Oxford Falls Regional Crown Reserve Plan of Management - Land

Oxford Falls Regional CrownReserve Plan of ManagementDRAFT for Public ExhibitionPrepared for NSW Land & Property Management AuthorityJuly 2010LJ2800/R2554

Oxford Falls Regional Crown Reserve Plan of ManagementPrepared for NSW Land and Property Management AuthorityCardno (NSW/ACT) Pty LtdABN 95 001 145 035Level 3, 910 Pacific HighwayGordon NSW 2072AustraliaTelephone: 02 9496 7700Facsimile: 02 9499 3902International: +61 2 9496 7700sydney@cardno.com.auwww.cardno.com.auDocument ControlVersion Status Date Author Reviewer1Preliminary Draft(Working Paper)21 August 20092 Final Draft 20 July 2010Tanja Mackenzie &Shani ArcherShani Archer &Tanja MackenzieTJM &SCASCA&TJMKester Boardman &Louise CollierRay RiceIKB &LCCRAR"© 2010 Cardno (NSW/ACT) Pty Ltd All Rights Reserved. Copyright in the whole and every part of thisdocument belongs to Cardno (NSW/ACT) Pty Ltd and may not be used, sold, transferred, copied or reproducedin whole or in part in any manner or form or in or on any media to any person without the prior written consent ofCardno (NSW/ACT) Pty Ltd.”20 July 2010 Cardno (NSW/ACT) Pty Ltd Page iH:\Doc\2010\Reports.2010\Rep2554v2.docDRAFT FOR PUBLIC EXHIBITION

Oxford Falls Regional Crown Reserve Plan of ManagementPrepared for NSW Land and Property Management AuthorityExecutive SummaryThe Regional Crown Reserve (RCR) system was established so that individual parcels of Crown landcould be aggregated into a larger network of reserves for planning and management purposes. Itprovides a holistic approach to the management of Crown lands on a regional basis and facilitates abalance between the competing needs of public enjoyment and use of the reserve, and the need forenvironmental protection.The Oxford Falls Regional Crown Reserve (OFRCR) was established by the Land and PropertyManagement Authority (LPMA) within this context (R1012168, gazetted 25/08/06), for the publicpurposes of access and public requirements, rural services, tourism purposes and environmental andheritage conservation. The OFRCR is located within the Warringah Local Government Area (LGA)and consists of various parcels of Crown Land located at Beacon Hill, Oxford Falls, Belrose, Inglesideand Cromer, covering an area of around 520 ha (Figure 1.1).An audit of the Reserve lands (Section 4, summarised in Section 5.1) has identified that the OFRCRretains high value and significance as a regional resource for:Environmental protection and biodiversity conservation,Catchment protection and water quality,Landscape character and visual amenity,Indigenous and non-Indigenous cultural heritage, andRecreational usage by a wide range of user groups.The key issue identified in the OFRCR Management Strategy (DoL, 2006) was the fragmented andpiecemeal approach to management of the land parcels making up the reserve. This piecemealapproach failed to provide a coordinated regional perspective to the delivery of social and economicbenefits for the Oxford Falls region (DoL, 2006). This plan of management seeks to address theseissues via the establishment of a new management model for the Reserve lands and development ofa strategy for managing future initiatives (Section 6.4).The proposed management model (Section 6.2) is a joint Trust arrangement between WarringahCouncil and Min Corp, that provides significant strategic and operational benefits. The managementstrategy involves an annual review of works undertaken and forward planning of activities for thecoming year through selection of management actions via a consultation and prioritisation process.This plan of management has been developed for the OFRCR in accordance with the requirements ofClause 112 of the Crown Lands Act 1989. The Plan was developed in consultation with a SteeringCommittee (comprising Council, LPMA and DECCW) and a Consultative Committee (comprisingrepresentatives of community-based organisations).It is recommended that the Minister for Lands adopt the Oxford Falls Regional Crown Reserve Plan ofManagement and that a joint Trust incorporating Warringah Council and Min Corp be established toimplement the Plan.20 July 2010 Cardno (NSW/ACT) Pty Ltd Page iiH:\Doc\2010\Reports.2010\Rep2554v2.docDRAFT FOR PUBLIC EXHIBITION

Oxford Falls Regional Crown Reserve Plan of ManagementPrepared for NSW Land and Property Management AuthorityTable of ContentsExecutive Summary .............................................................................................................................. iiGlossary and Abbreviations ............................................................................................................... ix1 Introduction ................................................................................................................................... 11.1 Background ............................................................................................................................. 11.2 Requirements for the Preparation of a Plan of Management ................................................. 11.3 Area to Which the Plan Applies ............................................................................................... 21.4 Context of the Plan .................................................................................................................. 21.4.1 The Oxford Falls Regional Crown Reserve Land Assessment ....................................... 21.4.2 The Oxford Falls Regional Crown Reserve Management Strategy ................................ 31.5 Objectives of the Plan ............................................................................................................. 41.6 Scope of Works ....................................................................................................................... 41.7 Document Structure ................................................................................................................ 52 Consultation .................................................................................................................................. 62.1 Steering Committee ................................................................................................................ 62.2 Consultative Committee .......................................................................................................... 62.3 Wider Stakeholder and Community Consultation ................................................................... 63 Legislative Environment and Policy ......................................................................................... 173.1 Crown Lands Act 1989 .......................................................................................................... 173.2 Environmental Planning Instruments .................................................................................... 173.2.1 Environmental Planning and Assessment Act 1979 ..................................................... 173.2.2 Warringah Local Environment Plan............................................................................... 183.2.3 Warringah Development Control Plan........................................................................... 233.2.4 State Environmental Planning Policies ......................................................................... 243.3 Other Relevant Legislation .................................................................................................... 253.3.1 Local Government Act 1993 .......................................................................................... 253.3.2 Aboriginal Land Rights Act 1983 ................................................................................... 253.3.3 National Parks and Wildlife Act 1974 ............................................................................ 253.3.4 Threatened Species Conservation Act 1995 ................................................................ 263.3.5 Native Vegetation Act 2003 ........................................................................................... 2620 July 2010 Cardno (NSW/ACT) Pty Ltd Page iiiH:\Doc\2010\Reports.2010\Rep2554v2.docDRAFT FOR PUBLIC EXHIBITION

Oxford Falls Regional Crown Reserve Plan of ManagementPrepared for NSW Land and Property Management Authority3.3.6 Heritage Act 1977.......................................................................................................... 263.3.7 Other Relevant State Legislation .................................................................................. 273.4 Commonwealth Environmental Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 ............ 283.5 Related Policies and Plans of Management ......................................................................... 293.5.1 Related Policies............................................................................................................. 293.5.2 Related Plans of Management ...................................................................................... 324 Description of the Study Area .................................................................................................... 344.1 Land Tenure .......................................................................................................................... 344.2 Topography, Geology and Soils ............................................................................................ 434.2.1 Topography ................................................................................................................... 434.2.2 Soils ............................................................................................................................... 434.2.3 Geology ......................................................................................................................... 444.3 Hydrology, Hydraulics and Flooding ..................................................................................... 454.3.1 Hydrology and Hydraulics ............................................................................................. 454.3.2 Flooding ......................................................................................................................... 464.4 Ecological Processes ............................................................................................................ 464.4.1 Flora .............................................................................................................................. 464.4.2 Fauna ............................................................................................................................ 494.5 Bushfire Risk ......................................................................................................................... 504.6 Cultural Heritage ................................................................................................................... 514.6.1 Aboriginal Heritage ........................................................................................................ 514.6.2 Non-Indigenous Heritage .............................................................................................. 514.7 Land Usage ........................................................................................................................... 524.7.1 Existing Recreational Amenity and Access ................................................................... 524.7.2 Future Recreational Demands ...................................................................................... 554.7.3 Visitation and Tourism ................................................................................................... 564.7.4 Commercial Operators .................................................................................................. 574.8 Visual Amenity and Landscape Character ............................................................................ 584.9 Existing Infrastructure and Assets......................................................................................... 584.10 Rapid Spatial Assessment .................................................................................................... 5920 July 2010 Cardno (NSW/ACT) Pty Ltd Page ivH:\Doc\2010\Reports.2010\Rep2554v2.docDRAFT FOR PUBLIC EXHIBITION

Oxford Falls Regional Crown Reserve Plan of ManagementPrepared for NSW Land and Property Management Authority4.10.1 Limitations ..................................................................................................................... 604.10.2 Environmentally Sensitive Lands .................................................................................. 614.10.3 Less Environmentally Sensitive Lands.......................................................................... 615 Management Study ..................................................................................................................... 625.1 Values and Significance ........................................................................................................ 625.1.1 Catchment Protection .................................................................................................... 625.1.2 Environmental Protection – Flora and Fauna ............................................................... 635.1.3 Visual Character ............................................................................................................ 645.1.4 Cultural and Recreational Values .................................................................................. 645.1.5 Summary of Values ....................................................................................................... 645.2 Existing Management Model ................................................................................................. 665.3 Management Issues .............................................................................................................. 685.4 Management Goals ............................................................................................................... 765.5 Management Options ............................................................................................................ 776 The Plan ....................................................................................................................................... 786.1 Overview ............................................................................................................................... 786.2 Proposed Management Model .............................................................................................. 786.3 Management Actions ............................................................................................................ 796.4 Implementation, Monitoring and Evaluation .......................................................................... 806.4.1 Implementation Strategy ............................................................................................... 806.4.2 Decision Support Tools ................................................................................................. 817 Conclusion ................................................................................................................................... 858 References ................................................................................................................................... 8620 July 2010 Cardno (NSW/ACT) Pty Ltd Page vH:\Doc\2010\Reports.2010\Rep2554v2.docDRAFT FOR PUBLIC EXHIBITION

Oxford Falls Regional Crown Reserve Plan of ManagementPrepared for NSW Land and Property Management AuthorityList of TablesTable 3.1: Land Use Localities for the Study Area ............................................................................... 18Table 3.2: Draft LEP Land Use Zonings for the Study Area ................................................................. 20Table 3.3: Definitions under Warringah Draft LEP ................................................................................ 22Table 3.4: Relevant State Legislation ................................................................................................... 27Table 3.5: Relevant Department of Lands Crown Land Policies .......................................................... 29Table 3.6: Relevant State Policies ........................................................................................................ 30Table 4.1: Summary of Tenures for OFRCR Lands ............................................................................. 36Table 4.2: Soil Erosion Hazard of Mapping Areas (After: DoL, 2005) .................................................. 44Table 4.3: Classification of Creeks Located in Close Proximity to the OFRCR (After: MontgomeryWatson Harza, 2002) ............................................................................................................................ 45Table 4.4: Site Drainage and Creek Catchments for Mapping Areas (After: DoL, 2005) ..................... 46Table 4.5: Vegetation Communities and Threatened Flora Species and Communities within theOFRCR (After: Smith and Smith, 2002, and DoL, 2005) ...................................................................... 48Table 4.6: Bushfire Classification of Mapping Areas (After: DoL, 2005) .............................................. 50Table 4.7: Primary Land-Based Recreational Activities Undertaken in and around the OFRCR (AfterDoL, 2005)............................................................................................................................................. 53Table 4.8: Examples of Primary Recreational Locations and Associated Activities within and aroundthe OFRCR............................................................................................................................................ 56Table 4.9: Commercial Tenures within the OFRCR (After DoL, 2005) ................................................. 57Table 4.10: Summary of Attributes used in Rapid Spatial Assessment ............................................... 59Table 5.1: Significance and Values of the OFRCR and Surrounding Areas ........................................ 64Table 5.2: Management Issues Identified for the OFRCR .................................................................... 69Table 5.3: Management Goals .............................................................................................................. 76Table 6.1: Precinct Statements ............................................................................................................. 8320 July 2010 Cardno (NSW/ACT) Pty Ltd Page viH:\Doc\2010\Reports.2010\Rep2554v2.docDRAFT FOR PUBLIC EXHIBITION

