswith the Park. (CC andCALM)

7 . Maintain the historic walkdeveloped in Adenia Reserve.(CC and CALM)

20 . LANDSCAPE

The objective is to maintain andimprove the natural and culturallandscape qualities of the Park.

Landscape descriptionThe Park lies within the Swan Coastal Plainlandscape character type (CALM 1994Reading the Remote, Landscape CharacterTypes of WA). The coastal plain gentlyslopes westwards from the Darling Scarp tothe Indian Ocean. The Park is located on thelower reaches of the Canning River where itmeets with the Swan Estuary. This areaprovides some of the least disturbed estuarineand wetland vegetation associations in theentire Swan-Canning River System. The Parkincludes a variety of different environmentswhich include salt water estuary and islands,salt marshes and riverine environment,freshwater environment, a billabong andmodified forest and woodland on the floodplain.

As well as natural resources, cultural featuresplay an important role in the landscapequalities of the Park. Human habitation hashad a great impact. Firstly, the Park issurrounded by urban development. Secondly,modifications within the Park are many andinclude, large exotic grassed areas, vehicle andfootbridges, Kent Street Weir, recreationfacilities and parkland developments such asgarden beds and reticulated lawn areas,carparks, toilets and other built structures,signs, fences, public utilities (power lines,drains, drainage channels, pits etc.) anddegraded areas (vehicle tracks, weed infestedareas, areas devoid of vegetation) and so on.

Landscape QualityThe Park landscape encompasses areas whichcan be described as high, medium, or lowvisual quality. These categories can bemapped using the Visual ManagementSystem. Once mapped, any modificationswithin the Park and adjacent to the Park can beassessed according to the visual quality ratingand the ability of the landscape to incorporatethe proposed change.

There are many areas of high scenic quality.Most of these occur in the Conservation Zoneand include natural areas with water as a majorelement. Given the relatively flat nature ofthe Park, it is possible to experience totalenclosure in a natural setting whilst beingwithin metres of urban development. Otherareas of high scenic quality include Parklandsettings usually associated with water.

A modified landscape is not always considerednegatively. Having built structures in themiddle ground ( a bridge for example or theCentral Business District skyline in thebackground) with a natural foreground andmiddle ground can also contribute to highvisual quality.

Areas of low visual quality would include,large cleared areas, highly degraded areas(eroded or weed infested) built structures suchas drainage outlets, back fences of houses,dumped rubbish, factories, large mown areas,power lines and other utilities in the Park.

Landscape CharacterThe objective of this section is to maintain orimprove the natural and cultural landscape ofthe Park. Whilst this means protectingnatural areas in the Park, in other instancesthis involves rehabilitating modifiedlandscapes of the Park. Rehabilitation worksshould use indigenous (local) plants grownfrom locally collected seed or from the nearestviable seed source. The created landscapeshould therefore resemble the character of theoriginal landscape even if it has not beenpossible to replicate the landscape due to lackof technology or resources. View corridors,incorporating the use of low vegetation,should be considered in rehabilitationplanning. This policy of planting only localnative plants does not apply to WoodloesHomestead (immediate vicinity of the house),the farm area adjacent to Nicholson Road andthe house site at Ferndale flats or otherhistorical sites provided that particular plantsare not invasive thereby creating difficultiesfor management. In general, planting nativeplants that are not endemic to the area shouldbe avoided.

STRATEGIES

1 . Classify landscape features inthe Park according to theVisual Management System andco-ordinate this with SRTlandscape plans for the CanningRiver. (CALM)

2 . Identify and protect theimportant landscapes in thePark. (CC, SRT, MFP, CALM)

Part C Conservation

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3 . Assess the visual impacts ofdevelopment proposals on theperiphery of the Park so thatadverse impacts can be avoided.(CC, SRT, CALM)

4 . Rehabilitate degraded and weedinfested areas according torehabilitation priorities. (CCand CALM)

5 . Provide a high standard signsystem based on the CALMsign manual. (CC and CALM)

6 . Ensure recreation facilities andpark furniture are of a highstandard and suited to thesurrounding landscape. Facilityprovision should be planned andagreed to by the jointmanagers. (CC and CALM)

7 . Ensure uti l i t ies and associatedstructures are sympathetic indesign, materials and colour tocomplement surroundinglandscape elements and be sitedaway from natural focal points,out of viewer s ight l ines andwhere vegetation or landformscreening can be utilised.Liaison with Western Power,WC and other authorities beforeworks are carried out in thePark i s essential. (CC andCALM)

Part D. Recreation

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PART D RECREATION

21 . PRINCIPAL RECREATIONDIRECTIONS

RECREATION GOALProvide the public with recreationopportunities and facilities that are consistentwith other management objectives and thatminimise conflict between users.

The objectives are to:• Ensure recreation is in accordance

with the City of Canning andCALM recreation policies andguidelines.

• Promote recreational experiencesfor the public use areas of thePark which are:- based on enjoyment and

appreciation of the Park- equitable- non-disruptive- consistent with the natural

settings and conservationvalues of the Park.

• Integrate recreation experienceswith interpretation and educationprograms.

RECREATION STRATEGYThe Park is a large open space surrounded bysuburbs and so has a high demand as arecreation facility. The strategy for recreationmanagement is to encourage non-disruptiveuse of the Park while ensuring that the specialqualities of the Park are not compromised.Activities which result in conflict betweenusers will be discouraged. In planning forrecreation, the Park will be considered as aregional resource and not just available tolocal groups.

A Master Plan and development plans forspecific recreation areas has been developed inconsultation with the City of Canning andCALM. (See Section 23 Master Plan).

22 . VISITOR USE

The objective is to provide a range ofrecreation opportunities in the Park,while minimising environmentalimpacts and conflicts betweenvisitors.

A Recreation Survey was carried out by P &M Tooby Pty. Ltd.(1990) in the Park, in orderto provide a basis for recreation planning forthe future. The survey lists a range ofactivities taking place in the Park, with themost common being: cycling, walking,sightseeing, picnicking, swimming, boating,relaxing, ball games and walking the dog.Natural features, such as the river andbushland, combined with parkland settings,attracted people to the Park.

Adventure play provides a wonderfulexperience for children and is encouraged.

People travelled to the Park by a variety ofmeans, with the greatest numbers coming bycar but large numbers also cycled. Smallernumbers either walked or came by canoe. Of300 people interviewed, most lived nearby and90% stayed for 1-3 hours. A strong messageof the value of this natural area was conveyedwith many people wanting its current characterto be maintained.

Casual observation of visitor numbers and usealso indicates that facilities are generallymeeting demand. The Park is heavily used onweekends and experiences infrequent heavy useduring special events such as MiniatureRailway activities.

STRATEGIES

1 . Provide and maintain suitableand safe facil it ies and servicesto ca ter for v i s i tors . (CC andCALM)

2 . Promote visitor activities whichare appropriate to the naturaland cultural values of the Park.(CC and CALM)

3 . Continue to monitor visitornumbers, activities andpreferences within the Park.(CC and CALM)

4 . Provide suitable interpretiveinformation for park users.(CC and CALM)

5 . Install emergency equipment atappropriate locations. (CC andCALM)

Part D. Recreation

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23 . RECREATION MASTER PLAN

The objective is to develop a MasterPlan to facilitate recreationalopportunities in the Park which i ssupportive of other managementobjectives.

A Master Plan for the Park has been prepared.This plan reviews and updates wherenecessary, a previous Master Plan prepared forthe Park by P & M Tooby Pty Ltd in 1990.A summary of the recreation facilitiesproposed for the Park can be seen on Map 6.

The Master Plan reflects the ManagementZones and land uses described in Section 6.Access, internal circulation and type offacilities provided was determined by the zone,being either Conservation, NaturalEnvironment Uses, or Recreation.

The Conservation Zones are to be protected,with limited access offered by either Dual UsePath or walk tracks with the emphasis beingon the enjoyment of nature. The NaturalEnvironment Use Zones have greater accessand the emphasis is on indigenous vegetationregeneration necessitated by previous land usepractices, ie grazing. Provision of somefacilities is anticipated.

The designated Recreation Zones are the mostintensively used and highly modified sectionsof the Park. The emphasis has been onproviding well designed recreation areaswithout detracting from the natural values ofthe Park. Facility provision for visitors isconcentrated in these areas.

The Master Plan accompanied by RecreationDevelopment Plans for most recreation zones(see Section 25) is available for viewing at theCity of Canning Offices.

STRATEGIES

1 . Implement the Master Plan andassociated RecreationDevelopment Plans . (CC andCALM)

24 . ACCESS

The objective i s to provide astructured access system to andwithin the Park, while ensuring park

values and park users are notadversely affected. Having a large park surrounded by urbandevelopment means that access is a majorissue. Whilst access for recreation andeducation purposes is a legitimate use,uncontrolled vehicle and pedestrian access hasseverely degraded some areas. Easy access hasalso meant that dumping of rubbish and gardenrefuse has also been a problem.

