Nature NSW – Page 2 – National Parks Association of NSW

Does a species need to be on the brink of extinction for it to be protected?

Posted by NPA NSWon May 30, 2024May 30, 2024in Winter 2024Leave a comment

James Sherwood, Conservation Campaigner NPA NSW

The recent listing of the Eastern Blue Groper (Achoerodus viridis) as a protected species in NSW has been met with jubilation from the conservation community and disbelief from the recreational fishing lobby.

The Eastern Blue Groper is not immediately under threat from extinction but has come close in the past. Between 1952-1967, the species declined by 90% and so spearfishers campaigned for the protection of the species, which led to full protection in 1969.

Vale Jean Blackman

Posted by NPA NSWon June 1, 2023June 1, 2023in Winter 2023Leave a comment

By Margaret Mitchell, friend and fellow bushwalker.

Jean Blackman passed away on 8 March 2023. We thank Margaret for sharing these memories of Jean with us. Margaret walked with Jean on NPA bushwalks for 30 years. Margaret thanks the staff of the Summit Care Nursing home in Randwick for their care for Jean and their kindness.

Jean gave such happiness to us walkers over many decades.

Guardians of our Nature’s Gifts

Posted by NPA NSWon May 31, 2022in Winter 2022Leave a comment

Dr Graeme L. Worboys AM was a ranger with NSW NPWS (at Kosciuszko and Blue Mountains) & Bruce Gall was also a ranger with NSW NPWS (at Kosciuszko, Ku-ring-gai Chase and Sturt) and with ANPWS (at Kakadu).

This article is the fourth in an 8-part series discussing our nature’s gifts.

Letter To The Editor

Posted by NPA NSWon May 29, 2017May 29, 2017in Nature NSW, Winter 2017Leave a comment

I was very interested in the article in “Nature NSW” Spring Edition 2016 by Barry Tomkinson which promotes the concept of “Walking Tourism”. The concept is not new and it is not without a number of concerns. There is today a clear push from Government to expand tourism into our reserves and national parks estate wherever possible. The National Parks and Wildlife Act was established for the protection of nature. With the objective to make the reserve system “commercially” self-sufficient the value of nature protection has the potential to be downgraded, if not forgotten.

NPA Illawarra Teams Up With Bushwalking The ‘Gong

Posted by NPA NSWon March 1, 2017March 2, 2017in Autumn 2017, Branch News, Illawarra, Nature NSWLeave a comment

Social media power leads Illawarra Branch and Bushwalk the ‘Gong to decide to work together to launch a Walk of the Month program in the Illawarra.

For a few years, the NPA has been offering a Sydney based Walk of the Month program in conjunction with Wildwalks.com. The walks are advertised to the public through the internet and this magazine. Illawarra Branch have been keen to replicate this program in our region with the view to promoting bushwalking, enjoyment and knowledge of the Illawarra bushland.

The branch has been watching with interest the success of a new local initiative called Bushwalk the ‘Gong which was established in 2016 and has enjoyed good local media coverage. Recently an opportunity arose for us to join forces with Bushwalk the ‘Gong to offer a Walk of the Month style program in the Illawarra. We expect this will widen the participation and reach of the branch.

Byarong Creek Cascades

Posted by NPA NSWon February 28, 2017March 2, 2017in Autumn 2017Leave a comment

Featured Walk

Byarong Creek Cascades – 3-4hrs

“An urban adventure following the footsteps of my Grandfather up to the cascades and waterfall,” says Jenae Johnston from Bushwalk the ‘Gong.

“When I recently hiked this trail I was the fourth generation to retrace the steps (fifth if I could’ve convinced the kids to come!) of my Great Grandfather Mr. Percy Kennedy. A keen amateur geologist and an active citizen of Wollongong, Percy was convinced of evidence of an extinct volcano under Mt Robertson as he explored the beautiful Byarong Creek and its cascades in the early 1930’s. Today I set out to do a reconnoitre with my Dad in town, with some vague directions recalled from the 1950-60’s from his own personal adventures as a kid.”