Oxford Falls Regional Crown Reserve Plan of ManagementPrepared for NSW Land and Property Management AuthorityList of FiguresFigure 1.1Figure 1.2Figure 1.3Figure 3.1Figure 3.2Figure 3.3Figure 4.1Figure 4.2Figure 4.3Figure 4.4Figure 4.5Figure 4.6Figure 4.7Figure 4.8Figure 4.9Figure 4.10Figure 4.11Figure 5.1Figure 5.2Figure 5.3Figure 6.1Figure 6.2Study AreaMapping AreasPreferred Land UseLand Use ZoningPublic Open SpaceProposed Land Use ZoningTenureTopographySlopeSoilsAcid Sulfate SoilsGeologyFlood ExtentsThreatened Flora and FaunaBushfire Prone LandLand Currently used for RecreationRapid Spatial AssessmentCurrent Management Model [embedded in report]Current Land ManagementDistribution of IncomeProposed Management Model [embedded in report]Management Precincts20 July 2010 Cardno (NSW/ACT) Pty Ltd Page viiH:\Doc\2010\Reports.2010\Rep2554v2.docDRAFT FOR PUBLIC EXHIBITION

Oxford Falls Regional Crown Reserve Plan of ManagementPrepared for NSW Land and Property Management AuthorityAppendicesAppendix AAppendix BAppendix CAppendix DAppendix EAppendix FAppendix GLand Parcels SummaryStakeholder Consultation ResponsesSite Investigations PhotologRapid Spatial Assessment ResultsManagement OptionsEconomic AssessmentManagement Actions20 July 2010 Cardno (NSW/ACT) Pty Ltd Page viiiH:\Doc\2010\Reports.2010\Rep2554v2.docDRAFT FOR PUBLIC EXHIBITION

Oxford Falls Regional Crown Reserve Plan of ManagementPrepared for NSW Land and Property Management AuthorityGlossary and AbbreviationsAmenityThose features of an area that foster its use for variouspurposes.AnthropogenicRelated to human activities.AHIMSAboriginal Heritage Information Management SystemAHOAboriginal Heritage OfficeARIAverage Recurrence IntervalASSAcid Sulfate Soil(s)BiotaLiving organisms.BirdAny bird that is native to, or is of a species that periodically oroccasionally migrates to Australia, and includes the eggs andthe young thereof and the skin, feathers or any other part.CAMBAChina-Australia Migratory Bird AgreementCatchmentThe area draining to a site. This always relates to a particularlocation and may include the catchments of tributary streamsas well as the main stream.CGCCromer Golf ClubCL Act Crown Lands Act 1989DCPDevelopment Control PlanDECC (now DECCW)Department of Environment and Climate ChangeDECCW (formerly DECC)Department of Environment, Climate Change and Water(incorporating NPWS and EPA)DEWHACommonwealth Department of Environment, Water, Heritageand the Arts.DIIDepartment of Industry and InvestmentDoL (now LPMA)Department of LandsDoPDepartment of Planning (Previously DIPNR)DPDeposited PlanDPIDepartment of Primary Industries (now Department of Industryand Investment)Ecosystem A community of living organisms, together with theenvironment in which they live and with which they interact.EP&A Act Environmental Planning and Assessment Act, 1979EECEndangered Ecological Community under the ThreatenedSpecies Conservation Act, 1995EPAEnvironment Protection AuthorityEPBC ActEnvironmental Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act,1999.EpiphyticA plant that grows on another plant, but does not derive anynourishment from it.EutrophicationThe over-enrichment of a water body with nutrients, leading tothe excessive growth of plants and plankton and the depletionof oxygen.FaunaAny mammal, bird, reptile, amphibian or fish.FishAll or any of the varieties of marine, estuarine or freshwaterfishes (whether indigenous or not) and their young, fry andspawn and unless contrary intention be expressly stated, or thecontext otherwise requires, includes crustacea, oysters and allmarine, estuarine and freshwater animal life.FM Act Fisheries Management Act 199420 July 2010 Cardno (NSW/ACT) Pty Ltd Page ixH:\Doc\2010\Reports.2010\Rep2554v2.docDRAFT FOR PUBLIC EXHIBITION

Oxford Falls Regional Crown Reserve Plan of ManagementPrepared for NSW Land and Property Management AuthorityFoNLFriends of Narrabeen LagoonGISGeographical Information SystemHabitatThe places in which an organism or community lives.IEMAInstitute of Environmental Management and Assessment(United Kingdom)InvertebrateAnimal without a backbone or notochord.JAMBAJapan-Australia Migratory Bird AgreementLALCLocal Aboriginal Land CouncilLEPLocal Environment PlanLG Act Local Government Act, 1993LGALocal Government AreaLPMA (formerly DoL)Land and Property Management AuthorityMSLMean Sea LevelMWKCManly Warringah Kayak ClubNBARCNorthern Beaches Anti-Roadkill CommitteeNBENorthern Beaches EnvirolinkNoBMoBNorthern Beaches Mountain Biking GroupNPANational Parks AssociationNPWSNational Parks and Wildlife Service (part of DECCW)NSWNew South WalesNSWISNSW Institute of SportOFRCROxford Falls Regional Crown ReservePASSPotential Acid Sulfate SoilsPoEO Act Protection of Environment Operations Act, 1997PoMPlan of ManagementRCRRegional Crown ReserveReptileA snake, lizard, crocodile, tortoise, turtle or other member ofthe class reptilian (whether native, introduced or imported), andincludes the eggs and the young thereof and the skin or anyother part thereof.RFSNSW Rural Fire ServiceRiparian VegetationVegetation growing along banks of rivers.RunoffThat proportion of rainfall that drains off the lands surface.SedimentationThe act or process of depositing sediment, especially bymechanical means of matter suspended in a liquid.SEPPState Environmental Planning Policy.SewageRefuse liquids or waste matter carried off by sewers.Threatened Flora/FaunaProtected fauna of a species under Schedule 1 or 2 of theThreatened Species Conservation Act, 1995 or underSchedules 4 and 5 of the Fisheries Management Act, 1994.SMCMASydney Metropolitan Catchment Management AuthoritySMWSSydney Metropolitan Wildlife ServicesTidesThe regular rise and fall of the sea level in response to thegravitational attraction between the sun, moon and Earth.TSC Act Threatened Species Conservation Act, 1995VertebrateAnimal with a backbone or notochord.WIRESNSW Wildlife Information Rescue Education Service20 July 2010 Cardno (NSW/ACT) Pty Ltd Page xH:\Doc\2010\Reports.2010\Rep2554v2.docDRAFT FOR PUBLIC EXHIBITION

Oxford Falls Regional Crown Reserve Plan of ManagementPrepared for NSW Land and Property Management Authority1 IntroductionThe NSW Land and Property Management Authority (formerly the NSW Department of Lands (DoL)engaged Cardno to prepare this plan of management (PoM). The PoM applies to the Oxford FallsRegional Crown Reserve, being Crown land (R1012168, gazetted 25/08/06), which is made up of anumber of individual parcels summing to a total of approximately 520ha of land.1.1 BackgroundCrown land is land vested in the Crown and managed by the NSW LPMA under the Crown Lands(CL) Act 1989. Under the CL Act 1989 Crown lands may be:Held under tenure (lease, licence or permit) for public purposes;Community managed reserves;Reserved for environmental purposes;Crown public roads; orManaged reserved lands.The LPMA’s land management philosophy directly relates to the principles of Crown landmanagement as defined under the CL Act 1989. They are:That environment protection principles be observed in relation to the management andadministration of Crown land;That the natural resources of Crown land (including water, soil, flora, fauna and scenicquality) be conserved wherever possible;That public use and enjoyment of appropriate Crown land be encouraged;That, where appropriate, multiple uses of Crown land be encouraged;That, where appropriate, Crown land be managed and used in such a way that both the landand its resources are sustained in perpetuity; andThat Crown land be occupied, used, sold, leased, licensed or otherwise dealt with in the bestinterests of the State consistent with the above principles.Further detail on the principles of Crown land management under the Crown Lands Act 1989 isprovided in Section 3.1.The Regional Crown Reserve (RCR) system was established so that individual parcels of Crown landcould be aggregated into a larger network of reserves for planning and management purposes.RCRs ensure that Crown land management remains relevant to modern needs and continues to fulfilthe LPMA’s commitment to ensuring that Crown land is managed for the benefit of the people of NSW(S.10 CL Act 1989). The establishment of RCRs does not revoke existing reservations under the CLAct 1989.The RCR system provides a holistic approach to the management of Crown lands on a regional basisand facilitates a balance between the competing needs of public enjoyment and use of the reserve,and the need for environmental protection.1.2 Requirements for the Preparation of a Plan of ManagementA plan of management is the document which defines the values, uses, management practices andintent to implement the broad public purpose for which the land has been reserved or dedicated.Under Clause 112 of the CL Act 1989, the Minister may cause a draft plan of management to beprepared for a reserve. Additionally, a reserve trust may, with the consent of the Minister, prepare a20 July 2010 Cardno (NSW/ACT) Pty Ltd Page 1H:\Doc\2010\Reports.2010\Rep2554v2.docDRAFT FOR PUBLIC EXHIBITION

Oxford Falls Regional Crown Reserve Plan of ManagementPrepared for NSW Land and Property Management Authorityplan of management when it deems it appropriate. The document will remain a draft plan ofmanagement until adopted by the Minister for Lands under S.114 of the Act. This is the legislativecontext of the preparation of the Oxford Falls RCR PoM.A PoM must be undertaken in accordance with the relevant provisions in the CL Act, as summarisedbelow (DoL, 2007):Direction to prepare PoM issued by the Minister (S.112);Brief for PoM is prepared;Draft PoM is prepared;Draft PoM is exhibited to the public for at least 28 days as directed by the Minister (S.113);Amendments to draft PoM, if necessary; andMinister adopts PoM, amends draft then adopts PoM, or takes no action (S.114).1.3 Area to Which the Plan AppliesThe Oxford Falls Regional Crown Reserve (OFRCR) was formed as R1012168 for the public purposeof access and public requirements, rural services, tourism purposes and environmental and heritageconservation.The OFRCR is located within the Warringah Local Government Area (LGA) and consists of variousparcels of Crown Land located at Beacon Hill, Oxford Falls, Belrose, Ingleside and Cromer. It coversan area of around 520 ha, and is bounded by Forest Way to the west, Warringah Road to the south,South Creek to the east and Garigal National Park to the North. The reserve is located within theNarrabeen Lagoon catchment.The study area is shown in Figure 1.1. For the purposes of this PoM, each land parcel within theOFRCR have been numbered individually. These identification numbers can be found in Figure 1.1.The correlation of this identification system with Lot and DP numbers for each land parcel can befound in Appendix A. Details relating to the management and tenure of the individual lots can alsobe found in Appendix A.It is noted that, subsequent to gazettal of R1012168, ownership of some parcels of land has beentransferred to private individuals/organisations (e.g. Metropolitan Local Aboriginal Land Council) andtherefore these land parcels no longer form part of the OFRCR.1.4 Context of the PlanThis section provides some context for the plan of management by identifying and discussing studiespreviously undertaken for the OFRCR.1.4.1 The Oxford Falls Regional Crown Reserve Land AssessmentA Land Assessment was undertaken by DoL in 2005 in accordance with Part 3 of the CL Act 1989.The Land Assessment process aims to provide the physical, environmental and social data necessaryto make decisions about the allocation and management of Crown land.In the draft document, 469ha of land was considered and the OFRCR was broken down into sixmanagement units, based on suitable future land use. Each of these units was assessed individuallyon an attributes basis, with respect to the capability of these management units to sustain differenttypes of development. For example, Mapping Area 1 was determined to be suitable for environmentalprotection and recreational purposes due to its high nature and heritage conservation significance andhigh to very high catchment protection significance. In contrast, Mapping Area 5 had low suitability20 July 2010 Cardno (NSW/ACT) Pty Ltd Page 2H:\Doc\2010\Reports.2010\Rep2554v2.docDRAFT FOR PUBLIC EXHIBITION