The Park may be accessed by vehicle,pedestrians, bicycle, boat, canoe and wheelchairs. An access and circulation plan wasprepared as part of the RecreationDevelopment Plan process and is available atthe City of Canning.

Road accessMajor arterial roads pass within closeproximity to the Park and include the AlbanyHighway to the north, the Leach Highway tothe west and Nicholson Road to the east.

However, direct access to the main recreationareas is by minor suburban streets, andcarparks are provided at the followinglocations: Riverton Bridge Reserve, FerndaleFlats, Bergall Court, Mason's Landing, KentStreet Weir, Castledare, and Riverton JettyReserve. It is proposed to upgrade or provideadditional parking south west of RivertonBridge, off Nicholson Road and at Mason'sLanding. Parallel parking may also beconsidered near the river end of Duff Road ifsufficient need can be identified.

Boat and canoe accessThe Department of Transport is responsiblefor safety and navigation in and on the waterswithin the Park. Motorised boats are currentlylimited to a speed of 4 knots upstream ofRiverton Bridge. Canoes regularly use theriver. Convenient water access for boats isavailable in the Riverton Bridge area, whilstcanoes can be launched at Riverton Bridge,Wilson Park, Mason's Landing and HesterPark which is upstream from Nicholson Road.The use of motorised watercraft is consideredinappropriate in the Park unless it can beestablished that it does not compromise thePark's conservation or recreational values.

Cycle and Pedestrian AccessA Dual Use Path (DUP) route traverses thePark south of the river. This route relies onusing suburban streets to link with sectionswithin the Park. It is proposed to extend theDUP so that the entire length of the Park isserviced and connections made to the existingDUP's east and west of the Park. WhenNicholson Road Bridge is upgraded in thefuture, provision should be made for a DUP topass beneath the bridge. North of the river it

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Part D. Recreation

34

is also proposed to provide a DUP in certainsections of the Park. Path design standardsshould reflect recreational use as a primarypurpose. The use of these paths as a commuterroute is not encouraged.

Pedestrians and cyclists may cross the river atGreenfield Street, Kent Street Weir, RivertonBridge, and Nicholson Road. No further rivercrossings are advocated at this stage.

There are also many informal walking tracksallowing access to many quiet sections of thePark, offering a unique experience to walkers.There are also areas in the Park where access isdiscouraged. Cyclists are not permitted inthese areas.

Maintenance Vehicle AccessBoundary access for maintenance vehicles isprovided at many points throughout the Park,including vehicles carrying out mosquitocontrol works.

As far as practicable these vehicles should usethe DUP.

Vehicle use within the Park, should bejustified and strictly controlled. Uncontrolledaccess has resulted in degradation in someareas. A review of the whole track system isnecessary to limit the impact of vehicles .

Private Vehicle and Motor BikeAccessPrivate vehicles, trail bikes and motor bikesare restricted to designated parking areas andaccess roads. Access is restricted, as they mayendanger other park users, adversely affectwildlife and cause damage to the landscape.

AnimalsRiding horses or other animals in the Park isconsidered to be in conflict with other parkvalues and users and is not permitted.

River CrossingsVehicle crossings occur at either end of thePark at Shelley Bridge (Leach Highway),Nicholson Road Bridge and upstream fromShelley Bridge at Riverton Bridge. Anamendment to the Park boundary may berequired at a later date due to possible futureduplication of the Shelley Bridge to the southof the present structure within the existingroad reserve boundary. Pedestrian and cyclistbridges occur at Kent Street Weir andGreenfield Street. These bridges are not to beused by motor cyclists. No other bridges arenecessary at this stage but the situation needsto be monitored to determine whetheradditional pedestrian bridges are required.

Disabled AccessDisabled access is possible at many sitesthroughout the Park. The Dual Use Pathsprovide the opportunity of movement withinthe Park. All future developments shouldcater for disabled people as a standard designcriteria. This includes access to conservationand recreation areas.

STRATEGIES

1 . Implement the access andcirculation plan. (CC andCALM)

2 . Provide access for people withdisabilities at a variety oflocations. (CC and CALM)

3 . Notify the MRWA of theproposal for a Dual Use Pathunder Nicholson Road Bridge,so that it can be accommodatedwhen a new bridge i s built .(CC and CALM)

4 . Seek the support of the SRT inrecommending to the DOT thatspecified motorised water craftbe permitted within the Parkand al l other powered watercraft prohibited. (CC andCALM)

5 . Restrict private cars, motorbikes, trai l bikes to designatedcarparks and access roads only.Design facil it ies that restrictvehicles to designated areas.(CC and CALM)

6 . Instal l s igns and bike racks toprevent unwanted access toother areas. Restrict cyclists toDual Use Paths only.

7 . Prohibit animal riding in thePark. (CC and CALM)

8 . Monitor the impact ofmanagement vehicles on thePark and modify procedures asnecessary. (CC and CALM)

25 . RECREATION SITES ANDFACILITIES

The objectives are to provide a rangeof wel l designed recreation sites

Part D. Recreation

35

equipped with high quality recreationfacil it ies.

The Master Plan (see Section 23) sets out therecreation sites based on the ManagementZoning system as detailed in Section 6. TheMaster Plan, Recreation Development Plansand a Recreation Development Plan Report areavailable for viewing at the City of Canningoffices.

Plans have been prepared for the followingsites, whose locations are shown on Map 6:

Castledare - concept plansFerndale FlatsGreenfield Bridge AreaMason's LandingRiverton Bridge ParkRiverton Bridge AreaKent Street Weir-Wilson Park

STRATEGIES

1 . Improvements to the RecreationSites and facil it ies are to bebased on the Master Plan andRecreation Development Plans.(CC and CALM)

26 . LEASES AND COMMERCIALOPERATIONS

The objective is to ensure that leasesand commercial operations areconsistent with the object ives of theplan and the purpose of the land inorder to facilitate the use andenjoyment of the Park and generateincome to help offset managementcosts .

26 .1 Management Pol ic ies inrelation to commercial development.The Swan River Trust has responsibility forplanning, protecting and managing Perth'sriver system and all development proposalsneed approval from the Minister for theEnvironment who is advised by the SRT (seeSection 7). Trust policies DE 9 - CommercialDevelopment - General, and DE 10 -Restaurants, cafes, kiosks and tearooms are ofparticular relevance when contemplatingcommercial operations in the Park.

Commercial concessions may be granted onlands or waters managed by CALM to provideappropriate facilities and services for visitors.Proposals are carefully considered by CALMand require approval by the NPNCA and the

Minister. Concessions must be consistentwith the purpose of the Reserve and theprotection of its values.The City of Canning as manager of theRecreation Areas should assess leasing andcommercial operations according to the goalsand objectives as set out in this ManagementPlan.

Commercial operations in the Park are notprecluded and provide the opportunity to offerservices to the public and the opportunity toraise revenue to assist in the management andprovision of facilities in the Park.

26.2 Kiosk at Riverton JettyReserveThe lease agreement for this kiosk, hasrecently been renewed. One buildingaccommodates the kiosk and the toilets. Thesite also has parking, barbecue and picnicfacilities, play equipment and occupies anattractive setting. The kiosk is considered anappropriate facility at this site. This site maybe considered for a low key development in thefuture.

26.3 Canning Rugby ClubThis club has a lease with the City ofCanning for the grounds at Kent Street until2002. The club has facilities which include:club house, playing field, lighting and playequipment. The facilities are fenced off fromthe general public which effectively divides thepublic area at Kent Street Weir in half.

The SPC (1989) in regard to organised sport,notes that the Park should not be seen as arepository of land to meet the demands of localrecreation groups. This management plansupports the notion that no more land shouldbe alienated for organised sports and thatrecreation activities should be compatible withthe conservation values of the Park. TheRugby Club has been a tenant at Kent Streetsince 1974 but with the formation of the Parkits presence will not be compatible with thegoals as set out in this management plan.Preliminary discussions concerning relocationhave been held between the City of Canningand the Rugby Club. The relocation of theclub to an alternative venue would requiredetailed assessment of the assets held by boththe City and the Club at Wilson Park and theprovision of substantial funding to facilitaterelocation.

26.4 Woodloes HomesteadWoodloes homestead is situated in WoodloesStreet on a block that runs through to theriver. The homestead was designed and builtaround 1874 by Architect Francis Bird whowas a partner of the Mason and Bird TimberCompany. Mason was a pioneer of the Jarrah

Part D. Recreation

36

Timber Industry in Western Australia. Timberwas harvested from the Scarp and sentdownstream from Mason's Landing which isclose to Woodloes Homestead.

The WAPC has been acquiring the rear ofblocks in this street for inclusion in the Parkbut at this stage the entire Woodloes siteremains outside the Park.

