Dergholm State Park (10 400 ha) and the block (3 550 ha) of Mt Arapiles-Tooan State Park protect important landforms of the Wannon and Wimmera regions. The Parks are important for their unique and highly diverse vegetation communities supporting a range of significant fauna species. Two nationally significant vegetation communities occur in Dergholm State Park. Both Parks represent some of the most intact and last remaining vegetation communities within the regions. The Parks are isolated from major population centres but are natural settings for recreation opportunities. Activities in Dergholm State Park include walking, picnicking, nature study, camping and orienteering, with visitor facilities at Bailey’s Rocks. The Tooan block of the Mt Arapiles-Tooan State Park is primarily managed for the protection of its natural values, hence recreation opportunities are limited. The Mt Arapiles block is the visitor focus for the Park because of the internationally renowned rock climbing opportunities there. (Mt Arapiles already has a Management Plan.) Significant management directions for the Parks are summarised below. Bailey’s Rocks visitor area in Dergholm State Park will be maintained and new information and interpretation facilities will be provided. Testing for Cinnamon Fungus in Dergholm State Park will be undertaken. Flora and fauna surveys will be encouraged in the Tooan block of Mt Arapiles-Tooan State Park. Habitat links between the blocks in each Park will continue to be encouraged. Tracks in both Parks will be protected from inappropriate uses. semi- remote
6 COMMUNITY AWARENESS AND INVOLVEMENT Friends and volunteers A Friends group for the Park does not exist. Pine wilding control has been undertaken by the Australian Trust for Conservation Volunteers, and local field naturalists maintain bird lists for the area. However, given the isolation of the Park there is limited opportunity to utilise volunteers. Aim Maintain volunteer involvement in managing the Park. Management strategy Encourage and support use of the skills and interests of volunteers in undertaking appropriate park management activities. Community awareness and Park neighbours There are many community groups and associated projects operating within the region. The Good Neighbour Program and consultation with landholders has resulted in successful rabbit and fox control programs on the boundaries of the Park. Interest in the Park from the community relates to the management of pest plants and animals, fire protection and maintenance of local access roads. Aims Increase community awareness of management activities undertaken in the Park. Encourage conservation and sound land management practices on private land adjoining the Park. Management strategies Liaise with community groups and landholders and, as appropriate, involve them in relevant aspects of planning and management of the Park. Apply, and encourage the application of, the Good Neighbour Policy to management of issues on or near the boundaries of the Park (section 4.2).
Aim Provide opportunities for commercial tourism services consistent with park management objectives. Management strategy Ensure that commercial tourism operations are consistent with park objectives, sustainable, and in accordance with Parks Victoria guidelines. Public safety Climate, lack of water and wildfire are potential hazards during drier times of the year. Aim Promote and encourage safe practices among staff and visitors to the Park. Management strategies Manage the Park in accordance with Parks Victoria risk mitigation and emergency management guidelines. Encourage visitors to seek information on activities they wish to undertake in the Park. Ensure that Park staff are trained in appropriate emergency techniques, and are able to assist in emergency situations. .
12 COMMUNITY AWARENESS AND INVOLVEMENT Friends and volunteers The Park has an important and prized volunteer resource assisting with park management. The Friends of Mt State Park assist in many important management activities such as the development of habitat links utilising roads between the two blocks (section 9.2). An Advisory Committee for the Park gives valuable advice on a range of management issues such as fire protection, recreation management (in relation to the Mt Arapiles block) and adjoining land issues. Members of the Committee are representatives from the local community. Aim Encourage and maintain volunteer involvement in managing the Park. Management strategy Encourage and support the Advisory Committee and the Friends groups for the Park, and activities that enhance the Park’s values. Community awareness and Park neighbours There is strong local interest in the Park, mainly from local land owners and field naturalists. The adjoining land owners’ main interests in the Park relate to the management of fire and pest plants and animals, and nature conservation. There is an extensive historical knowledge of the Park within the local area and associations with early grazing runs. The Wimmera community is actively involved in Landcare activities throughout the region, including tree planting, protection of remnant vegetation, demonstration sites and pest plant and animal control. Aims Increase public awareness of management activities undertaken in the Park. Encourage conservation and sound land management and recreation practices on private land adjoining the Park. Management strategies Continue to liaise with local groups and landholders, and as appropriate involve them in relevant aspects of planning and managing the block. Apply, and encourage the application of, the Good Neighbour Policy to management issues on or near the boundaries of the block (section 10.2).