Oxford Falls Regional Crown Reserve Plan of ManagementPrepared for NSW Land and Property Management Authoritywith respect to environmental protection and recreational values, and was identified as a location forpotential development.The final OFRCR land assessment considered only 464ha of the OFRCR and did not include anadditional 56ha of Crown land that had more recently been incorporated into the reserve. In addition,following public exhibition of the draft land assessment document, extensive changes to theboundaries of the six mapping areas were required, which resulted in the consolidation of the sixmapping areas into three. While the final land assessment document was not amended throughout,recommended suitable uses were identified for these three areas, as follows:Mapping Area 1 – Suitable for environmental protection and low intensity recreation (naturalor semi-natural). Not suitable for urban development;Mapping Area 2 – Suitable for environmental protection and recreation (natural), with low tomoderate suitability for urban development; andMapping Area 3 – Suitable for environmental protection and recreation (semi-natural; subjectto addressing environmental constraints), with low to moderate suitability for urbandevelopment.These three mapping areas are shown in Figure 1.2. The mapping area numbers and preferred landuse for each individual land parcel are also identified in Appendix A.Based on this assessment, the DoL (now LPMA) determined the preferred land use for all the landparcels making up the OFRCR. The preferred land use for all land parcels coloured green (“GreenAreas”) in Figure 1.3 was for environmental protection / community purposes, while the preferredland use for all land parcels coloured orange (“Orange Areas”) in the same figure was for furtherinvestigation with respect to consideration of disposal (i.e. sale of the land).It is noted that, subsequent to the preparation of the Land Assessment (DoL, 2005), four land parcelswere transferred to the Metropolitan Local Aboriginal Land Council (LALC). These four land parcelsare shown in Figures 1.2 and 1.3 for completeness, because they formed part of the OFRCR at thetime the Land Assessment was undertaken. However, they no longer form part of the OFRCR andare therefore omitted from Figure 1.1.1.4.2 The Oxford Falls Regional Crown Reserve Management StrategyIn August 2006, a Management Strategy for the OFRCR was published by DoL (2006). Thisdocument established the broad principles by which the reserve should be managed into the future,namely for the public purposes of public access and public requirements, tourism, and environmentaland heritage conservation.The key issue identified in the report was the fragmented and piecemeal approach to management ofthe land parcels making up the reserve. This piecemeal approach failed to provide a coordinatedregional approach in the delivery of social and economic benefits for the Oxford Falls region (DoL,2006). This PoM seeks to address this issue.The desired outcomes of the management process identified in the Oxford Falls RCR ManagementStrategy (DoL, 2006) are:Environmental protection of some 75% of the lands in the reserve;Where appropriate, development in the remaining areas of the reserve, which minimisescumulative impacts;Management of the OFRCR in the public interest;Management of the OFRCR in the regional context; and20 July 2010 Cardno (NSW/ACT) Pty Ltd Page 3H:\Doc\2010\Reports.2010\Rep2554v2.docDRAFT FOR PUBLIC EXHIBITION

Oxford Falls Regional Crown Reserve Plan of ManagementPrepared for NSW Land and Property Management AuthorityProvision of a reserve framework that provides broad-scale benefits to the region, while alsoserving local communities.1.5 Objectives of the PlanAs identified within the LPMA’s brief, the overarching objectives for this PoM are to:Identify the values of the reserve to the local and broader community;Identify ways to rationalise reserve management regimes and provide a more integrated andregional focus for management;Assess and provide an inventory of significant natural features located within the RCR,including, but not limited to, threatened flora and fauna species, ecological endangeredcommunities, significant vegetation types, heritage items and Aboriginal sites;Identify any environmentally sensitive lands within the RCR that are suitable forenvironmental protection, in addition to those already identified through the managementstrategy and land assessment process;Identify the most appropriate land use, management and allocation options for Crown landswithin the OFRCR; andTo assist with the implementation of the reserve’s purpose, being access and publicrequirements, tourism purposes, and environmental and heritage conservation.1.6 Scope of WorksThe original scope of works for the development of this PoM was broken down into four tasks, assummarised below. During the engagement some changes to the original scope of works wererequired following consultation with the LPMA and these have been identified where relevant.Task 1 – Project InceptionInception meeting – the methodology and project management was confirmed by the SteeringCommittee; andSite inspection – to gain an appreciation of the study area including infrastructure,recreational uses, significant landscape features and any key heritage or ecological featuresassociated with the OFRCR.Task 2 – Data Collation and ReviewCollation and review of available data and reports – undertaken for the purposes of identifyingthe existing management framework and regulatory context of the OFRCR, as well as keyfeatures (such as current and proposed land use, land tenure, significant natural andinfrastructure features and lands subject to natural hazards); andIntegration of mapping in GIS – undertaken to integrate the available information and confirmthe findings of the Land Assessment (DoL, 2005).Task 3 – Management StudyStakeholder consultation – a number of key stakeholders were contacted to assist in theidentification of management issues in the OFRCR (Section 2.3).Identification of values, management issues, goals and objectives – a comprehensive list ofmanagement issues was identified based on the outcomes of Tasks 1 and 2 (Section 5);Options development – management options were developed to address the managementissues identified; andOptions assessment - the options were assessed in terms of their compatibility with themanagement goals for the OFRCR (Section 6);20 July 2010 Cardno (NSW/ACT) Pty Ltd Page 4H:\Doc\2010\Reports.2010\Rep2554v2.docDRAFT FOR PUBLIC EXHIBITION

Oxford Falls Regional Crown Reserve Plan of ManagementPrepared for NSW Land and Property Management Authority Economic assessment - originally, an economic assessment of a limited number of keyoptions was proposed. However, the scope of works was subsequently modified to consist ofa brief economic assessment of the revenue streams and expenditures associated withReserve lands under the current management structure.Task 4 – The PlanManagement strategy – The original scope of works proposed development of a managementstrategy comprising those options that ranked highly in the options assessment. However,during the consultation process with Council and the LPMA it was determined to translate thefull list of options into actions as part of the PoM. Details of the future management structureof the OFRCR are identified;Monitoring and evaluation – a framework for monitoring and evaluation of the success ofimplementation was proposed for inclusion in the PoM. In consultation with Council and theLPMA, it has now been determined that monitoring and evaluation will take place through anannual reporting function and as a consequence no specific guidance has been provided inthe Plan.1.7 Document StructureThis document has the following structure: Consultation – Section 2; Legislative Environment and Policy – Section 3; Description of the Study Area – Section 4; Management Study – Section 5; The Plan – Section 6; and Conclusion – Section 7.20 July 2010 Cardno (NSW/ACT) Pty Ltd Page 5H:\Doc\2010\Reports.2010\Rep2554v2.docDRAFT FOR PUBLIC EXHIBITION

Oxford Falls Regional Crown Reserve Plan of ManagementPrepared for NSW Land and Property Management Authority2 ConsultationIn accordance with the scope of works (Section 1.6), key stakeholders and communityrepresentatives have been consulted to obtain input to inform the development of this plan ofmanagement. Sections 2.1-2.3 detail the consultation activities undertaken.2.1 Steering CommitteeThe LPMA established a Steering Committee for this PoM to guide the strategic direction of the plan.The Committee included representatives from the LPMA and Warringah Council, as well as DECCW.The function of the Steering Committee was to provide direct input and technical review of the PoM.As previously discussed, this has resulted in modification to the original scope of works, with detailsprovided where relevant.2.2 Consultative CommitteeA Consultative Committee comprising a limited number of stakeholders was also established with aview to providing some direct feedback on the Plan of Management. Those stakeholder organisationsthat accepted an invitation to sit on the Consultative Committee included:Warringah's Friends of the Bush;Friends of Narrabeen Lagoon; andNorthern Beaches Envirolink.2.3 Wider Stakeholder and Community ConsultationConsultation with relevant stakeholders and community groups was initiated via letter to gain a widerunderstanding of management issues within the OFRCR. The following stakeholders were contacted:Aboriginal Heritage Office;Coastal Environment Centre, Narrabeen;Cromer Golf Club;Department of Environment and Climate Change (now DECCW);Department of Planning;Department of Primary Industries (Fisheries) (now DII);Department of Water and Energy (water portion now DECCW);Friends of Narrabeen Lagoon;Garigal District Scout Groups;Guringai Aboriginal Tribal Association;Manly-Warringah Kayak Club;Manly-Warringah Mountain Bike Club;Metropolitan Local Aboriginal Land Council;Narrabeen Chamber of Commerce;National Parks Association of NSW;Northern Beaches Envirolink;Northern Beaches Mountain Biking Group;Northern Beaches Roadkill Prevention Committee;NPWS Northern Beaches Area;NSW Rural Fire Service;Planning Assessment Commission;Sydney Metropolitan Catchment Management Authority;Sydney Metropolitan Wildlife Services;20 July 2010 Cardno (NSW/ACT) Pty Ltd Page 6H:\Doc\2010\Reports.2010\Rep2554v2.docDRAFT FOR PUBLIC EXHIBITION

Oxford Falls Regional Crown Reserve Plan of ManagementPrepared for NSW Land and Property Management AuthorityThe Heritage Branch, Department of Planning;The Sydney Academy of Sport and Recreation;Warringah Chamber of Commerce;Warringah Council;Warringah Radio Control Society Incorporated;Warringah's Friends of the Bush; andNSW Wildlife Information Rescue Education Service (WIRES).Out of these 30 stakeholders, 16 responded to a request by letter for written input during the initialstages of the preparation of the plan of management.A summary of responses received can be found in Table 2.1, whilst full stakeholder responses can befound in Appendix B.20 July 2010 Cardno (NSW/ACT) Pty Ltd Page 7H:\Doc\2010\Reports.2010\Rep2554v2.docDRAFT FOR PUBLIC EXHIBITION