The homestead is owned by the City ofCanning and managed by a committee onbehalf of the council. A Conservation Planwas prepared for the homestead by theNational Trust of Australia (W.A.) in March1993.

The homestead is an important part of localhistory with strong associations with theriver. Expansion of the homestead groundsand better access to the river are issues thatneed consideration. It is proposed that Lot 14(currently vacant land) adjacent to thehomestead be purchased and added to thehomestead grounds. The existing site isalready too small and the extra land could beused for parking, toilet facilities, storage andother uses to be decided by the Woodloesmanagement. The WAPC is encouraged topurchase this land as part of its land purchaseprogram.

26.5 Castledare Miniature RailwayThe Castledare Miniature Railway of WesternAustralia Incorporated is a club of miniaturerail enthusiasts with their activities basedadjacent to the river on land owned by theCatholic Church at the Castledare Boys Home.

Over the years, the club have developed quiteextensive facilities, including over 5kilometres of track, railway station, signalbox, turn table, storage sheds and workshops.The track runs adjacent to the river, throughFern Lagoon to Wilson Park and back again.At the Castledare site there are toilets, akiosk, and limited picnic facilities. Largelawn areas serve as a carpark.

The rail stock is owned by individuals and runby volunteer labour. The Miniature Railwayon "run days" usually on the first Sunday ofthe month and during school holidays attractslarge numbers of visitors. Train rides areoften combined with a barbecue/picnic andthere is space for informal ball games.

Planning authorities have included part of theCastledare site in the Park as a buffer toprotect the river. The Catholic church is alsodeveloping plans that propose development ontheir land. Negotiations will be entered into,which will result in determining the preciselocation of the boundary in this section of the

Park. It is hoped that the viability of theMiniature Railway activities are considered aspart of the negotiations.

A lease agreement needs to be negotiated withthe rail enthusiasts by the new land managersto ensure the continuing presence of theminiature railway in the Park. Duringnegotiations, the following are some of theissues that need to be addressed; the effects ofthe Castledare redevelopment on the railwayactivities, the provision and maintenance ofpicnic and barbecue facilities, upgrading thetoilet facilities, provision of parking, a stationat Wilson Park, vandalism and security, theimpact of the railway activities on the naturalenvironment, possible extensions to the railnetwork, interpretation facilities associatedwith the railway, and generating revenue tocontribute to management of the Park.

It is also considered that the railway offers theopportunity for low impact access to sensitiveareas of the Park providing opportunities foreducation.

Both the City of Canning and CALM believethat the railway is a benefit to the Park andthat the Miniature Railway should continue tooperate.

26.6 Farm area near NicholsonRoad (Area 16, Map 3)The area bounded by Nicholson Road, thebillabong and the river is currently leased. Thesite is used as a holding area for sheep and aworkshop for animal transport trucks. Thelessee is on notice that the site may need to bevacated following the adoption of thismanagement plan.

The site is zoned natural environment uses(see Section 6) and management would includerehabilitation and provision of some facilities.If the site was vacated immediately it wouldrequire ongoing maintenance and considerableeffort in rehabilitation. Both of thesemeasures incur a cost.

An alternative is to continue to lease the siteand use the capital to begin rehabilitation andprovide facilities in the Park. In the longterm, if there was sufficient interest, the areacould be a focal point for an educationprogram which might include the followingthemes:

• Past land uses (including a proposal for amodel farm)

• Landcare principles• Rehabilitation and vegetation regeneration• Nature study using the billabong and the

river

Part D. Recreation

37

• Local history by visiting WoodloesHomestead and Mason's Landing

• Used as a base and connected by the DualUse Path system to visit other sections ofthe Park

26.7 Boating and Bicycles Non-motorised water craft and cycling areconsistent with the management objectives ofthe Park and are encouraged. A licence tooperate a hire business is issued by therelevant authority. Licences to approvedoperators will be subject to licence conditions.Applications for commercial activities in thePark will only be considered afterenvironmental and social assessment.

26.8 Cafe or Kiosk at WilsonReserve-Kent Street Weir Kent Street Weir is the main recreation area inthe Park and is serviced by many facilities.With the possibilities of focusing theMiniature Railway activities and developmentof an Interpretive Centre there, it may beopportune to include the provision of a cafe orkiosk as a service to visitors and also as asource of revenue for the Park. This matterrequires further investigation by the jointmanagers of the Park.

26.9 Ice cream vans or fast foodoutletsThese businesses might operate in the Parksubject to issuing an Itinerant Vendors Licenceor Stall Holders Licence by the City ofCanning. They must comply with the City'srequirements, including not conflicting withother park users. Their operations would bechecked by the Planning and HealthDepartments. These businesses would notoperate in Conservation Zones.

26.10 Visitor's (Interpretive) CentreBrock and Pen (1984), the Tooby Master PlanReport (1985) and Richards (1991) advocatethe provision of a visitors centre or a similarfacility that could house historical andecological data and present it to the public.This Management Plan proposes that a singlepurpose visitor centre not be built. Theconcept of visitors information being providedin conjunction with other communityactivities or combined with a commercialactivity such as a cafe should be considered.

A location for this type of facility needs to bedecided. The siting will be determined by themanagement zones. This sort of buildingwould be permitted in a Recreation Zone andmay be acceptable in a Natural EnvironmentUses Zone. Any building needs to besensitively designed and sited. The amount ofexisting infrastructure would also be taken

into consideration. There are a number of siteoptions including:

1. Kent Street Weir /Wilson Park - in aRecreation Zone.The site is centrally located, and has themost developed infrastructure, such asparking, toilets, picnic facilities of allthe recreation sites. The river can becrossed, providing access to large areas ofthe Park and is linked to the Dual PathSystem. Consequently, it is a popularsite.

2. Adenia Reserve - in a Recreation Zone.This is a large parkland area that wasdeveloped with bicentennial money. Noformal parking areas are provided butthere is ample room to park on AdeniaRoad. It is close to the ConservationAreas.

3. Farm - in a Natural Environment UsesZone (Area 16, Map 3).The area is conspicuous from NicholsonRoad, and so has easy access. The site iscurrently undeveloped, and potentiallyhas a variety of attractions (see Section25). There is no existing infrastructure.

4. End of Watts Road - in a ConservationZone.This location was advocated by Brock andPen (1984). A site suitable for abuilding is available on an areapreviously disturbed by land fill. Thissite may have been suitable for a smalleducation facility but poses a number ofproblems for the type of facility asproposed above. There is no existinginfrastructure, the site is small and thereis no room for parking, and is very closeto nearby residences.

5. Greenfield Street Area - in a NaturalEnvironment Uses Zone.This site is close to the CanningRegional Centre, experiences lots of foottraffic, and currently has noinfrastructure, apart from a dual use path.

At this point the Kent Street Weir site isthe preferred option.

STRATEGIES

1 . Establish and managecommercial operations inaccordance with CALM PolicyStatement No 18 , Recreation,Tourism and Visitor Services.Concessions in the Park may beprovided if they are consistent

Part D. Recreation

38

with the purpose of the Park,the Swan River Strategy andapproved by the NPNCA andthe Minister for theEnvironment. Proceeds fromcommercial operations are to beused for park management orinfrastructure. (CALM)

2 . Ensure that conditions ofcommercial concessions arefulfilled by the concessionholders. (CC)

3 . Integrate the management ofWoodloes Homestead and thePark. (CC/WoodloesManagement Committee andCALM)

4 . Purchase Lot 14 WoodloesStreet to enable WoodloesHomestead to expand. (WAPC)

5 . Ensure the continuation of theMiniature Railway in the Parkby providing security of tenure(lease). (CC and CALM)

6 . Investigate extension of therailway to enable further lowkey access and interpretation ofpark features. (CC, CALM andMiniature Railway Club)

7 . Investigate relocating theCanning Rugby Club. (CC)

8 . Consider re leasing the farm(Area 16 , Map 3) fol lowingvesting of land in NPNCA withthe aim of using funds torehabilitate the site. (CALM)

9 . Exclude stock from the Parkexcept for the immediatesurrounds of the farm area.Fence the foreshore area of thefarm to prevent stock wanderingand to ensure public access.(CALM)

10 . Investigate the feasibil ity oflocating a kiosk/cafe at KentStreet Weir. (CC)

11 . Investigate provision ofinterpretive material and parkinformation in combinationwith other commercialactivit ies, such as a kiosk.Consider incorporatingsponsorship opportunities withthis facility. (CC and CALM)

12 . Ensure any advertising in thePark i s suitable, conforms tomanagement guidelines, and i slocated in the appropriatemanagement zones. (CC andCALM)

27 . SERVICES AND UTILITIES

The objective i s to provide costefficient, effective and safe servicesand uti l i t ies to the Park and tonegotiate with authorities placinguti l i t ies in the Park so thatenvironmental impacts are avoided ornegligible.

Power LinesTo minimise the visual impact of powersupply within the Park, it is advocated that allpower lines be placed underground. Mainspower lines should be placed so that there isminimal visual impact.