NPS 1995 National Parks and Conservation Reserves Guidelines and Procedures Manual. Department of Conservation and Natural Resources, Victoria. NRE 1998 Threatened Vertebrate Fauna in Victoria - 1998. Department of Natural Resources and Environment, Victoria. NRE database 1998a Atlas of Victorian Wildlife. Department of Natural Resources and Environment, Victoria. NRE database 1998b Flora Information System. Flora Section, Arthur Rylah Institute, Department of Natural Resources and Environment, Victoria. Rankin, D. J. W. 1997 Survey of the Dergholm State Park South West Victoria. Flora Section, Department of Conservation and Natural Resources, Victoria. Rogers F.J.C., Sutherland Dr. R.M. & Paterson, G. (unpublished data) Botanical surveys and collections. Specimens held at Parks Victoria office, Natimuk. WRLPWG 1993 Wimmera Regional Landcare Plan. Wimmera Regional Landcare Plan Working Group. Personal communications S. Ransome, Environment Conservation Council, Melbourne. McQueen, local land owner, Natimuk. Dr. R. Sutherland, local land owner, Tooan. P. Hawker, Parks Victoria, Natimuk. Dr. C. Meredith, Biosis Research, Melbourne.
APPENDIX 1 SIGNIFICANT - DERGHOLM STATE PARK SCIENTIFIC NAME COMMON NAME STATUS Rare and threatened species Allocasuarina luehmannii Buloke d Dianella callicarpa Swamp Flax-lily v Glycine latrobeana Clover Glycine V v, L Hibbertia humifusa ssp. debilis Grampians Guinea-flower R r Hibbertia sessiliflora Heathy Guinea-flower r Pomaderris halmaturina ssp. continentis Glenelg Pomaderris v Ptilotus erubescens e Regionally significant species Adiantum aethiopicum Common Maidenhair Ajuga australis Austral Bugle Allocasuarina misera Slender Sheoke Allocasuarina verticillata Drooping Sheoke Asplenium flabellifolium Necklace Fern Banksia ornata Desert Banksia Baumea arthrophylla Fine Twig-sedge Baumea tetragona Square Twig-sedge Blechnum minus Soft Water-fern Boronia coerulescens ssp. coerulescens Blue Boronia Caladenia carnea s.s Pink Fingers Caladenia Caladenia menziesii Hare Orchid Centrolepis fascicularis Tufted Centrolepis Cheilanthes austrotenuifolia Rock Fern Conospermum mitchellii Victorian Smoke-bush Corybas diemenicus Veined Helmet-orchid Cyperus lucidus Leafy Flat-sedge Danthonia penicillata Slender Wallaby-grass Daviesia ulicifolia Gorse Bitter-pea Derwentia derwentiana Derwent Speedwell Dillwynia hispida Red Parrot-pea Diuris pardina Panther Orchid Echinopogon ovatus Common Hedgehog-grass Eleocharis gracilis Slender Spike-edge Enneapogon nigricans Nigger-heads Eriochilus cucullatus Parson's Eucalyptus fasciculosa Pink Gum Eucalyptus viminalis ssp. viminalis Manna Gum Euchiton involucratus s.s. Star Cudweed Galium australe Tangled Bedstraw Galium binifolium Reflexed Bedstraw
Appendix 1 (cont.) SCIENTIFIC NAME COMMON NAME STATUS Geranium potentilloides Gleichenia microphylla Cinquefoil Cranesbill Scrambling Gratiola pedunculata Stalked Brooklime Grevillea lavandulacea var. lavandulacea Lavender Grevillea Hardenbergia violacea Purple Coral-pea Hibbertia virgata var. crassifolia Twiggy Guinea -flower Hydrocotyle capillaris Thread Pennywort Hymenophyllum rarum Narrow Filmy Fern Indigofera australis Austral Indigo Ixodia achillaeoides ssp. alata Ixodia Lagenifera gracilis Slender