Oxford Falls Regional Crown Reserve Plan of ManagementPrepared for NSW Land and Property Management AuthorityTable 2.1: Summary of Received Stakeholder ResponsesNo. Organisation Contact Summary of ResponseThe Aboriginal Heritage Office (AHO) can see the potential benefits in a POM for the OFRCRand noted that:1Aboriginal HeritageOfficeDavid Watts› There are recorded Aboriginal sites within the Reserve and there is a high potential thatunrecorded sites exist within the area;› The listing or mapping of Aboriginal heritage items should be carefully considered;› Aboriginal sites are protected by law (National Parks and Wildlife Act 1974) and siteinformation and locations are subject to restricted access.Cromer Golf Club Association made the following comments:› Exotic weed growth is a problem on the eastern side of South Creek, particularly at the cornerof Toronto Ave and South Creek Rd;2Cromer Golf ClubAssociationRod Davies› Public access to the walking track (that is adjacent to the Golf Club) is via the wall of a weirwhich presents a hazard to the public, particularly children. Access from the other direction isvia the Sports Academy which has a “no-entry” sign thereby restricting public access;› The Club is mindful of public safety (e.g. being hit with golf balls) and has signs in place tohelp reduce risk. The Club has recommended to Council that the public be provided with awalking track on the eastern side of South Creek (rather than on the golf course side) as itwould reduce the risk of the public being hit with golf balls over a 250 metre stretch of land.DoP advised that the POM should address the following:› The heritage significance of the area;3Department of Planning(Heritage Branch)Vincent Sciari› Various heritage items that are listed:› On the State Heritage Register;› With the National Trust of Australia;› Under the EPBC Act 1999;› Under Warringah Council’s LEP; and› On the Register of the National Estate.20 July 2010 Cardno (NSW/ACT) Pty Ltd Page 8H:\Doc\2010\Reports.2010\Rep2554v2.docDRAFT FOR PUBLIC EXHIBITION

Oxford Falls Regional Crown Reserve Plan of ManagementPrepared for NSW Land and Property Management AuthorityNo. Organisation Contact Summary of ResponseDoP (Heritage (Cont.)Both Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal heritage items should be addressed, as well as the potentialfor archaeological resources to be uncovered.DoP (Heritage Branch) also noted that the subject area is in the vicinity of a major project listedunder Part 3A of the EP&A Act, for a Seniors Living Resort on Oxford Falls Road, andreferenced the comments provided for that proposal in 2006.NSW DPI (Fisheries) recommended that the OFRCR POM should:› Acknowledge the value of the largely undeveloped, vegetated area of land within thecatchment of Narrabeen Lagoon;› Seek to maintain and improve the value of the land, consistent with re-vegetation activities byCouncil, especially in riparian areas;› Seek to avoid any negative impacts of the management of land on water quality andenvironmental condition of waterways within the Reserve.NSW DPI (Fisheries) also noted that:4Department of PrimaryIndustries (Fisheries)(now DII)Carla Ganassin &Marcel Green› They would be interested in having representation of any sub-committees established underthe new Reserve Trust model developed for the OFRCR;› Narrabeen Lagoon, Middle Creek and South Creek are considered by NSW DPI to be KeyFish Habitat;› Fish and macroinvertebrates should be included in any investigations undertaken within theOFRCR;› DPI has a preference for off-line sediment basin rather than online systems;› Developments within riparian zones will need to be assessed by NSW DPI and under theFisheries Management Act 1994; and› Any proposed waterway crossings are designed to mitigate impacts on fish passage andconsultation of the following documents (available online) is recommended:› Policy and Guidelines for Fish Friendly Waterway Crossings (NSW DPI, 1999); and› Why Do Fish Need to Cross the Road? Fish Passage Requirements for WaterwayCrossings (Fairfull and Witheridge, 2003).20 July 2010 Cardno (NSW/ACT) Pty Ltd Page 9H:\Doc\2010\Reports.2010\Rep2554v2.docDRAFT FOR PUBLIC EXHIBITION

Oxford Falls Regional Crown Reserve Plan of ManagementPrepared for NSW Land and Property Management AuthorityNo. Organisation Contact Summary of ResponseFriends of Narrabeen Lagoon provided the following comments:› The RCR forms an important part of the bushland in this catchment by providing crucial linksfor wildlife and seed dispersion as well as containing valuable Aboriginal heritage;› In planning for climate change and sustainability, protecting and maintaining linkages ofnatural heritage becomes very important;5Friends of NarrabeenLagoonFriends of NarrabeenLagoon (Cont.)Tony Carr and JudithBennett› Friends of Narrabeen Lagoon are interested in investigating the feasibility of a Regional Parkin the catchment of Narrabeen Lagoon that may perhaps incorporate other lands in addition tothe lands currently gazetted within the OFRCR.Points from the POM subcommittee meeting that was held 12 November 2007:› Documents of relevance were suggested, such as:› Oxford Falls Regional Crown Reserve (R1012168) Management Strategy (DoL, 2006)› Draft Assessment of Crown Land at Belrose, Cromer and Oxford Falls (DoL 2003);› Final Assessment of Crown Land at Belrose, Cromer and Oxford Falls (DoL, 2005);› Warringah Regional Multiple-Use Trail Strategy (Warringah Council, 2007).› The provision of clear, easily interpreted maps of land tenure and land parcels is crucial;› Values and Issues were presented (same as in Northern Beaches Envirolink section – RowNo. 10 in this Table);› The Dee Why Valley & South Creek Corridor Plan of Management is also referenced.The Manly Warringah Kayak Club is concerned that development of the RCR will impact on thedepth of Narrabeen Lagoon, the quality of runoff and sediment entering the lagoon andsurrounding creeks and any development or encroachments on the foreshores.6Manly Warringah KayakClubGeoff Horsnell› Silting has occurred in many areas including Mactier St, Wakehurst Parkway and in the areasfronting the Sydney Academy of Sport and Recreation;› Any development in the RCR should include plans to catch silt before it enters the lagoon(such as through the use of run-off traps) and plans to remove existing silt from within thelagoon.The Manly Warringah Kayak Club also submitted a document that had been prepared for theproposed dredging of Narrabeen Lagoon.20 July 2010 Cardno (NSW/ACT) Pty Ltd Page 10H:\Doc\2010\Reports.2010\Rep2554v2.docDRAFT FOR PUBLIC EXHIBITION

Oxford Falls Regional Crown Reserve Plan of ManagementPrepared for NSW Land and Property Management AuthorityNo. Organisation Contact Summary of ResponseThe Society highlighted the main issues in the area as being:7Manly-Warringah RadioControl SocietyColin Simpson› Access; and› Silt.These issues are interrelated since crushed sandstone is used for maintenance of the accesswaywhich consequently causes silting up of areas nearby. Some other previous issues, suchas control of weeds (e.g. pampas grass etc.) and re-vegetation from the former state of site(which used to be a quarry) have already been dealt with and fixed.The National Parks Association (NPA) provided the following comments:The NPA owns a portion of land in Wheeler Creek Valley (under a company called NaturalAreas Ltd) which is managed as a flora and fauna reserve and shares boundaries on two sideswith OFRCR land.8National ParksAssociationAndrew Cox and JudithBennett› Wheeler Creek Valley has particularly high ecological diversity. The Minister for theEnvironment has signed a Voluntary Conservation Agreement with Natural Areas Ltd for thisland, and as such, NPA is of the position that the surrounding land should therefore also beconserved and protected;› Five lots of Crown Land were to be sold for development in April 2005, however MinisterDebus and Minster Kelly intervened and the properties were taken off the market (NPAsubsequently agreed to the sale of two lots of Crown Land within the residential zoning onMaybrook Ave).› It is the position of NPA that as many parcels as possible of Crown Land adjacent to GarigalNational Park be transferred to the Park.NPA also made reference to a detailed submission to DoL for the Assessment of Crown Landbetween Belrose and Cromer which included recommendations for land contained within theOFRCR.9Northern Beaches Anti-Roadkill CommitteeJacqui MarlowThe Northern Beaches Anti-Roadkill Committee is of the position that development of the RCRwould fragment it by causing a loss of habitat by construction and fragmentation by roads andprovided the following comments:› The Narrabeen Lagoon Catchment provides connectivity from the Sydney Harbour Catchmentto the Hawkesbury River Catchment;› If RCR land was developed for housing, other major landholders (such as the MetropolitanAboriginal Land Council and the Catholic Church) would also be likely to develop their lands,20 July 2010 Cardno (NSW/ACT) Pty Ltd Page 11H:\Doc\2010\Reports.2010\Rep2554v2.docDRAFT FOR PUBLIC EXHIBITION

Oxford Falls Regional Crown Reserve Plan of ManagementPrepared for NSW Land and Property Management AuthorityNo. Organisation Contact Summary of Responseresulting in more fragmentation;Northern Beaches Anti-Roadkill Committee(Cont.)› The Northern Beaches Anti Roadkill Committee have been monitoring the roadkill alongWakehurst Parkway since 2004 and have recorded threatened species being killed (e.g.Rosenbergs Goanna, Grey-Headed Flying Fox and Osprey) as well as a huge number of nonthreatenedspecies;› It is crucial that a systematic biodiversity survey for the Narrabeen Lagoon Catchment beundertaken since the only areas that have had a repeated scientific study are the MiddleCreek and Deep Creek catchments;› Studies have suggested that the area is already losing local fauna populations and that localextinctions may be in the pipeline since species that were common in the 1992 fauna survey(Taronga Zoo Fauna Survey Team,1992) were absent in the Smith and Smith (2005a) Surveyfor Warringah Council;› The OFRCR contains old-growth native bush and represents a large carbon sink. To developit would turn the area from a carbon sink to a carbon emitter and make a negative contributionto our society's attempt to reduce CO 2 emissions.The Northern Beaches Envirolink recommended that the following issues be addressed by theOFRCR POM:Northern BeachesEnvirolinkRichard Michell› Ensuring connections between bush areas;› Managing weeds and exotic plants both terrestrial and aquatic;› Ecologically managing fire;10› Controlling erosion;› Controlling the levels of light and noise;› Managing recreation – numbers of visitors, levels of impact;› Regulating trail bike and mountain bike adventure activities;› Setting aside areas for adventure sports;› Protecting diverse soil types upon which ecosystems depend;› Protecting landform from destruction;› Ensuring maintenance of scenic amenity;20 July 2010 Cardno (NSW/ACT) Pty Ltd Page 12H:\Doc\2010\Reports.2010\Rep2554v2.docDRAFT FOR PUBLIC EXHIBITION

Oxford Falls Regional Crown Reserve Plan of ManagementPrepared for NSW Land and Property Management AuthorityNo. Organisation Contact Summary of Response11Northern BeachesEnvirolink (Cont.)Northern BeachesMountain Biking Group(NobMob)Robin Rainton› Limiting impacts from tops of catchment – managing each catchment;› Managing leaseholder activities and impacts;› Preventing “death by 1,000 cuts” - ensuring a sustainable management of bushland;› Regulating horse riding to reduce hoof damage and nutrient-rich droppings;› Controlling access to bushland;› Providing clear signage regarding non-permissible uses of the bush and tracks;› Ensuring Morgan Road and Wakehurst Parkway do not become major through-roads (this isto reduce levels of roadkill of wildlife); and› Upgrading the levels of protection against roadkill.The Northern Beaches Mountain Biking Group provided the following comments:The recreational riders represented by the NoBMoB community are concerned that recent trailclosures, residential development approvals and changing land management attitudes arelimiting access to existing trails and encouraging the proliferation of unofficial trail building in thearea.› Somewhere in the order of 10,000 mountain bike users appear to be accessing existing trailsin the Northern Beaches area;› The NoBMoB community would like to work with the relevant land managers to develop a trulysustainable trail network and management strategy for the site to provide equitablerecreational access that respects the natural and Aboriginal heritage value of the area;› Compared to other cities in Australia and New Zealand, Sydney has deficient supply of readilyaccessible trails;› Land that was previously used for cross country races in the 1990s (and by recreational ridersuntil early 2008) has now wholly become part of Garigal National Park following a shift in legalboundaries;› The last official racing in the area concluded around 2002 due to pressure on land ownersfrom environmental groups and a lack of co-operation from other local user groups;› The downhill area is still very popular for after work training and weekend recreational ridersbut is now under threat because it is understood that (whilst the council and local residentshave objected) a developer has gained Part 3A approval to develop this land;20 July 2010 Cardno (NSW/ACT) Pty Ltd Page 13H:\Doc\2010\Reports.2010\Rep2554v2.docDRAFT FOR PUBLIC EXHIBITION