Stormwater Outlets and DrainageFacilitiesThere are many stormwater outlets anddrainage facilities throughout the Park, whoseinstallation and maintenance is theresponsibility of the Water Corporation or theCity of Canning. These utilities have a bigimpact on the Park : visually (see Section 20Landscape); or ecologically (see Sections 11Vegetation and 13 Weeds). The impact ofthese utilities can be reduced and requires co-operation and consultation between thediffering managing bodies. (see Section 7).

RoadsRoads should only be constructed in the Parkif they are for management purposes or as partof facility provision for recreation. The onlysealed roads present in the Park are shortsections to carparks. Facilities should belocated near the boundaries so that there is noneed to place roads into the Park. SRTpolicies contain provision for a road interfacebetween residential lots and the SRTmanagement area which includes the Park.Management vehicles should as far aspossible, use the Dual Use Paths to limit theneed for roads and to limit the impact of thesevehicles. The type and necessity ofmanagement vehicle use in the Park should beconsidered carefully by the managers.

Parkland maintenanceThe parkland and recreation areas need to bemaintained to provide amenity to users, helpreduce the risk of fire and be done in a mannerthat will not devalue the conservation values

Part D. Recreation

39

of the Park. Issues such as mowing in areasmanaged for natural regeneration and overfertilising lawn areas and thus contributing tonutrient runoff need to be addressed.

Rubbish CollectionRubbish bins are located in the recreation areasand collection is the responsibility of the Cityof Canning. The number of bins providedshould be kept to a minimum and visitorsencouraged to take their rubbish home withthem and recycled. Any requirement foradditional toilets during the life of the planneeds to be justified Any additional toiletswill meet approved design criteria and beplaced so as to have the least amount of visualimpact on the area and to cause minimalimpact to neighbours.

STRATEGIES

1 . Place power l ines to facilitiesand amenity l ightingunderground, to improveaesthetics of the Park. (CC andWP)

2 . Rationalise, upgrade andlandscape drainage channelsand other infrastructure toinclude principles of watersens i t ive urban des ign. ( WC,CC, SRT)

3 . Ensure all roads in the Park arefor internal access and not forthrough traffic. Oppose theconstruction of roads within thePark unless for approvedrecreation or managementpurposes. (CC, SRT, CALM)

4 . Use management practices thatwi l l not compromise theconservation values of the Parkie . strictly defining mowingareas and carefully assessingany fertilising requirements.(CC CALM)

5 . Promote “take it home” rubbisheducation. (CC, CALM)

6 . Addit ional toi let faci l i t ies maybe required at locations such asAdenia Reserve or GreenfieldStreet. These or any othertoi lets should be connected tosewer outlets. (CC)

28 . SIGNS

The objective is to provide effectivesigns that al low vis i tors easy accessto the Park's features , lead to moreef fec t ive use o f the recreation areasand promote a greater understandingof the Park.

The type of signs used will have an impact ontwo levels. Firstly, the quality of informationprovided and secondly the visual impact of thesigns on the surroundings. It is importantthat the sign system be of high standard andbe uniform throughout the Park. It isproposed that the CALM Sign Manual beused to guide all signs provided for the Park.The Sign Manual is used throughout theCALM estate and also by many localauthorities.

Recognition of the Park will also be enhancedby the continued use of the Park Logo onappropriate signs, and interpretive materialetc. The Logo was chosen from a localschools competition.

STRATEGIES

1 . Produce and implement a signplan for the Park to includeboth marine and terrestrialareas. (CC and CALM)

2 . Adopt the CALM sign manualas the basis for signs erected inthe Park. (CC, CALM, otheragencies, lease holders)

3 . Adopt the colour scheme forsigns outlined in the RecreationDevelopment Plan Report. (CCand CALM)

4 . Use the Park Logo on featureand information signs. (CC andCALM)

5 . Liaise with other departmentsand agencies such as theMRWA, and DOT, to ensureuniformity of s igns on andadjacent to the Park. (CC andCALM)

Figure 2Park Logo

Part E. Community Relations

40

PART E COMMUNITY RELATIONS

29 . INFORMATION,INTERPRETATION ANDEDUCATION

INFORMATION, INTERPRETATIONAND EDUCATION GOALPromote awareness and understanding of thenatural and cultural values of the area and tofoster appreciation and care.

The five objectives are:

• To provide interpretation,information and education aboutthe Park in accordance with the(CALM) Swan RegionInterpretation Plan. Ensureinformation is integrated with andcomplementary to that alreadyprovided or planned to beprovided regionally and locally(in particular the material in theSwan Estuary Marine Park andWetlands like Thomsons Lake andForrestdale Lake).

• To develop and maintain aninformation and educationprogram for both the local andthe broader communitiesconveying the Park's values forConservation and Recreation, aswel l as the associatedmanagement concerns (eg waterquality).

• To promote the Park as avaluable entity in its entirety.

• To encourage a sense ofownership and pride in the Parkby the local community.

• To encourage the use of the Parkfor educational purposes and as avehicle for broader educationabout riverine systems.

In 1989, the City of Canning and CALM setup and trained a number of volunteers to assistin the management of the area. Since thattime, the Canning River Volunteers have beenan extremely important and active group,leading regular interpretative activities for thepublic, providing considered and invaluableadvice and comments about managementissues and getting excellent press coverage forissues and activities in the Park. Their efforts

have assisted in raising the awareness andunderstanding in the local community of thePark's identity and values.

School groups have been and continue to bethe source of heavy demand for educationalactivities and talks at the Park. Many localschools have been involved with Arbor Dayactivities including planting and rehabilitatingdegraded areas.

According to the Interpretative Plan forCALM's Swan Region, the key features to beinterpreted in the Park are;• the river - its properties, behaviour,

effects on the landscape, changes overtime and space.

• riverine vegetation - importance, changesover time.

• cultural history - Aboriginal and nonaboriginal.

• concept of Regional Parks - why?, whomanages?, how?, role of localcommunity?.

These interpretive stories complement thoseplanned elsewhere.

To date, a number of materials forinterpretation and education have beendeveloped for the Park. These includematerial on the social and natural history andthe Park in general. Media include brochures,reports, signs and displays. A co-ordinatedapproach is necessary to ensure efficient use offunds, targeted material, a recognisable imageof the Park and consistent messages.

STRATEGIES

1 . Continue to l iaise with allinterest groups to ensure a co-ordinated approach tointerpretation and education onand adjacent to the Park. (CCand CALM)

2 . Prepare a communications planfor the Park to promote publicawareness and appreciation ofits natural and cultural values,management programs and ofthe worth and purpose ofRegional Parks generally. (CCand CALM)

3 . Continue to encourage, promoteand support the Canning RiverVolunteers with essential

Part E. Community Relations

41

resources to carry out theiractivities. (CC and CALM)

4 . Continue to use the ib is logofor the Park on all publicationsand on appropriate s ignsthroughout the Park. (CC andCALM)

5 . Investigate providing parkinformation and interpretivematerial in a multi purposefaci l i ty and the possibi l i ty of apartnership as in the strategiesin Section 26. (CC and CALM)

6 . Seek sponsorship or otherrevenue raising activities tohelp provide for interpretivefacilities and services. (CC andCALM)

7 . Develop a riverine educationpackage for use by both primaryand secondary school groups.This should be a collaborativeeffort with other establishedprograms and have clear links tothe national and state curricula.(CC and CALM)

8 . Encourage use of the Park bystudy groups, Universityextension courses, holidayprograms and for appropriatespecial events. (CC and CALM)

30 . INTERACTION WITH THECOMMUNITY AND OTHERORGANISATIONS

The objective i s to provide thepublic and organisations with theopportunity to be involved in thePark's management and planning.

Ongoing liaison with local community groupsand associations is essential, as is liaison withinterests further afield. The community wasmade aware of the preparation of thisManagement Plan through newspaperadvertising, articles and City of Canningpublications. Contact with the Canning RiverVolunteers was also made for input into thisplan. Liaison between CALM, City of Canning,lease holders and other Government agencieshas also taken place and will continue.

The public is involved in the implementationof this plan through membership of the Park

Community Advisory Committee. A call fornomination to this committee was advertisedduring April 1994 and established in June1994. The committee consists of 8community members and representatives ofthe management agencies. The committee'sbrief was to assist in the development of themanagement plan and to provide advice inregard to the ongoing management of thePark.

Members of the public can also becomeinvolved in the Park in a most constructiveway by joining the Canning River Volunteers,or attending activities organised in the Park.

STRATEGIES

1 . Maintain an active CommunityAdvisory Committee. (CALMand CC)

2 . Keep the public informed ofmanagement actions, activitiesand developments in the Park byregular features in the localpaper and City of Canningpublications. Use Statenewspapers, radio and televisioncoverage as required. (CC andCALM)

3 . Liaise with, and support theCanning River Volunteers. (CCand CALM)

Part F Research and Monitoring

42

PART F RESEARCH AND MONITORING

31 . RESEARCH AND MONITORING

RESEARCH AND MONITORINGGOAL

Promote and undertake studies on the Park'ssocial values and natural processes andmonitor the impacts of visitor use andmanagement.

