Snorkelling

John Turnbull, NPA Member

Snorkelling opens the window on a whole new world, without the costs, training requirements and equipment burden of SCUBA. Of course, you can’t reach the depths that you can on SCUBA, but there are several advantages to snorkelling. Some species, particularly colourful algae and tropical fish juveniles prefer the shallows. It’s warmer on the surface, and wetsuits don’t compress so a thin shortie or even a rash vest is often good enough. Families can snorkel together more easily, even when the kids are young, and on a sunny day it’s hard to beat the fun and adventure of discovering a new snorkelling spot.

Barrington Tops National Park

Featured National Park

Roger Lembit, Convenor, NPA’s Park Management Committee

Barrington Tops National Park and State Conservation Area make up an area of about 83,000 ha of reserved land. Additional forested land is managed by the Forestry Corporation, including Stewarts Brook, Barrington Tops, Bowman and Chichester State Forests. There are strong vegetated links northwards towards Nundle and Nowendoc around the head of the Manning River catchment.

After the Fire: Spring 2016

Roger Lembit, Convenor, Park Management Committee of NPA

On 16th October 2013 I was working in a gully near the end of the Dumbano Fire Trail in the Wollangambe wilderness north of Bell. On completing the site, I returned up the hill to the Trail to see a cloud of orange-grey smoke to the west. On checking in, I found that there was a bush fire in the Marrangaroo Demolition Training Area and I was required to evacuate and abandon work for the week.

Connecting People with Nature: a walks leader’s perspective

Brian Everingham, NPA Executive Committee and walks leader

Gilbert White used to take gentle walks around his parish of Selborne and often was distracted by the little things about him. Indeed he was known to be found kneeling on the ground, often for hours, exploring the behaviour of such creatures as the simple earthworm. His book, The Natural History and Antiquities of Selborne, became an early companion of mine, and an inspiration.

Why the Fight to Protect our Environment is a Global Issue

Cole Neder, Intern, National Parks Association of NSW

While New South Wales battles with vested political interest in native forest logging in Australia, the State of Utah’s protected public lands are the centrepiece of a similar disagreement in the United States.