Oxford Falls Regional Crown Reserve Plan of ManagementPrepared for NSW Land and Property Management AuthorityNo. Organisation Contact Summary of Response› There are vast economic benefits associated with mountain bike riding (e.g. employment atbike shops, patronage at local cafes, bakeries and other establishments), and social benefits(e.g. increased fitness and weight-loss, increased youth participation, increased mentalhealth, increased social networking, decreased alcohol consumption and decreased stresslevels); andNorthern BeachesMountain Biking Group(Cont.)› Potential economic benefits in the future could include revenue from national and internationalMountain Biking events.Areas were suggested for a possible mountain bike park, potential trail riding area and a multiusetransport corridor.In regards to future trail development:› Sustainable trail design can be employed (in accordance with guidelines from theInternational Mountain Biking Association or IMBA) to control surface water runoff and soilerosion;› Trails could be maintained, in part, by the mountain biking community, so that the cost ofmaintaining the trails is minimised;› Official trails can be closed for maintenance/rehabilitation/in bad weather more readily thanunofficial trails;› The availability of a number of riding locations (or, at least, access points) is key to ensuringthat traffic management and parking issues do not become a significant problem; and› The safety of other users can be managed by developing a give way rule and including it onthe trail signage. Further design considerations such as the provision of separate walking andcycling tracks through fast or technical sections helps to mitigate the risk of user conflict,whilst maintaining the enjoyment for both parties;The NSW RFS raised no issues for consideration within the proposed plan, but recommendedconsideration of the following:12 NSW Rural Fire Service Corey Shackleton› The site is identified as bush fire prone on the Warringah Bush Fire Prone Land map; and› Any development applications for subdivision of special fire protection purpose developmentson or surroundings these lands will be subject to the requirements of Section 100B of theRural Fires Act 1997 and Planning for Bushfire Protection 2006.20 July 2010 Cardno (NSW/ACT) Pty Ltd Page 14H:\Doc\2010\Reports.2010\Rep2554v2.docDRAFT FOR PUBLIC EXHIBITION

Oxford Falls Regional Crown Reserve Plan of ManagementPrepared for NSW Land and Property Management AuthorityNo. Organisation Contact Summary of ResponseThe SMCMA referenced a 2008 Rapid Fauna Habitat Assessment of the CMA area. ThisAssessment notes that:› Of the 50 sites assessed, Garigal-Oxford Falls was ranked in the “Very High” category andNarrabeen Lakes in the “Highest” category in terms of fauna values;13 Sydney MetropolitanCatchmentManagement AuthorityKaren Kennedy› Narrabeen Lakes and the Garigal-Oxford Falls areas should be managed as a single unit tomaintain biodiversity values;› The maintenance of a continuous habitat link between the northern edge of the site and Kuring-gaiNP in the Ingleside–Tumbledown Dick area and between the western edge of the siteand the western block of Garigal NP in the Belrose area is necessary to maintain the currentbiodiversity values of the area, such as maintenance of the population of the endangeredSouthern Brown Bandicoot; and› Mona Vale Road and Forest Way form major barriers to the movement of many fauna speciesand measures are required for habitat links to be effective to allow fauna movements acrossthese high traffic volume roadways.Sydney Metropolitan Wildlife Services is of the view that possible housing development onCrown Land, particularly parcels adjacent to Garigal NP, would generate a severe reduction innative fauna habitat and food sources, as well as an increase in the contact of native fauna withhumans and companion animals (domesticated species) which are likely to kill native species.Also, homeowners regularly remove native bush or trees from their land which causes furtherstress for wildlife. Continual loss of wildlife through roadkill is also a cause for great concern.14Sydney MetropolitanWildlife ServicesEira BattagliaWarringah Council provided the following comments:15Warringah CouncilDavid KerrCouncil strongly supports the conservation of natural and biodiversity values within the OxfordFalls Valley Locality and is of the view that the future management of all land within the Localitymust be considered holistically. Council seeks the support of all stakeholders in upholding thestrategic directions for the area that are embodied in its environmental planning instrument.Council gave a general background of the area:› The 1974 Interim development Order No. 51 (IDO51) was gazetted and introduced inresponse to concerns about the impacts of rapid residential expansion on Narrabeen Lagoon;20 July 2010 Cardno (NSW/ACT) Pty Ltd Page 15H:\Doc\2010\Reports.2010\Rep2554v2.docDRAFT FOR PUBLIC EXHIBITION

Oxford Falls Regional Crown Reserve Plan of ManagementPrepared for NSW Land and Property Management AuthorityNo. Organisation Contact Summary of ResponseWarringah Council(Cont.)› In 1998-2000, Council produced its Residential Development Strategy which proposes aconcentrated approach to growth rather than a dispersed one, encouraging additional housinggrowth within and near to established urban centres, medium density areas and transportcorridors rather than at urban fringes; and› In early 2009, the Planning Assessment Commission declined a number of developmentrequests and advised that Council is to carry out a number of studies in the Oxford FallsValley in conjunction with major land holders, before Council can determine appropriate areasto be zoned for environmental protection and, if appropriate, any areas suitable for urbandevelopment.Council is of the position that, in the short term, there is no need for land release in the OxfordFalls Valley to accommodate housing growth in Warringah. Council is also of the view thatpublicly owned land in the Oxford Falls Valley should remain in public ownership as disposal ofpublic land may prejudice future options and result in pressure for inappropriate development.WIRES provided the following comments:WIRES supports any plans to conserve the bush in this Reserve from destruction andfragmentation, as it supports a diverse range of fauna species. WIRES identify five threatenedspecies have been found in the vicinity of the OFRCR and they are being confined to smallerareas with ongoing development of the area.16 WIRES Christine RandA major issue within the reserve is the frequent conflicts between traffic and wildlife and thisissue needs to be addressed. The Northern Beaches Road Kill Committee has been set up fromthe RTA, the NPWS, Warringah Council, Pittwater Council, NSW Police Service, SydneyWildlife and Dr Dan Ramp of the University of NSW, plus local politicians and other interestgroups and stakeholders. This Committee has identified road kill black spots along WakehurstParkway and initiated the installation of a wallaby fence along both sides of the road, and alsoaims to raise further funds for Swamp Wallaby research in the area.20 July 2010 Cardno (NSW/ACT) Pty Ltd Page 16H:\Doc\2010\Reports.2010\Rep2554v2.docDRAFT FOR PUBLIC EXHIBITION

Oxford Falls Regional Crown Reserve Plan of ManagementPrepared for NSW Land and Property Management Authority3 Legislative Environment and PolicyThis section of the report provides context on the legislative and policy framework relevant to themanagement of OFRCR lands. This framework provides guidance as to the type of activities that willlikely be compatible with and permissable under the approvals process.3.1 Crown Lands Act 1989Crown lands are dealt with in the best interests of the State: S.10 of the CL Act 1989 requires Crownland to be managed to the “benefit of the people of NSW”. In particular, management must haveregard to the principles of Crown land management (S.11), namely:That environmental protection principles be observed in relation to the management andadministration of Crown land;That the natural resources of Crown land (including water, soil, flora, fauna and scenicquality) be conserved wherever possible;That public use and enjoyment of Crown land be encouraged;That, where appropriate, multiple use of Crown land be encouraged;That, where appropriate, Crown land be used and managed in such a way that both the landand its resources are sustained in perpetuity; andThat Crown land be occupied, used, sold, leased, licensed or otherwise dealt with in the bestinterests of the State consistent with the above principles.In accordance with S.11(f) of the Act, Crown land may be occupied, used, sold, leased, licensed orotherwise dealt with in the best interests of the State. The proposed use, development andmanagement practices of the OFRCR must be in accordance with the notified public purpose of theRCR and individual reserve purposes as applicable.The Act and associated departmental policies encourages appropriate commercial use of reservedCrown land. Any revenue raised from activities on Crown reserves must be applied by the appointedreserve trust towards the management of the reserve/s for which it is responsible, unless otherwisedirected by the Minister (DoL, 2009). Revenue-generating activities within the OFRCR are ofimportant to ensure the ongoing and long-term sustainable management of the Reserve (DoL, 2006).3.2 Environmental Planning InstrumentsThis section provides an overview of the key environmental planning instruments that apply to theOFRCR lands. Any development or activities within the OFRCR will require the relevantenvironmental assessment as outlined under the Environmental Planning and Assessment Act 1979(Section 3.2.1) and will need to be consistent with the local (Sections 3.2.2-3.2.3) and State planningcontrols (Section 3.2.4).3.2.1 Environmental Planning and Assessment Act 1979The NSW environmental planning system operates under the Environmental Planning andAssessment Act 1979 (EP&A Act) which aims to encourage proper management, development andconservation of natural and artificial resources to ultimately promote the environment and theeconomic and social welfare of the community. It also seeks to promote the sharing of responsibilitybetween state and local government and facilitate public involvement in the planning and assessmentprocess. The EP&A Act is the primary legislation controlling development activity in the State of NSWand is administered by the Department of Planning, Council and other consent or determiningauthorities. Under the Act, appropriate authorities must assess environmental impacts ofdevelopment before it commences.20 July 2010 Cardno (NSW/ACT) Pty Ltd Page 17H:\Doc\2010\Reports.2010\Rep2554v2.docDRAFT FOR PUBLIC EXHIBITION

Oxford Falls Regional Crown Reserve Plan of ManagementPrepared for NSW Land and Property Management Authority3.2.2 Warringah Local Environment PlanWarringah Local Environment Plan 2000The Warringah Local Environmental Plan (WLEP2000) sets out the standards and regulations fordevelopment in Warringah and has been in operation since 5 December 2000.Rather than traditional “zones”, the WLEP2000 uses 74 “localities” which have been identified bydistinctive or characteristic features of the natural and built environment. These localities are thebasis for determining the land uses and development types that are permissible in different locationsacross the LGA. A Future Character Statement is given for each locality and incorporates objectivesfor future development in the locality, future character and the type and form of new development thatis permissible within the locality, the categories of land uses that are or may be consistent with thedesired future character, standards to control the built form of development in that Locality and alsolists heritage items contained in the locality (Warringah Council, 2009a).Any development or activities proposed for the land parcels comprising the OFRCR will need to beconsistent with the relevant character statements in the LEP.Lands comprising the OFRCR fall predominantly within the land use zoning B2 – Oxford Falls Valley,with some isolated lots falling with lands zoned B1 – Frenchs Forest East, B7 – Narrabeen LakesSuburbs and B10 – Narrabeen Lake, as shown in Figure 3.1. The characteristics of these land usezonings are provided in Table 3.1.Table 3.1: Land Use Localities for the Study AreaLand Use LocalityB1 – Frenchs Forest EastDescriptionThe Frenchs Forest locality will remain characterised by detachedstyle housing in landscaped settings interspersed by a range ofcomplementary and compatible uses. The relationship of the locality tothe surrounding bushland will be reinforced by protecting andenhancing the spread of indigenous tree canopy and preserving thenatural landscape including rock outcrops, remnant bushland andnatural watercourses.Development for the following purposes is prohibited within thislocality:Brothels,Extractive industries,Heliports,Potentially hazardous industries, andVehicle body repair shops.Canal estate development is also prohibited within this locality.B2 – Oxford Falls ValleyThe present character of the Oxford Falls Valley will remainunchanged, except for new detached style housing and low intensity,low impact uses. The natural landscape including landforms andvegetation will be protected and, where possible, enhanced. A densebushland buffer will be maintained along Forest Way and WakehurstParkway. Development in the locality will not create siltation orpollution of Narrabeen Lagoon and its catchment and will ensure thatecological value of water courses are maintained.Development for the following purposes is prohibited within thislocality:Brothels,20 July 2010 Cardno (NSW/ACT) Pty Ltd Page 18H:\Doc\2010\Reports.2010\Rep2554v2.docDRAFT FOR PUBLIC EXHIBITION