The objective i s to develop andmaintain knowledge regarding visitoruse, natural processes and theinfluence of people on the Park.

There are many opportunities for researchwithin the Park. The Ecological StudiesReport produced by Brock and Pen (1984) wascomprehensive but is now more than 10 yearsold. This data needs to be updated in the nearfuture. Visitor impacts, management impactsand external influences all need to be evaluatedfor their impact on the Park.

There has only been one small visitor surveycarried out and more in depth and up to dateinformation would be beneficial. Socialmonitoring that determines visitor satisfactionand impacts is receiving increasing attentionfrom park management agencies throughoutAustralia.

It would be appropriate that research projectsand monitoring programs involve as wide arange of people as possible. The involvementof volunteers, educational institutions andindividual researchers can reduce research andmonitoring costs and assist in providinginformation to management bodies and thebroader community.

Individual sections of the Management Planprovide strategies concerning monitoring andresearch that needs to be carried out.

STRATEGIES

1 . Implement an integratedprogram of survey, research andmonitoring (including socialmonitoring) within the Park.(CC and CALM)

2 . Encourage the participation ofvolunteers, educational

institutions and otherorganisations in researchprojects within the Park andpromote research programs andfindings that address keyissues. (CC and CALM)

Part G Implementation

43

PART G IMPLEMENTATION

32 . PRIORITIES, FUNDING ANDSTAFF

The object ive is to manage the Parkusing the priorities developed forimplementation.

The priorities for management of the Parkhave been established by the joint managers ofthe Park and are shown in Appendix 2.

Many strategies are outlined in thisManagement Plan. While some areguidelines, others are prescriptions for specificactions. This management plan will beimplemented by the City of Canning andCALM within the framework of availableresources, according to priorities within theplan.

Funding Arrangements It has recently been announced that CALMwill take over responsibility for the co-ordination of this Regional Park inconjunction with the City of Canning.Acquisition of private lots proposed forinclusion in the Park rests with the WAPC.

Staffing ArrangementsThe City of Canning currently manages theRecreation Areas of the Park using staff fromtheir Parks and Reserves Department andcontractors as necessary. Management ofthose areas proposed for vesting in theNPNCA will be co-ordinated throughCALM’s Perth District Office.

STRATEGIES

1 . Prepare 5 year implementationplans, taking into account thepriorities outlined in Table 1 .Review the implementationplan annually and prepare anannual progress report for themanagement agencies andavailable to the general public.(CC and CALM)

2 . Implement the ParkManagement Plan withavailable resources and ensureongoing protection andmaintenance of the Park. (CCand CALM)

3 . Consider seeking corporatesponsorship and otherinnovative funding

arrangements for the Park. (CCand CALM)

33 . COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT

The objective i s to activelyencourage as much communityinvolvement as possible , inimplementing the management plan.

It is very important that the community isactively involved in implementing themanagement plan. This encourages a sense ofownership of the Park by the community.There are limited resources available to carryout works in the Park and there is a largepotential pool of volunteer labour, with ahigh level of skills that needs to be harnessedand used wherever possible.

There are a number of different ways that themembers of the community could be involvedin implementing the management plan. • By joining the Canning River Volunteers

(See Appendix 1)• By participating in Arbor Day activities

in the Park which are organised or co-ordinated by management

• Using the community service program toassist Park management

However, it is important that all works carriedout are carefully planned and must be co-ordinated by the managing bodies.

STRATEGIES

1 . Encourage and support theactivit ies of the Canning RiverVolunteers. (CC and CALM)

2 . Continue Arbor Day and similaractivities in the Park. (CC andCALM)

3 . Continue using CommunityService programs in the Park.(CC and CALM)

4 . Co-ordinate al l activities ofvolunteers in the Park. (CCand CALM)

Part G Implementation

44

34 . TERM OF THIS PLAN

The term of this plan will be 10 years andthen it should be reviewed. Section 61 of theCALM Act provides for the plan to beamended as required. If major changes to theplan are proposed, the revised plan will bereleased for public comment. The vestingbody, the NPNCA, has the responsibility ofmonitoring the implementation of themanagement plan.

STRATEGIES

1 . Review the implementation ofthe plan annually prior topreparing the works programfor the fol lowing year. Thereview should identify whichstrategies have been achievedand to what degree any newinformation may affectmanagement. (CC and CALM)

2 . Revise the Plan within 10years from the date of gazettalo f the f ina l management plan. (CC and CALM)

References and Bibliography

45

REFERENCES AND BIBLIOGRAPHY

Adam, K.A. & Associates (1991). CanningRegional Centre Structure Plan. DPUD,WA.

ANON. The Bulrush - Its Importance in theHerdsman Lake Ecosystem.

Bikewest (1991). Bicycle Facilities DesignGuidelines. Bikewest, Perth, WA.

Bridgewater, P.B. and Potter I.C. (1982). Reportsto the Department of Conservation andEnvironment on vegetation and fish studiesof the Canning River at Riverton.

Brock, M.A. & Pen, L.J. (1984). EcologicalStudies of the Canning River Wetland. Cityof Canning, Perth, WA.

City of Canning (1982). Canning River RegionOpen Space Plan. A series of bulletins.City of Canning, Perth, WA.

Collins, LB (1987) in John J. Editor. The SwanRiver Estuary Ecology and Management,proceedings of a symposium held at CurtinUniversity, Curtin UniversityEnvironmental Studies Group Report No.1,Curtin University, WA.

Department of Conservation and Environment(1983). The Darling System - System 6Part 1, General Principles andRecommendations Part 2, Recommendationsfor specific localities. Report 13.Department of Conservation andEnvironment, Perth, WA.

Department of Conservation and Land Management(1986). Rehabilitation of Disturbed Land.Policy Statement No. 10. CALM, WA.

Department of Conservation and Land Management(1986). Weeds on CALM Land. PolicyStatement No. 14. CALM, WA.

Department of Conservation and Land Management(1991). Community Involvement (PublicParticipation and Volunteers). PolicyStatement No 15. CALM, WA.

Department of Conservation and Land Management(1987). Fire Management Policy. PolicyStatement No. 19. CALM, WA.

Department of Conservation and Land Management.Sign Manual. CALM, WA.

Department of Conservation and Land Management(1989). Visual Landscape ManagementSystem. Perth, WA.

Department of Conservation and Land Management(1994). Reading the Remote, LandscapeCharacter Types of Western Australia.Perth, WA.

Department of Marine and Harbours (1990). SwanRiver Trust Foreshore Erosion Study 1990.Perth, WA.

Environment Protection Authority (1993). RedBook Status Report. Perth, WA.

Green, N. (1984). Broken Spears: Aboriginal andEuropeans in the Southwest of Australia.Focus Education Services, Perth, WA.

Hames Sharley (1991). Hester Park ManagementPlan. City of Gosnells, WA.

Klemm, VV, Siemon, NL and Ruiz-Avila, RJ(1993) Hydrocotlye ranunculoides: A controlstrategy for the Canning River RegionalPark. Swan River Trust Report No 6.

Management Strategy Task Force (1988). SwanRiver Management Strategy. Governmentof Western Australia.

Marchant, N.G. et al. (1987). Flora of the PerthRegion Part 1 and 2 Department ofAgriculture, Perth, WA.

Mc Dermot, A.L.J. (1981). The distribution ofteleosts in the Canning River. UnpublishedHonours Thesis, Murdoch University, W.A.

Meagher and Le Provost (1975). Ecology of theCanning River Wetlands (Mosquito Study).A report to the Town of Canning.

National Capital Development Commission(1983). Cycleways. NCDC Technical Paper37, Canberra. ACT.

Neal, P. (1994). Green Values Landscape DesignNo 227, U.K. Landscape Institute Journal,Surrey, England.

Ninox Wildlife Consulting (1990). TheSignificance of Mosquito Breeding Areas tothe Waterbirds of Peel Inlet, WesternAustralia. Report No. 20, WaterwaysCommission, Perth, WA.

Palassi Architects (1993). Conservation Plan,Woodloes Homestead, Cannington.Prepared for the National Trust of AustraliaWA.

Pen, L.J. (1983). Peripheral vegetation of the Swanand Canning Estuaries, 1981. Department ofConservation and Environment, Bulletin113, Perth, WA.

References and Bibliography

46

Powell, R. (1990). Leaf and Branch. Trees andTall Shrubs of Perth . Department ofConservation and Land Management. Perth,WA.

Richards, O. (1991). Canning River Regional ParkHistorical Survey. DPUD, WA.

Seddon, G. (1972) A Sense of Place. University ofWestern Australia, Perth, WA.

