Today saw the first meeting of the Wollumbin Stakeholders Advisory Committee which will provide a forum for key stakeholders, including local government and the tourism industry, to provide input to future decisions regarding Wollumbin.
NPWS Executive Director Deon van Rensburg said the meeting was positive.
"Participants in the independently facilitated session stated that it was constructive and productive," Mr van Rensburg said.
Tweed Shire Council Mayor Chris Cherry said the meeting discussed a range of important issues.
"There was a shared acknowledgement of the importance of the cultural significance of Wollumbin/Mount Warning to Aboriginal people by the group," Mayor Cherry said.
"We spent time exploring ways the park's unique environment could be shared with the broader community in the future in a culturally sensitive way, which acknowledges the significance of the Aboriginal Place.
"There were also discussions on the development of alternative experiences such as development of new bushwalking trails."
National Parks and Wildlife Service will support the Advisory Committee and facilitate its engagement on ideas and opportunities for the future management of Wollumbin which can be shared with the Wollumbin Consultative Group.
The Advisory Committee will also provide an opportunity for representatives to share their views and provide comments on future recreational opportunities at Wollumbin (outside the Aboriginal Place) and in other national parks of the wider Tweed-Byron Area.
Today's meeting re-iterated:
- The NSW Government announced in October that it will enter into a Memorandum of Understanding with the Wollumbin Consultative Group that will provide a framework for Aboriginal decision making about the national park, as a first step to joint management.
- Planning is progressing to reopen visitor precincts below the summit Aboriginal Place damaged by flooding in Wollumbin National Park as soon as possible.
- It will be a decision for the Aboriginal custodians whether or not to re-open the summit track.
- The NSW Government has not imposed, and does not intend to impose, any restrictions on the use of images of Wollumbin.