Oxford Falls Regional Crown Reserve Plan of ManagementPrepared for NSW Land and Property Management AuthorityLand Use LocalityB7 – Narrabeen LakesSuburbsB10 – Narrabeen LakeDescriptionExtractive industries,Housing for older people or people with disabilities,Potentially hazardous industries, andVehicle body repair shops.Canal estate development is also prohibited within this locality.The Narrabeen Lakes Suburbs will remain characterised by detachedstyle housing in landscaped settings interspersed by a range ofcomplementary and compatible uses which are compatible with theresidential nature of the locality. Land occupied by the Cromer GolfClub will continue to be used only as a recreational facility. The spreadof indigenous tree canopy will be enhanced where possible andpreserving the natural landscape including rock outcrops, remnantbushland and natural watercourses.Development for the following purposes is prohibited within thislocality:Brothels,Extractive industries,Heliports,Potentially hazardous industries, andVehicle body repair shops.Canal estate development is also prohibited within this locality.The Narrabeen Lake locality will be preserved in its natural statesurrounded by areas of open space which complement the lake.Maintenance dredging and minor low intensity structures, such asviewing and fishing platforms may occur within the locality. In addition,foreshore areas comprising community land may be developed only ina manner that is consistent with the relevant community land plan ofmanagement.No other development is permitted in this locality.In keeping with the rural residential / low to medium density residential nature of the study area,minimum lot sizes are fairly large (e.g. one dwelling for 600m 2 of site area or one dwelling per 20ha ofsite area).There are a number of parks and reserves within the RCR, which are designated by Council as beingsuitable for community use and public recreation. Those areas that are identified under theWarringah LEP 2000 as being reserved for public open space are mapped in Figure 3.2. Clause 17of the LEP contains some provisions relating to the control of these public open space areas. Clause17 includes a provision that states that public open space can be developed for any purpose that isconsistent with a plan of management applying to that public open space. In this instance, a plan ofmanagement includes those prepared and approved in accordance with the Local Government Act1993, National Parks and Wildlife Act 1974 or the CL Act 1989. Therefore, once this plan ofmanagement for the OFRCR is adopted by the Minister, any development of designated open spaceareas within the OFRCR will need to be consistent with the objectives of this plan.Further information on existing plans of management prepared by Council under the LocalGovernment Act 1993 is provided in Section 3.5.2.20 July 2010 Cardno (NSW/ACT) Pty Ltd Page 19H:\Doc\2010\Reports.2010\Rep2554v2.docDRAFT FOR PUBLIC EXHIBITION

Oxford Falls Regional Crown Reserve Plan of ManagementPrepared for NSW Land and Property Management AuthorityDraft Warringah LEP 2009The Standard Instrument (Local Environmental Plans) Order 2006 under the Environmental Planningand Assessment Act 1979 was introduced to prescribe the form and content of Council LEPdocuments to create a standard instrument within NSW. Warringah Council has since prepared adraft LEP in accordance with the standard instrument (including the application of standard zones),and the document has gone through several iterations thus far (Warringah Council, 2009b):13 November 2007 – Council adopted the draft LEP for the purposes of forwarding it to theDirector General of the Department of Planning for certification;14 December 2007 – the NSW Government gazetted Amendment No 2 to the StandardInstrument Order. Council amended the draft LEP in accordance with the format of the mostcurrent version on the standard instrument;25 January 2008 – the Department of Planning provided feedback to Council, identifyingmultiple suggested changes to the draft LEP. Suggested changes to the draft LEP weremade without significantly altering the content or intent of the draft LEP;22 April 2008 – the draft LEP was noted and endorsed by Council at its meeting, to allow itsre-submission to the Director General of the Department of Planning for certification; and12 October to 30 December 2009 - the draft LEP was placed on public exhibition.Once certification is received by the Department of Planning, Council will place the draft LEPon public exhibition.The draft LEP zones the majority of lands within the OFRCR E3 Environmental Management, withsome land parcels zoned RE1 Public Recreation (Figure 3.3). The relevant zone objectives anddetails of permitted and prohibited development are provided in Table 3.2.Table 3.2: Draft LEP Land Use Zonings for the Study AreaLand Use LocalityRE1 – Public RecreationDescriptionThe zone objectives are:To allow land to be used for public open space or recreationalpurposes.To provide a range of recreational settings and activities andcompatible land uses.To protect and enhance the natural environment forrecreational purposes.To protect, manage and restore land that is ecological, cultural,scientific or aesthetic value.To prevent development that could destroy, damage orotherwise have an adverse effect on those values.Development permitted without consent includes environmentalfacilities, environmental protection works and roads.Development permitted with consent includes boat repair facilities, boatsheds, signs, child care centres, community facilities, earthworks,recreation areas, recreational facilities (indoor/outdoor/major),restaurants and water recreation facilities.Any development of a type not specific above is prohibited.E3 – EnvironmentalManagementThe zone objectives are:To protect, manage and restore areas with special ecological,cultural, scientific or aesthetic values.20 July 2010 Cardno (NSW/ACT) Pty Ltd Page 20H:\Doc\2010\Reports.2010\Rep2554v2.docDRAFT FOR PUBLIC EXHIBITION

Oxford Falls Regional Crown Reserve Plan of ManagementPrepared for NSW Land and Property Management AuthorityLand Use LocalityE3 – EnvironmentalManagement (cont.)SP2 - InfrastructureDescriptionTo provide for a limited range of development that does havean adverse effect on those values.To ensure that development, by way of its character, design,location and materials of construction, is integrated into the siteand its natural surroundings, complements and enhances thenatural environment and has minimal visual impact.To protect and enhance the natural landscape by preservingremnant bushland and rock outcrops and by encouraging thespread of indigenous tree canopy.To protect and enhance visual quality by promoting densebushland buffers adjacent to major traffic thoroughfares.Development permitted without consent includes home occupationsand home-based child care.Development permitted with consent includes aquaculture, bed andbreakfast accommodation, signs, community facilities, dwellinghouses, earthworks, environmental facilities, environmental protectionworks, extensive agriculture, farm buildings, homebusiness/industries, horticulture, recreation areas and roads.Prohibited development includes industry, multi-dwelling housing,residential flat buildings, retail premises, seniors housing, servicestations, warehouse or distribution centres, or any development of atype not previously specified with reference to permitted development.The zone objectives are:To provide for infrastructure and related uses.To prevent development that is not compatible with or that maydetract from the provision of infrastructure.No development is permitted without consent in this zone.Development permitted with consent includes any development that isordinarily incidental or ancillary to development for that purpose,environmental protection works and roads.Prohibited development includes any development not previouslyspecified with reference to permitted development.‘Environmental facilities’, as defined under the draft LEP, are buildings or places that provide for therecreational use or scientific study of natural systems, and includes walking tracks, seating, shelters,boardwalks, observation decks, bird hides or the like, and associated display structures.‘Environmental protection works’ include works associated with the rehabilitation of land towards itsnatural state and includes bush regeneration works, wetland protection works, erosion protectionworks, dune restoration works and the like. Therefore, the types of operations and maintenanceactivities that are proposed in the OFRCR PoM would be permitted on land parcels zoned either RE1or E3.However, the types of recreational activities that are permitted on lands zoned RE1 or E3 is a morecomplex issue. The definitions provided in the draft LEP for different types of recreational uses areoutlined in Table 3.3.20 July 2010 Cardno (NSW/ACT) Pty Ltd Page 21H:\Doc\2010\Reports.2010\Rep2554v2.docDRAFT FOR PUBLIC EXHIBITION

Oxford Falls Regional Crown Reserve Plan of ManagementPrepared for NSW Land and Property Management AuthorityTable 3.3: Definitions under Warringah Draft LEPType of Activity /DevelopmentRecreation areaDescriptionA place used for outdoor recreation that is normally opento the public, and includes:a) a children’s playground, orb) an area used for community sporting activities, orc) a public park, reserve or garden or the like,ZoningTables:Permittedwith consentin both RE1and E3Recreation facility(indoor)Recreation facility(outdoor)Recreation facility(major)and any ancillary buildings, but does not include arecreation facility (indoor), recreation facility (major) orrecreation facility (outdoor).A building or place used predominantly for indoorrecreation, whether or not operated for the purposes ofgain, including a squash court, indoor swimming pool,gymnasium, table tennis centre, health studio, bowlingalley, ice rink or any other building or place of a likecharacter used for indoor recreation, but does not includean entertainment facility, a recreation facility (major) or aregistered club.A building or place (other than a recreation area) usedpredominantly for outdoor recreation, whether or notoperated for the purposes of gain, including a golf course,golf driving range, mini-golf centre, tennis court, paint-ballcentre, lawn bowling green, outdoor swimming pool,equestrian centre, skate board ramp, go-kart track, riflerange, water-ski centre or any other building or place of alike character used for outdoor recreation (including anyancillary buildings), but does not include an entertainmentfacility or a recreation facility (major).A building or place used for large-scale sporting orrecreation activities that are attended by large numbers ofpeople whether regularly or periodically, and includessports stadiums, showgrounds, racecourses and motorracing tracks.Permittedwith consentin RE1.Prohibited inE3.Permittedwith consentin RE1.Prohibited inE3.Permittedwith consentin RE1.Prohibited inE3.The types of recreational activities currently undertaken on OFRCR lands, including bushwalking,picnicking, jogging and mountain biking, may continue under the draft LEP because they would beconsistent with the types of activities that may be undertaken in ‘recreational areas’, which ispermitted on lands zoned RE1 or E3. Development activities targeting more intensive recreationaluses such sporting events or those that require specific sporting facilities, would only be permitted onthose OFRCR lands zoned RE1 under the Draft LEP. While these land use zonings are notinconsistent with the objectives of Crown land management, they do limit the types of revenue raisingactivities that may be undertaken within the OFRCR.However, there are some inclusions within the draft LEP that would permit a wider range of uses ofthe lands within the OFRCR than those currently identified in the land use tables for lands zoned RE1or E3. Clause 2.6b of the draft LEP provides for the temporary use of land for a limited time periodprovided it “does not compromise the future development of the land, or have detrimental economic,social, amenity or environmental effects on the land.” This clause overrides the land use zonings andwould permit the temporary use of OFRCR lands for special events (e.g. a mountain biking event),including those that might raise revenue through the issue of a temporary licence or lease. However,it is noted that any such an activity would need to go through the Development Application process.20 July 2010 Cardno (NSW/ACT) Pty Ltd Page 22H:\Doc\2010\Reports.2010\Rep2554v2.docDRAFT FOR PUBLIC EXHIBITION