State Bicycle Committee. Planning and Design ofBicycle Facilities. Ministry of Transport ,Victoria.

State Planning Commission (1989). CanningRiver Regional Park. SPC, Perth, WA.

Swan River Trust (1993). A trial to determine theeffect of the herbicide fluazifop-butyl on theflora and fauna of the Swan River System.Report No. 12, SRT, Perth, WA.

Swan River Trust (1993). Policies. SRT, Perth,WA.

Swan River Trust (1993). Hydrocotyleranunculoides: A control strategy for theCanning River Regional Park. Report No. 6SRT, Perth, WA.

Swan River Trust (1994). Draft Lower CanningRiver Management Plan, Report No. 15SRT, Perth, WA.

Thurlow, B.H., Chalmers, J., Klemm, V., (1986).Swan-Canning Estuarine System:Environment, Use and the Future. ReportNo. 9. Waterways Commission, WA.

Tooby, P. & Tooby M. (1985). Canning RiverRegional Park Master Concept Plan Report.For City of Canning, Perth, WA.

Tooby, P. & Tooby M. (1990). Canning RiverRegional Park Recreation Survey. Reportto City of Canning, Perth, WA.

Abbreviations

47

ABBREVIATIONS

A list of abbreviations used in this plan:

APB Agriculture Protection Board

CALM Department of Conservation and Land Management

CAMBA China Australia Migratory Birds Agreement

CBD Central Business District

CC City of Canning

CG City of Gosnells

THE PARK Canning River Regional Park

DOLA Department of Land Administration

DOT Department of Transport

DPUD Department of Planning and Urban Development (now MFP)

DUP Dual Use Path

ICOMOS The International Charter for the Conservation of Monuments and

Sites. The Burra Charter was adopted by the Australian ICOMOS in

1981.

JAMBA Japan Australia Migratory Birds Agreement

LGA Local Government Authorities

MLA Member of the Legislative Assembly

MFP Ministry for Planning

MRWA Main Roads Western Australia

MRS Metropolitan Region Scheme

NPNCA National Parks and Nature Conservation Authority

RAOU Royal Australasian Ornithologists Union

RAMSAR Convention on the Conservation of Wetlands of International Importance:

Especially as Waterfowl Habitat. Known as the Ramsar Convention

SPC State Planning Commission (now WAPC)

SRMA Swan River Management Authority

SRT Swan River Trust

FRSWA Fire and Rescue Service of WA

WAPC Western Australian Planning Commission

WC Water Corporation

WP Western Power

WRC Water and Rivers Commission

Appendices

48

Appendix 1 : CONTACTS

City of Canning

1317 Albany Highway

Cannington W A 6107 9231 0606

Department of Conservation and Land Management

Swan Region

3044 Albany Highway

Kelmscott WA 6111 9390 5977

Department of Conservation and Land Management

Perth District

5 Dundebar Road

Wanneroo WA 6065 9405 0700

Swan River Trust

3rd Floor Hyatt Centre

87 Adelaide Tce

East Perth WA 6000 9278 0400

Canning River Volunteers

PO Box 125

Cannington WA 6107 9457 6707

Appendices

49

Appendix 2: PRIORITIES FOR IMPLEMENTATION OF THE STRATEGIES

ONGOING PRIORITY

Section

4 . Policies

1. Manage the Park to support the relevant SRT policies. (CC and CALM)

2. Apply CALM and NPNCA recreation, conservation and education policies in the Park.

(CC and CALM)

6 . Management Zones within the Park

1. Base future management of the Park on the zoning plan. (CC and CALM)

7 . Integrated Management of the Park and adjacent areas

2. Promote Integrated Management of the Park with adjoining land managers. (CC, SRT and

CALM)

9 . Geology and Soils

1. Use clean soil, which is free of disease and weeds and similar to the natural soil types of the

area when it is necessary to import soil into the Park. (CC, CALM, WP, WC,WRC,

MRWA)

10 . The River and Flood Plain1. Provide management support for the Hydrocotyle ranunculoides control strategy

implemented

by the SRT. (CC, , WC, MFP, APB and CALM)

4. Support and endorse the the Swan River Trust Pollution Control Plan and the Western

Australian Hazardous Materials Emergency Management Scheme which cover emergency

procedures and recommendations regarding control of petrol, oil and chemical spills. (CC and

CALM)

6. Adopt management practices throughout the Park, especially in the recreation areas that do

not add to the build up of nutrients and other pollutants in the river eg turf management

program based on minimal nutrient loss. (CC and CALM)

12 . Fauna

1. Continue monitoring, researching and surveying the fauna of the Park. (CC,

Educational Institutions, WA Museum, RAOU and CALM)

4. Identify seasonal mowing areas and areas not to be mown to preserve habitat and breeding

sites. (CC and CALM)

5. Apply the intent of the JAMBA and CAMBA migratory bird agreements in the Park. (CC

and CALM)

6. Design and locate facilities and infrastructure according to approved plans, to minimise

environmental damage and maximise visitor appreciation. (CC and CALM)

13 . Weeds

3. Weed control programs to be part of a rehabilitation strategy and not carried out in isolation.

See Section 18 Rehabilitation. (CC, SRT, CALM, APB)

7. Manage and control weed infestations in accordance with CALM Policy Statement No 14.

Weeds on CALM Land. (CALM)

13. Liaise with WC regarding weed infestations and control methods, in creeks and drains

that flow into the Park. (CC and CALM)

Appendices

50

ONGOING PRIORITY(cont'd)

Section

14 . Fire

2. Maintain a record of the date, cause and impact of all fires in the Park. Analyse trends and

take fire prevention measures where necessary. (CC and CALM)

7. Allow burning, specifically for the protection of values and the management of

native species. (CALM and CC)

17 . Pets and Feral Animals

1. Exclude dogs from conservation areas; ensure dogs are on a leash elsewhere in the Park except

for gazetted dog exercise areas. (CC and CALM)

6. Monitor the Park for feral animals (eg cats,hybrid ducks, foxes, rats), determine their impact

on conservation values, and investigate control options. (CC and CALM)

18 . Rehabilitation

2. Co-ordinate rehabilitation works between all the land managers and relevant community

groups. (CC, SRT and CALM)

7. Use locally collected seed (from the nearest viable source) for propagating plants or for direct

seeding. (CC and CALM)

19.1 Aboriginal History

1. Ensure that management obligations are fulfilled according to The Aboriginal Heritage Act

1972-1980, before any development takes place. (CC and CALM)

19.2 European and Asian History

1. Continue to collate information on historic sites located in the Park and establish an archive

of visual and written material including calibrated photography to be available for interpretive

use and conservation. (CC, Historical Societies and CALM)

7. Maintain the historic walk developed in Adenia Reserve. (CC and CALM)

20 . Landscape

3. Assess the visual impacts of development proposals on the periphery of the Park so that

adverse impacts can be avoided. (CC, SRT, CALM)

4. Rehabilitate degraded and weed infested areas according to rehabilitation priorities. (CC and

CALM)

7. Ensure utilities and associated structures are sympathetic in design, materials and colour to

complement surrounding landscape elements and be sited away from natural focal points, out

of viewer sight lines and where vegetation or landform screening can be utilised. Liaison

with Western Power, WC and other authorities before works are carried out in the

Park is essential. (CC and CALM)

22 . Visitor Use

1. Provide and maintain suitable and safe facilities and services to cater for visitors. (CC and

CALM)

2. Promote visitor activities which are appropriate to the natural and cultural values of the Park.

(CC and CALM)

3. Continue to monitor visitor numbers, activities and preferences within the Park.

(CC and CALM)

Appendices

51

ONGOING PRIORITY (cont'd)

Section

25 . Recreation Sites and Facilities

1. Improvements to the recreation sites and facilities are to be based on the Master Plan and

Recreation Development Plans. (CC and CALM)

26 . Leases and Commercial Operations

1. Establish and manage commercial operations in accordance with CALM Policy Statement

No 18 Recreation, Tourism and Visitor Services. Concessions in the Park may be provided

if they are consistent with the purpose of the Park, the Swan River Strategy and approved by

the Minister for the Environment. Proceeds from commercial operations are to be used for

park management or infrastructure. (CALM)

2. Ensure that conditions of commercial concessions are fulfilled by the concession holders.

(CC)

12. Ensure any advertising in the Park is suitable, conforms to management guidelines, and is

located in the appropriate management zones. (CC and CALM)

27 . Services and Utilities

1. Place power lines to facilities and amenity lighting underground, to improve aesthetics of the

Park. (CC and WP)

3. Ensure all roads in the Park are for internal access and not for through traffic. Oppose the

construction of roads within the Park unless for approved recreation or management purposes.

