A name has been identified for a proposed regional park in the greater Bunbury region, which is being created as part of the McGowan Government's Plan for Our Parks initiative.
Kalgulup - which means 'place of fire' or 'place of burning campfires' in Noongar language - was finalised through consultation with representatives from the Gnaala Karla Booja Native Title Working Group.
The word highlights the importance of fire in supporting life and how stories and wisdom are shared around campfires.
In conjunction with the Kalgulup announcement, the Kalgulup Regional Park draft management plan 2020 is now available for public comment.
The plan will provide guidance for the management of lands by a range of State Government agencies and local governments.
The two-month public comment period on the management plan, which can be viewed here, closes on October 15, 2020.
Kalgulup Regional Park is the amalgamation of two proposed regional parks, the Preston River to Ocean and Leschenault regional parks, and will cover more than 3,100 hectares.
The McGowan Government's Plan for Our Parks initiative aims to create five million hectares of new national and marine parks and reserves in Western Australia.
As stated by Environment Minister Stephen Dawson:
"Kalgulup Regional Park will be formed as part of a bold plan to increase our conservation estate by 20 per cent over five years, enhancing biodiversity and creating more jobs in regional and remote Western Australia.
"This regional park is very significant to Noongar people, and naming the area Kalgulup acknowledges its importance.
"Kalgulup Regional Park will be a stronghold for biodiversity, hosting 14 threatened animal species.
"The McGowan Government is committed to implementing the Plan for Our Parks initiative and seeing it deliver outcomes for conservation and the community."
As stated by Bunbury MLA Don Punch:
"This regional park will become a highly valued community asset that preserves our unique environment for generations to come, and I thank Gnaala Karla Booja for sharing a Noongar name for the park with the broader community.
"Language is an important carrier of culture so it is fitting there is a Noongar name to describe this place and enhance our understanding of our environment and its history.
"I know how important the regional park is to our community and I am looking forward to seeing people out and about enjoying the newly named Kalgulup Regional Park."