Oxford Falls Regional Crown Reserve Plan of ManagementPrepared for NSW Land and Property Management AuthorityThere is also another inclusion in the draft LEP under which other types of revenue raising activitiesmight be possible. Schedule 2 of the draft LEP, which identifies exempt development, includes“outdoor areas of community land used for commercial purposes”. This would allow the use ofcommunity land for something like a market or festival without consent, provided the relevant permit isobtained from Council’s Parks and Recreation section.It is noted that the draft LEP may undergo change prior to finalisation and adoption by Council. Priorto implementation of any of the actions identified in this plan of management, it is recommended thata review of the LEP status be undertaken.3.2.3 Warringah Development Control PlanDevelopment Control Plans (DCPs) typically supplement local environmental plans by providingadditional regulations for the management of development within the LGA. DCPs provide a greaterlevel of planning control and guidance in relation to a number of specific matters.DCPs Currently in ForceThe current DCPs for the Warringah LGA include the:Warringah Development Control Plan which contains provisions in relation to public exhibitionand notification requirements as well as the location of mobile phone base stations. Councilenvisages that additional matters may be addressed through the Warringah DCP as the needarises; andWarringah Development Control Plan - Belrose Road Corridor (which applies only to land inthe C11 Belrose Road Corridor Locality) was adopted by Council in July 2008 andsupplements the provisions of the WLEP 2000.Draft Warringah DCP 2009A draft Warringah DCP 2009 has been prepared in accordance with the standard instrument waspublicly exhibited at the same time as the Draft LEP. The Draft DCP contains local provisions anddevelopment control requirements in addition to those outlined in the Draft LEP (Warringah Council,2009b).There are a number of specific development controls that will be triggered for some land parcelswithin the OFRCR. Those development controls that are particularly relevant to lands within theOFRCR include those relating to:B13 National Parks Setback,D1 Landscaped Open Space and Bushland Setting (some lots),E3 Threatened species, populations, ecological communities listed under State andCommonwealth legislation, or High Conservation Habitat,E4 Wildlife Corridors,E5 Native Vegetation,E8 Waterways and Riparian Lands,E10 Landslip Risk, andE11 Flood Prone Land (some lots).Should any development or activities be proposed within the OFRCR, it would need to consider therequirements of the DCP.20 July 2010 Cardno (NSW/ACT) Pty Ltd Page 23H:\Doc\2010\Reports.2010\Rep2554v2.docDRAFT FOR PUBLIC EXHIBITION

Oxford Falls Regional Crown Reserve Plan of ManagementPrepared for NSW Land and Property Management Authority3.2.4 State Environmental Planning PoliciesSEPP (Infrastructure)This Policy aims to facilitate the effective delivery of infrastructure across NSW. Key provisionsinclude the following (DoL, 2009):Additional uses are permitted on certain State land (including some classes of Crown land)which would otherwise be prohibited under an LEP;Exempt development categories relevant to Crown reserves include access ramps, bush fireprotection, car parks, fencing, landscaping, lighting, signage and boundary adjustments;Infrastructure planning provisions (including works and activities on Crown land) such asemergency services facilities, bushfire hazard reduction, parks and public reserves, floodmitigation works, port, wharf and boating facilities, waterway or foreshore managementactivities, etc.;Consultation requirements when undertaking development subject to the SEPP;Development for any purpose may be carried out without consent on a Crown reserve by oron behalf of the appointed trustee where the development relates to the implementation of aplan of management adopted under the Crown Lands Act 1989;Where local councils are Trust managers, they are permitted to carry out a range of worksincluding roads, cycleways and outdoor recreation facilities; andThe SEPP does not remove any existing requirements to obtain relevant approvals underother legislation such as the National Parks & Wildlife Act 1974, Rural Fires Act 1997 etc.SEPP 19 – Bushland in Urban AreasThis Policy is in place to protect and preserve bushland within urban areas in NSW. Warringah LGAis included in Schedule 1 of this SEPP and therefore this SEPP applies to the OFRCR. UnderSections 6 and 7 of the SEPP, consent is required for the disturbance of any bushland in urban areaszoned or reserved for public open space.SEPP 71 – Coastal ProtectionThis Policy aims to protect and manage the natural, cultural, recreational and economic attributes ofcoastal areas of NSW. The policy applies to land within the ‘coastal zone’ as defined in section 4A ofthe Coastal Protection Act 1979 (CP Act). Parts of the eastern side of the OFRCR (near NarrabeenLagoon) are located in the declared NSW Coastal Zone to which this SEPP applies.SEPP 44 – Koala Habitat ProtectionThis Policy aims to encourage the proper conservation and management of areas of naturalvegetation that provide habitat for koalas to ensure a permanent free-living population over theirpresent range and reverse the current trend of koala population decline. The SEPP applies to theWarringah Council LGA and land parcels within the OFRCR.SEPP 32 – Urban Consolidation (Redevelopment of Urban Land)This Policy aims to promote the orderly and economic use and development of land by enablingurban land which is no longer required for the purpose for which it is currently zoned or used to beredeveloped for multi-unit housing and related development, particularly in areas where there areexisting public infrastructure, transport and community facilities. The Policy encourages increasedopportunities for people to live in a locality which is close to employment, leisure and otheropportunities and also encourages reductions in the rate at which land is released for development onthe fringe of existing urban areas.20 July 2010 Cardno (NSW/ACT) Pty Ltd Page 24H:\Doc\2010\Reports.2010\Rep2554v2.docDRAFT FOR PUBLIC EXHIBITION

Oxford Falls Regional Crown Reserve Plan of ManagementPrepared for NSW Land and Property Management AuthoritySEPP 55 – Remediation of LandThe object of this Policy is to provide for a State-wide planning approach to the remediation ofcontaminated land. The remediation of contaminated land for the purpose of reducing the risk ofharm to human health or any other aspect of the environment is of particular importance.3.3 Other Relevant Legislation3.3.1 Local Government Act 1993This Act provides the legal framework for an effective, efficient, environmentally responsible and opensystem of local government in New South Wales and sets out the roles and responsibilities ofCouncils for the management, improvement and development of the resources within their jurisdictionand in accordance with the principles of ecologically sustainable development. Under Section 68 ofthe Act, Council is given the power to control local activities through an approvals process.3.3.2 Aboriginal Land Rights Act 1983As the traditional land holders of Australia, Australian land is of spiritual, social, cultural and economicimportance to Aboriginal people. It is accepted that as a result of past Government decisions theamount of land set aside for Aborigines has been progressively reduced without compensation.This Act makes provisions with respect to the land rights of Aborigines, including provisions for, orwith respect to, the constitution of Aboriginal Land Councils, the vesting of land in those Councils.Under the Act, vacant Crown land not required for an essential purpose or for residential use, isreturned to Aboriginal people.This Act aims to:Provide land rights for Aboriginal persons in New South Wales;Provide for representative Aboriginal Land Councils in New South Wales;Vest land in those Councils;Provide for the acquisition of land, and the management of land and other assets andinvestments, by or for those Councils and the allocation of funds to and by those Councils;andProvide for the provision of community benefit schemes by or on behalf of those Councils.Section 36 of the Act pertains to land claims to Crown lands, and in particular specifies that a claimmay be made by Local Aboriginal Land Councils for Crown land that is “not lawfully used oroccupied”.Claims of this nature have been granted in the area and the Metropolitan Aboriginal Land Councilcurrently owns four parcels of land which were previously located in the OFRCR (Section 4.1.2).3.3.3 National Parks and Wildlife Act 1974The National Parks and Wildlife Act 1974 (NPW Act), administered by DECCW, is the primarylegislation for the management of national parks and the protection of Aboriginal cultural heritage inNSW (Part 6 of the Act provides specific protection for Aboriginal objects and places). The objects ofthe Act are:The conservation of nature, including the conservation of habitat, ecosystems and ecosystemprocesses, biological diversity, landforms of significance, landscapes and natural features ofsignificance;20 July 2010 Cardno (NSW/ACT) Pty Ltd Page 25H:\Doc\2010\Reports.2010\Rep2554v2.docDRAFT FOR PUBLIC EXHIBITION

Oxford Falls Regional Crown Reserve Plan of ManagementPrepared for NSW Land and Property Management AuthorityThe conservation of objects, places or features of cultural value within the landscape,including places, objects and features of significance to Aboriginal people, places of socialvalue to the people of New South Wales and places of historic, architectural or scientificsignificance;Fostering public appreciation, understanding and enjoyment of nature and cultural heritageand their conservation; andProviding for the management of land reserved under this Act in accordance with themanagement principles applicable for each type of reservation.Garigal National Park lies adjacent to a number of parcels of land contained in the OFRCR. Ku-ringgaiChase National Park lies to the west of the OFRCR but does not share any common boundaries.3.3.4 Threatened Species Conservation Act 1995The Threatened Species Conservation Act 1995 relates to the conservation of threatened species,populations and ecological communities of animals and plants and is administered by DECCW(National Parks and Wildlife Service). This Act aims to:Conserve biological diversity and promote ecologically sustainable development,Prevent the extinction and promote the recovery of threatened species, populations andecological communities,Protect the critical habitat of those threatened species, populations and ecologicalcommunities that are endangered,Eliminate or manage certain processes that threaten the survival or evolutionary developmentof threatened species, populations and ecological communities,Ensure that the impact of any action affecting threatened species, populations and ecologicalcommunities is properly assessed, andEncourage the conservation of threatened species, populations and ecological communitiesby the adoption of measures involving co-operative management.The provisions of this Act must be complied with in the management of the OFRCR with particularreference to any development proposals that have the potential to affect any threatened species,populations or ecological communities.A number of threatened species and ecological communities listed under Schedule 1 and Schedule 2of the Act are known to exist within the OFRCR (Section 4.4).3.3.5 Native Vegetation Act 2003This Act repeals the Native Vegetation Conservation Act 1997 and aims to provide for, encourage andpromote the management of native vegetation on a regional basis in keeping with the social,economic and environmental interests of NSW. Urban areas listed in Schedule 1 of the Act areexempt from the provisions of the Act.Warringah Council is listed as an LGA under Schedule 1 and therefore this Act does not apply to theOFRCR.3.3.6 Heritage Act 1977The Heritage Act 1977 provides protection for natural and cultural heritage by providing for the listingof heritage items or places on the State Heritage Register and providing for the making of interimheritage orders for the protection of heritage items or places. Under the Act, it is an offence to harmrelics protected by Interim Heritage Orders, the State Heritage Register or environmental planninginstruments. The Heritage Amendment Act 2009 has now been adopted and provides amendments tothe Heritage Act 1997. Key changes include the definition of a “relic” under the Act and the additionof Section 79C which relates to stop work orders to restrict harm to heritage items.20 July 2010 Cardno (NSW/ACT) Pty Ltd Page 26H:\Doc\2010\Reports.2010\Rep2554v2.docDRAFT FOR PUBLIC EXHIBITION