(CC, SRT, CALM)

4. Use management practices that will not compromise the conservation values of the Park, ie.

strictly defining mowing areas and carefully assessing any fertilising requirements. (CC and

CALM)

6. Additional toilet facilities may be required at locations such as Adenia Reserve or Greenfield

Street. These or any other toilets should be connected to sewer outlets. (CC)

28 . Signs

2. Adopt the CALM sign manual as the basis for signs erected in the Park. (CC, CALM,

other agencies, lease holders)

3. Adopt the colour scheme for signs outlined int he Recreation Development Plan Report.

(CC and CALM)

4. Use the Park Logo on feature and information signs. (CC and CALM)

5. Liaise with other departments and agencies such as the MRWA and DOT, to ensure

uniformity of signs on and adjacent to the Park. (CC and CALM)

29 . Information, Interpretation and Education

1. Continue to liaise with all interest groups to ensure a co-ordinated approach to interpretation

and education on and adjacent to the Park. (CC and CALM)

4. Continue to use the ibis logo for the Park on all publications and on appropriate signs

through the Park. (CC and CALM)

8. Encourage use of the Park by study groups, University extension courses, holiday programs

and for appropriate special events. (CC and CALM)

33 . Community Involvement

2. Continue Arbor Day and similar activities in the Park. (CC and CALM)

Appendices

52

ONGOING PRIORITY (CONT’D)

Section

33 . Community Involvement (cont’d)

3. Continue using Community Service programs in the Park. (CC and CALM)

4. Co-ordinate all activities of volunteers in the Park. (CC and CALM)

HIGH PRIORITY

Section

3 . The Vision for Park

1. Establish conservation as the primary goal of the Park and allow recreation and other uses of

the Park to occur to the extent that the primary goal is not impaired. (CC and CALM)

4 . Policies

3. Prepare a specific policy statement for consideration by Council which reflects the principles

outlined in this Management Plan. (CC)

5 . Land Tenure and Park Boundaries

1. Adopt the Park boundary as shown on Map 2. (MFP)

2. Seek to purchase the remainder of the private land as soon as possible and preferably within

12 months from willing land owners.

5. Vest the land in the management agencies as outlined in Section 6 Zoning. (DOLA)

7 . Integrated Management of the Park and adjacent areas

1. Develop a 'Memorandum of Understanding' to facilitate implementation of the Plan. (CC

and CALM)

3. Educate and encourage neighbouring land owners to support the management objectives of

the Park (see Sections 29 and 30). (CC and CALM)

5. Liaise with consultants, City of Canning and other authorities that will provide facilities and

infrastructure for the Regional Centre to ensure that the conservation values of the Park are

protected. (CC and CALM)

8. Survey and review current drainage outfalls within the Park with a view to establishing a

program for the redesign and rehabilitation of these in accordance with SRT and CALM

guidelines. (CC and WRC and WC)

10 . The River and Flood Plain

2. Support government initiatives to monitor and reduce nutrient levels in the Canning River

catchment. (CC and CALM)

5. Adopt the management zoning system (Section 6). (CC, SRT and CALM)

7. Retain access across the river at the Kent Street Weir. (CC and CALM)

8. Continue management of the Kent Street Weir operations to control the water flow until

studies present alternative options for management. (WRC)

9. Liaise with WC to develop appropriate methods to address potential sewage overflow into the

Park. (CC and CALM)

Appendices

53

HIGH PRIORITY (cont'd)

Section

11 . Flora and Vegetation

4. Reduce the frequency of fire, utilising strategies set out in Section 14. (CC, FRSWA,

CALM)

6. Stop rubbish dumping in the Park to prevent further introduction of weeds including garden

escapees. (CC and CALM)

7. Investigate any wilful damage to vegetation in the Park and prosecute offenders. (CC, SRT

and CALM)

12 . Fauna

3. Identify and protect bird habitat and breeding areas. (CC and CALM)

8. Educate neighbours about the effects of the dumping of exotic fish in the river system

e.g. Carp. (CC and CALM)

13 . Weeds

1. Minimise physical disturbance to plant communities by controlling vehicle and pedestrian

access to and within the Park. If utility or facility provision occurs in the Park,

rehabilitation and revegetation should be considered as an integral part of the works program.

(CC, CALM, WP, WC, WRC)

2. Develop criteria for setting priorities for weed control and then carry out a co-ordinated weed

control program. (SRT, CALM, CC, APB)

8. Adopt a fire management plan for the Park to help control weeds caused by unwanted fires.

(See Section 14). (CC and CALM)

10. Educate neighbours about rubbish dumping and garden refuse, especially in new areas, and the

dumping of aquarium contents in the river system to assist in reducing weed and aquatic weed

problems. (CC and CALM)

11. Ensure the non-target effects of any use of chemicals to control weeds is minimised.

(CC and CALM)

14 . Fire

1. Develop and adopt fire management objectives and strategies that protect

environmentally sensitive areas from frequent wildfire and including pre suppression

activities. (CC and CALM)

3. Provide the FRSWA with a plan of the Park which sets out all access points, roads

and tracks and strategies for protecting highly sensitive areas in the Park. (CC and

CALM)

6. Ensure that adequate fire fighting equipment, including equipment developed for fire

suppression that operates on the river, is available to the Park. (CALM and FRSWA)

15 . Erosion

3. Control access to areas suffering from erosion or likely to erode. (CC and CALM)

4. Protect shoreline vegetation by controlling access and the spread of weeks. (CC and

CALM)

16 . Mosquito Control

1. Review the mosquito control program annually, for its effectiveness in reducing mosquito

numbers and continue to seek alternatives which are environmentally acceptable.

(CC and CALM)

Appendices

54

HIGH PRIORITY (cont’d)

Section

16 . Mosquito Control (cont’d)

2. Monitor mosquito control management practices and amend if necessary. (CC and CALM)

17 . Pets and Feral Animals

2. Install dog excreta bins in gazetted dog exercise areas where appropriate. (CC)

4. Educate local residents about the impact that cats and domestic escapees may have on native

fauna, with the aim of encouraging residents to either not own pet cats, rabbits and rats or

strictly control them (eg keep cats in at night). The danger of dumping pets in the Park

should also be included. (CC and CALM)

18 . Rehabilitation

1. Prepare a rehabilitation plan and set priorities for rehabilitation works. (CC and CALM)

4. Rehabilitate areas immediately following the installation of utilities or recreation facilities.

(Implementing Authority, Co-ordinated by CC and CALM)

5. Carry out rehabilitation works as part of any weed control program. (CC and CALM)

6. Establish a seed collection of fire sensitive plants within the Park. (CC and CALM)

8. Actively involve members of the local community and schools in rehabilitation works.

(CC and CALM)

20 . Landscape

5. Provide a high standard sign system based on the CALM sign manual. (CC and CALM)

6. Ensure recreation facilities and park furniture are of a high standard and suited to the

surrounding landscape. Facility provision should be planned and agreed to by the joint

managers. (CC and CALM)

22 . Visitor Use

4. Provide suitable interpretive information for park users. (CC and CALM)

5. Install emergency equipment at appropriate locations. (CC and CALM)

23 . Recreation Master Plan

1. Implement the Master Plan and associated Recreation Development Plans. (CC and CALM)

24 . Access

1. Implement the access and circulation plan. (CC and CALM)

4. Seek the support of the SRT in recommending to the DOT that specified motorised

water craft be permitted within the Park and all other powered water craft

prohibited. (CC and CALM)

5. Restrict private cars, motor bikes, trail bikes to designated carparks and access roads only.

Design facilities that restrict vehicles to designated areas. (CC and CALM)

7. Prohibit animal riding in the Park. (CC and CALM)

8. Monitor the impact of management vehicles on the Park and modify procedures as necessary.

(CC and CALM)

26 . Leases and Commercial Operations

5. Ensure the continuation of the Miniature Railway in the Park by providing security of tenure

(lease). (CC and CALM)

7. Investigate relocating the Canning Rugby Club. (CC)

Appendices

55

HIGH PRIORITY (cont'd)

Section

28 . Signs

1. Produce and implement a sign plan for the Park to include both marine and terrestrial areas.

(CC and CALM)

29 . Information, Interpretation and Education

2. Prepare a communications plan for the Park to guide the promotion of public awareness and

appreciation of its natural and cultural values, management values and of the worth and

purpose of Regional Parks generally. (CC and CALM)

3. Continue to encourage, promote and support the Canning River Volunteers with

essential resources to carry out their activities. (CC and CALM)

30 . Interaction with the Community and Other Organisations

1. Maintain an active Community Advisory Committee. (CALM and CC)

2. Keep the public informed of management actions, activities and developments in the Park by

regular features in the local paper and City of Canning publications. Use State newspapers,

radio and television coverage as required. (CC and CALM)

3. Liaise with, and support the Canning River Volunteer Guides. (CC and CALM)

31 . Research and Monitoring

2. Encourage the participation of volunteers, educational institutions and other organisations in

research projects within the Park and promote research programs and findings that address key

issues. (CC and CALM)