Lagenifera Lepidosperma laterale Variable Sword-sedge Menkea australis Fairy Spectacles Microtis arenaria Sand Onion-orchid Mitrasacme distylis Tiny Mitrewort Muellerina eucalyptoides Creeping Mistletoe Myriophyllum amphibium Broad Milfoil Parietaria debilis Shade Pellitory Phylloglossum drummondii Piggy Clubmoss Plantago debilis Shade Plantain Poa labillardieri var. labillardieri Common Tussock-grass Psoralea adscendens Mountain Psoralea Pterostylis pedunculata Maroon-hood Sambucus gaudichaudiana White Elderberry Scleranthus diander Tufted Diander Senecio biserratus Jagged Fireweed Sphaerolobium minus Stellaria pungens Prickly Starwort Xanthorrhoea caespitosa Sources: Rankin (1997), Beauglehole (1984), NRE database (1998b). Status Gullan et al. (1990) & Carr and Horsfall (1995): Australia R rare V vulnerable Victoria depleted endangered L listed under the Flora and Fauna Guarantee Act r rare v vulnerable Regional significance from NRE database (1998b) species occurring in less than 1% of the records in the Wannon Natural Region (Conn 1993) and Beauglehole (1984)
APPENDIX 2 SIGNIFICANT FLORA - TOOAN BLOCK SCIENTIFIC NAME COMMON NAME STATUS Rare and threatened species Acacia rupicola Rock Wattle r Agrostis billarieri var. filifolia Coast Blown Grass v Comesperma polygaloides Small Milkwort v, L Daviesia pectinata Thorny Bitter-pea R r Eucalyptus phenax Kangaroo Island Mallee r Eucalyptus froggattii Kamarooka Mallee R r, L Ptilotus erubescens e, L Senecio hypoleucus Pale Fireweed r setacea Corkscrew r Triglochin minutissimum Tiny Arrow-grass r Zieria veronicea Pink Zieria r Regionally significant species Brachyscome perpusilla Rayless Daisy Baeckea behrii Broom Baeckea Caladenia dilata spp. agg. Green-comb Spider-orchid Danthonia auriculatum Lobed Wallaby-grass D. linkii Leafy Wallaby-grass Eremophila gibbifolia Coccid Emu-bush Eucalyptus behriana Bull Mallee E. goniocalyx s.s. Long-leaf Box E. leptophylla Slender-leaf Mallee E. leucoxylon ssp. stephaniae Yellow Gum E. viridis ssp. wimmerensis Wimmera Mallee-box Gnaphalium indutum Tiny Cudweed Goodenia amplexans Clasping Goodenia Hibbertia exutiacies Spiky Guinea-flower Melaleuca acuminata Creamy M. wilsonii Violet Honey-myrtle Pittosporum phylliraedoides Weeping Pittosporum Plantago drummondii Dark Plantain Wahlenbergia communis s.l. Tufted Bluebell Sources: Beauglehole (1984), NRE database (1998b), Rogers et al. (unpub) Threatened flora status after Gullan et al. (1990): Australia R Rare Victoria e endangered L listed under the Flora and Fauna Guarantee Act r rare v vulnerable Regional significance from NRE database (1997b) species occurring in less than 1% of the records in the Wannon Natural Region (Conn 1993) and Beauglehole (1984).
DERGHOLM PARK Figure 2 Manageme nt zones, recreation and access Park boundary Sealed road Unsealed road Walking track Eml Existing camping m Existing toilets !·-·-·- ·- Bailey's Rocks!·-·-·- , r- i / - ""!' ,.... ! River r...!.l • @ 1 - 8 Proposed information Proposed walking opportunities closure Manageme nt vehicles and walkers only Temporary fire break (Management vehicles and wa lkers only track) point Bee site Track number Yo upayang · Forest ZONES Conservation Zone Conservat ion and Recreation Zone .-·-. ' 0 2 km - . .,j