Document ID: chunk:federal_register_of_legislation:F2015L01818:front:0:p9
Version: federal_register_of_legislation:F2015L01818
Segment Type: other
Provision Reference: 
Character Range: 22286–25159

Bherwerre Peninsula, the majority shell middens but also rock shelters, burial sites, ceremonial grounds and stone-flaking sites. Axe-sharpening tools have also been found.

The land and waters now covered by Booderee National Park has been the subject of a range of uses since European settlement began in the region in the early 1800s. The first management plan for the park contained a summary of the area's diverse European history which has included farming, forestry, tourism, Defence activities and the proposed development of a nuclear reactor, as well as nature conservation.

The Wreck Bay Aboriginal Community history and the processes leading to the establishment of Booderee National Park are outlined in Table 2. Following declaration of the Jervis Bay National Park by the Australian Government in 1992, title to the land and water covered by the park was conferred on the Wreck Bay Aboriginal Community Council in 1995, provided the area was leased back to the Director of National Parks to be managed as a national park.

In 1997, in line with provisions of the Lease, the Wreck Bay Aboriginal Community Council chose Booderee National Park as the new name for the park. 'Booderee' is an Aboriginal word from the Dhurga language meaning 'bay of plenty'.

Local, regional and national significance
Booderee's significance is attributable to its rich natural and cultural heritage, the inclusion of both land and seascapes within a single protected area and its location.

How Booderee is significant locally
Booderee is home to the people of Wreck Bay. Koori people have always lived in the area and have strong cultural ties. These ties are evidenced today in oral cultural history, the knowledge and practice of the use of natural resources for food, for making of utensils and crafts, and in respect for country. Koori people of Wreck Bay are proud of their association with the area and have passed on the ancestral stories and creation stories throughout time. Parents recite such stories today to their children.

Many people from the local non-Aboriginal community also value Booderee as a place for recreation and a place where they can appreciate and learn about the park's natural and cultural heritage. Some of the features used by local visitors include the best surf beaches in the region, excellent diving, snorkelling and kayaking opportunities, seasonal whale watching, regulated recreational fishing and great educational activities.

How Booderee is significant regionally
Booderee National Park lies in the southern portion of the Sydney Basin Bioregion. The park protects coastal dune systems and their associated habitats which are otherwise disturbed or potentially threatened in the bioregion. The area is scientifically valuable as it has not undergone the degradation that similar coastal sites (such as those surrounding Sydney)