32 . Priorities, Funding and Staff

1. Prepare 5 year implementation plans, taking into account the priorities outlined in Table 1.

Review the implementation plan annually and prepare an annual progress report for the

management agencies and available to the general public. (CC and CALM)

2. Implement the Park Management Plan with available resources and ensure ongoing

protection and maintenance of the Park. (CC and CALM)

33 . Community Involvement

1. Encourage and support the activities of the Canning River Volunteers. (CC and CALM)

34 . Term of this Plan

1. Review the implementation of the plan annually prior to preparing the works

program for the following year. The review should identify which

strategies have been achieved and to what degree any new information

may affect management. (CC and CALM)

2. Revise the plan within 10 years from the date of gazettal of the final management plan.

(CC and CALM)

Appendices

56

MEDIUM PRIORITY

Section

5 . Land Tenure and Park Boundaries

3. Amend the MRS to include all the proposed park area in the Parks and Reserves Reservation.

Ensure consistency between the gazetted boundary and the MRS boundary. (MFP)

6. Initiate the vesting of the river component of the Park with the NPNCA, as a Marine

Reserve. (CC, CALM, SRT)

7 . Integrated Management of the Park and adjacent areas

7. Complete the Memorandum of Understanding between CALM, SRT and WRC. (SRT,

WRC and CALM)

9. Ensure design and maintenance and operation of Water Corporation facilities prevents

overflow of sewage and consider installing facilities for the storage of sewage overflow

and emergency power generators at sewerage pumping stations adjacent to the river. (WC)

10 . The River and Flood Plain

3. Investigate the use of nutrient traps and pollution control mechanisms in conjunction with

storm water outlets in the Park, as advocated by SRT policies, (eg DE 4 Stormwater

disposal). (CC, CALM and SRT)

11 . Flora and Vegetation

1. Document and monitor the vegetation and changes to plant communities in the Park.

(CC, SRT and CALM)

2. Control weeds (Section 13) and rehabilitate degraded vegetation communities according to

priorities (Section 18). (CC, SRT and CALM)

3. Revegetate degraded areas (see also Section 18), using indigenous seed sources collected

within the Park or from the nearest viable source. (CC and CALM)

5. Investigate altering drainage outlets so that freshwater flushing of salt marshes no longer

occurs. (see SRT Policies DE 4 Stormwater disposal) (CC and WC)

12 . Fauna

2. Repeat the type of bird observation study carried out by Brock and Pen (1984) to help

ascertain trends of bird numbers and species numbers over the last 10 years. (CC and

CALM)

7. Continue to develop opportunities to promote an understanding and appreciation of the Park's

fauna by:

- developing an interpretation plan for the Park (see Section 29). (CALM)

- supporting and encouraging the volunteer guides (see Section 29). (CC and CALM)

13 . Weeds4. Investigate controlling Typha orientalis, the introduced bulrush, including modification of

stormwater outlets. (APB, CC, SRT, CALM)

5. Set boundaries to grass areas used for recreation and control the spread of grasses accordingly.

(CC and CALM)

14 . Fire

4. Where possible, reduce fuel loads by mowing large open grassed areas. Mown areas to be

delineated so that mowing practices do not inhibit natural regeneration and fauna habitat.

(See Section 12 Rec. 6) (CC and CALM)

Appendices

57

MEDIUM PRIORITY (cont’d)

Section15 . Erosion

1. Implement measures to deal with erosion by planting vegetation as appropriate and consistent

with existing vegetation communities. (CC and CALM)

17 . Pets and Feral Animals

3. Review the current gazetted dog exercise areas within the Park in consultation with CALM,

in light of strategies within this study. (CC)

5. Implement baiting for foxes in the conservation zones coinciding with an appropriate

warning system for park users, especially dog owners. Run an education program in

conjunction with the baiting program. (CC and CALM)

18 . Rehabilitation

3. Close and rehabilitate unnecessary vehicle tracks and footpaths. (CC and

CALM)

19.1 Aboriginal History

2. Arrange for an Aboriginal site study of the Park to be undertaken and ensure Aboriginal

consultation is part of the process. (CC and CALM)

3. Incorporate information on the Aboriginal history of the Park into interpretive material where

appropriate. (CC and CALM)

19.2 European and Asian History

2. Nominate sites for heritage listing on either the Municipal Heritage Inventory, or State and

National Heritage Lists. (CC and CALM)

3. In accordance with the ICOMOS Burra Charter, develop management guidelines for any

historic sites in consultation with other appropriate conservation bodies, such as the WA

Museum, WA Maritime Museum, National Trust, Australia Heritage Commission and

historical societies. (CC and CALM)

4. Identify, conserve and/or restore important sites such as the clay pits, old bricks and Sikh

burial ground in Adenia Reserve, the tank stand in Ferndale flats and the wharf near Wharf

Street. (CC and CALM)

6. Encourage the Woodloes Homestead managers to develop a site plan which includes links

with the Park. (CC and CALM)

24 . Access

2. Provide access for people with disabilities at a variety of locations. (CC and CALM)

3. Notify the MRWA of the proposal for a Dual Use Path under Nicholson Road Bridge, so that

it can be accommodated when a new bridge is built. (CC and CALM)

6. Install signs and bike racks to prevent unwanted access to other areas. Restrict cyclists to

Dual Use Paths only. (CC)

26 . Leases and Commercial Operations

3. Integrate management of Woodloes Homestead and the Park. (CC/Woodloes Management

Committee and CALM)

4. Purchase Lot 14 Woodloes Street to enable Woodloes Homestead to expand. (SPC)

6. Investigate extension of the railway to enable further low key access and interpretation of

park features. (CC, CALM and Miniature Railway Club)

Appendices

58

MEDIUM PRIORITY (cont'd)

Section

26 . Leases and Commercial Operations (cont’d)

8. Consider re leasing the farm (Area 16, Map 3) following vesting of land in NPNCA

with the aim of using funds to rehabilitate the site. (CALM)

9. Exclude stock from the Park except for the immediate surrounds of the farm area.

Fence the foreshore area of the farm to prevent stovk wandering and to ensure public access.

(CALM)

10. Investigate the feasibility of locating a kiosk/cafe at Kent Street Weir. (CC)

11. Investigate provision of interpretive material and park information in combination with other

commercial activities, such as a kiosk. Consider incorporating sponsorship opportunities

with this facility. (CC and CALM)

27 . Services and Utilities

2. Rationalise, upgrade and landscape drainage channels and other infrastructure

to include principals of water sensitive urban design. ( WC, CC, SRT)

5. Promote "take it home" rubbish education. (CC, CALM)

29 . Information, Interpretation and Education

5. Investigate providing park information and interpretive material in a multi purpose facility

and the possibility of a partnership as in the strategies in Section 26. (CC and

CALM)

6. Seek sponsorship or other revenue raising activities to help provide for interpretive facilities

and services. (CC and CALM)

7. Develop a riverine education package for use by both primary and secondary school groups.

This should be a collaborative effort with other established programs

and have clear links to the national and state curricula. (CC and CALM)

31 . Research and Monitoring

1. Implement an integrated program of survey, research and monitoring (including social

monitoring) within the Park.

(CC and CALM)

32 . Priorities, Funding and Staff

3. Consider seeking corporate sponsorship and other innovative funding arrangements for the

Park. (CC and CALM)

LOW PRIORITY

Section

5 . Land Tenure and Park Boundaries

4. Recognise Regional Parks as an independent category in the Metropolitan Region Scheme.

(MFP)

7. Investigate the closure of undeveloped Road Reserves within the boundary of the Park and

include in the gazetted area of the Park where appropriate. (CALM, CC)

Appendices

59

LOW PRIORITY (cont'd)

Section

7 . Integrated Management of the Park and adjacent areas

4 Prepare plans for the area adjacent to the Regional Centre that take into account the

management objectives of the Park. (CC and CALM)

6. Investigate the inclusion of Hester Park into the Park. (MFP, CG, CC and CALM)

13 . Weeds6. Investigate the operational function of the Kent Street Weir as a method to control Typha

orientalis.. (SRT)

9. Document and continue to monitor the extent of weed distribution and abundance in the Park

and relate results to previous studies to determine their spread. (CC and CALM)

12. Seek alternatives to chemical control of weed infestations when undertaking works in the

Park. (CC and CALM)

14 . Fire

5. Consider constructing future Dual Use Paths to a standard that will carry fire trucks, so that

access is improved to strategic sections of the Park. (CC and CALM)

15 . Erosion

2. Construct suitable bank protection if other measures fail to relieve erosion. (CC and

CALM)

19 . European and Asian History

5. Where appropriate, incorporate information on the European and Asian history of the Park

into interpretive material. (CC and CALM)

20 . Landscape

1. Classify landscape features in the Park according to the Visual Management System

and co-ordinate this with SRT landscape plans for the Canning River. (CALM)

2. Identify and protect the important landscapes in the Park. (CC, SRT, MFP, CALM)