Oxford Falls Regional Crown Reserve Plan of ManagementPrepared for NSW Land and Property Management AuthorityState heritage places exist within the Warringah LGA (Section 4.6.2).3.3.7 Other Relevant State LegislationThere are other Acts under State law are relevant to this Plan of Management. Table 3.4 gives asummary of this legislation.Table 3.4: Relevant State LegislationAct/RegulationDetailsSoil Conservation Act1938The Soil Conservation Act 1938 is associated with the preservation of soilsand prevention of erosion within a parcel of land. The appointment of aconservation commissioner is primarily to control and protect; proclaimedworks, notified catchment areas, rivers, lakes, dams, creeks, lagoons andmarshes from the effects of soil erosion, land degradation, siltation andsedimentation. Notice may be issued if the commissioner is of the opinionthat the land holder has done or is likely to do something that will ultimatelylead to land degradation.Rural Fires Act 1997This Act aims to make provision for the prevention, mitigation andsuppression of rural fires and define the functions of the NSW Rural FireService. Provisions include the co-ordination of bush fire prevention andbush fire fighting throughout the State to reduce damage to life andproperty. The Oxford Falls Regional Crown Reserve is classified as bushfire prone land under Warringah Council’s Bush Fire Prone Land Map(Warringah Council, 2003)Noxious WeedsManagement Act 1993The Noxious Weeds Management Act 1993 provides for the identification,classification and control of noxious weeds within NSW. The objects of thisAct include reducing the negative impact of weeds on the economy,community and environment by establishing weed control mechanisms andproviding for the monitoring of and reporting on the effectiveness of weedmanagement in NSW.Water Management Act2000The Water Management Act 2000 regulates all construction activities inproximity to waterways and aims to control the extraction and use of waterwithin NSW. Principles set out in the Act generally aim to preserve and/orrestore water sources, floodplains, and water dependant ecosystems(including groundwater and wetlands). The Act also encompasses theprotection of habitats, animals and plants which benefit from water or arepotentially affected by managed activities. Furthermore, the quality of allwater sources must be protected and where possible enhanced. The Actcreates mechanisms for protecting and restoring water sources and theirdependent ecosystems, improved access rights to water, andpartnership arrangements between the community and the government forwater management.A controlled activity approval is required from the Department ofEnvironment, Climate Change and Water for any works to be carried out onland within a prescribed distance from a waterfront (40 metres).20 July 2010 Cardno (NSW/ACT) Pty Ltd Page 27H:\Doc\2010\Reports.2010\Rep2554v2.docDRAFT FOR PUBLIC EXHIBITION

Oxford Falls Regional Crown Reserve Plan of ManagementPrepared for NSW Land and Property Management AuthorityAct/RegulationDetailsFisheriesAct 1994ManagementThe Fisheries Management Act 1994 aims to conserve, develop and sharethe fishery resources of NSW. It includes provisions for the conservation offish stocks, key fish habitats, threatened species, populations andecological communities of fish and marine vegetation. It also promotesappropriate sharing arrangements between viable commercial fishing andaquaculture industries and quality recreational fishing opportunities so as toprovide social and economic benefits for the wider community inaccordance with ecologically sustainable development, including theconservation of biological diversity.Protection of theEnvironment OperationsAct 1997The Protection of Environment Operations Act 1997 (PoEO Act 1997) isadministered by The Department of Environment, Climate Change andWater (DECCW) and ultimately aims to protect, enhance and restore thequality of the environment in New South Wales, to reduce risk to humanhealth and promote mechanisms that minimise environmental degradationthrough a strong set of provisions and offences. Noise pollution is alsoregulated by this Act. A licence would be required from DECCW if any ofthe future development proposals or management actions within theOFRCR are determined to be a “scheduled activity” under Schedule 1 of theAct.Coastal Protection Act1979This Act aims to provide for the protection of the coastal environment of theState for the benefit of both present and future generations. Some parts ofthe eastern side of the OFRCR (near Narrabeen Lagoon) are located in thedeclared NSW Coastal Zone to which this Act applies.Contaminated LandManagement Act 1997The Contaminated Land Management Act 1997 outlines the assessmentcriteria and management of contaminated land which poses significant riskto human health or the environment. Under the Act, a person or persons(or a public authority) will be held responsible as an outcome of landcontamination. DECCW is responsible for declaring the land as‘Contaminated’ and will give notice to end the declaration, once satisfiedthat the land poses no further risk. Contaminated lands are not expected topose a significant hazard in the management of the OFRCR. Informationon contaminated land can be found in Section 4.2.2.3.4 Commonwealth Environmental Protection and BiodiversityConservation Act 1999The Commonwealth Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 (EPBC) providesfor the protection and conservation of aspects of the environment that are matters of nationalenvironmental significance, such as threatened species and heritage places listed on the Register ofthe National Estate (RNE). A search on the EPBC Matters of National Environmental Significancedatabase website revealed that within a 40 square km area around the OFRCR, the following areknown to exist (DEWHA, 2009):24 threatened species;14 migratory species; and3 places on the RNE (including one Indigenous and two natural places).20 July 2010 Cardno (NSW/ACT) Pty Ltd Page 28H:\Doc\2010\Reports.2010\Rep2554v2.docDRAFT FOR PUBLIC EXHIBITION

Oxford Falls Regional Crown Reserve Plan of ManagementPrepared for NSW Land and Property Management AuthorityOf the 24 nationally significant threatened species, at least four have been sighted within the OFRCR:Glandular Pink-bell (Tetratheca glandulosa);Caley’s Grevillea (Grevillea caleyi);Spotted-tail Quoll (Dasyurus maculatus maculatus), SE mainland population; andGrey-headed Flying-fox (Pteropus poliocephalus).Threatened fauna and flora species are discussed in Section 4.4.3.5 Related Policies and Plans of Management3.5.1 Related PoliciesLPMA – Crown Lands PoliciesCrown Lands Policies, developed by the Department of Lands (now Land and Property ManagementAuthority), need to be complied with in the ongoing management of the OFRCR. A list of relevantPolicies is given in Table 3.2.Table 3.5: Relevant Department of Lands Crown Land PoliciesPolicyCrown Lands Policy forMarinas and WaterfrontCommercial Tenures(2005)DetailsThis Policy was developed to guide the creation of new and renewedtenures for marinas and waterfront commercial facilities in accordancewith the requirements of the Crown Lands Act 1989, the principles ofCrown Land Management, and the wider considerations such ascompetition and probity (DoL, 2005). It sets out considerations that applyto existing Crown tenures, as well as new development sites.Crown Lands NSWBusiness Directive 2004for Commercial Leasingand Licensing of CrownLandFood and BeverageOutlets on CrownReserves 2004The objectives of this document are to provide a consistent frameworkand clear direction to Crown Lands NSW management, staff and clientsfor the commercial leasing of Crown land to ensure:› Compliance with legislative obligations, and government policies,› Leasing of Crown land occurs through an open, fair and impartialprocess,› The NSW community benefits from leasing in terms of improved social,economic and environmental outcomes,› Leasing is carried out on equitable terms and conditions consistent withprobity standards in line with government policy, National CompetitionPolicy,› (NCP) principles and Independent Commission Against Corruption(ICAC) guidelines,› Improved client awareness of government policy,› The process of leasing Crown land is based on sound business andcommercial principles.This Policy provides guidance for assessing the merit of proposals forfood and beverage outlets on Crown Reserves and identifies the facilitiesthat may be acceptable and those that may not be acceptable on CrownReserves.Restaurants are acceptable within most public purpose reserves but maynot be identified as permissible on land zoned open space under the20 July 2010 Cardno (NSW/ACT) Pty Ltd Page 29H:\Doc\2010\Reports.2010\Rep2554v2.docDRAFT FOR PUBLIC EXHIBITION

Oxford Falls Regional Crown Reserve Plan of ManagementPrepared for NSW Land and Property Management AuthorityPolicyFire Protection Policy forCaravan Parks onCrown Reserves andLeasehold Land 2005DetailsCouncil LEP.This policy is provided for park managers to ensure compliance with firesafety requirements within caravan parks particular in bush fire proneareas. The general section of the policy is applicable to all caravan parkson Crown land as all land managers have obligations under the RuralFires Act 1997 and the Local Government (Caravan Parks, CampingGrounds and Moveable Dwellings) Regulation 1995.This Policy is not currently relevant as there are no Caravan Parks withinthe OFRCR, however this may change in the future.Investment Policy forTrust Boards ManagingCrown Reserves andCommons 2005This policy applies to Crown reserves and commons managed by a trustboard. Trusts managed by a corporation should also use this policy as aguide. The Department of Lands requires that a trust board should onlyinvest its funds in certain areas which are relatively low-risk.Crown Lands Policy forTourist & AssociatedFacilities on Crown Land(2006)This Policy provides guidance on the manner in which tenures ofcommercial premises, including tourist and related facilities on Crownland, will be created and administered under the provisions of the CrownLands Act 1989. It sets out considerations that apply to existing Crowntenures, as well as new development sites.Other relevant State policies, including strategies and guidelines are given in Table 3.6. Necessaryprecautions in accordance with the below policies are required in the ongoing management of theOFRCR.Table 3.6: Relevant State PoliciesPolicyDetailsBiodiversity PlanningGuide for NSW LocalGovernment 2001This Guide aims to assist Local Councils in carrying out biodiversityconservation as part of their day-to-day functions, especially relating toplanning and development. A “good practice guide” for biodiversityplanning is provided for Council’s use.Coastal DesignGuidelines for NSW(2003)The Coastal Design Guidelines for NSW have been prepared withreference to the NSW Government’s Coastal Policy 1997 and complementthe Government’s Coastal Protection Package released on 26 June 2001and SEPP 71 which came into effect in November 2002. The coastaldesign guidelines are based on the principles of ecologically sustainabledevelopment.Estuary ManagementManual and EstuaryManagement PolicyThe Estuary Management Policy is defined in the Estuary ManagementManual (NSW Government, 1992). The policy outlines a structuredmanagement process leading to the implementation of an EstuaryManagement Plan. This document provides the overarching frameworkfor this Estuary Management Study and Plan.20 July 2010 Cardno (NSW/ACT) Pty Ltd Page 30H:\Doc\2010\Reports.2010\Rep2554v2.docDRAFT FOR PUBLIC EXHIBITION

Oxford Falls Regional Crown Reserve Plan of ManagementPrepared for NSW Land and Property Management AuthorityPolicyDetailsFlood Prone Land PolicyThe policy promotes the use of a merit approach, which balances social,economic, environmental and flood risk parameters to determine whetherparticular development or use of the floodplain is appropriate andsustainable.Managing UrbanStormwater GuidelinesThis manual provides guidelines to minimise land degradation and waterpollution at urban development sites in New South Wales.National Strategy forEcologically SustainableDevelopmentThe National Strategy for Ecologically Sustainable Development (NSESD)provides broad strategic directions and framework for governments todirect policy and decision-making. The Strategy facilitates a coordinatedand co-operative approach to ecologically sustainable development (ESD)and encourages long-term benefits for Australia rather than short-termgains.NSW BiodiversityStrategyThe previous Strategy expired in 2003, and a new Biodiversity Strategy iscurrently in the early stages of preparation. DECCW and the Departmentof Industry and Investment (DII) are currently taking public submissions forthe Biodiversity Strategy for New South Wales - Discussion Paper whichwill be the first step towards developing a new NSW Biodiversity Strategy(DECC, 2009a).NSW Coastal Policy(1997)The NSW Coastal Policy provides a framework for the balanced andcoordinated management of the coastal zone in accordance with theprincipals of ecologically sustainable development. Parts of the OFRCRare located within the coastal zone and therefore this policy applies.NSW State Rivers andEstuaries Policy (1993)This Policy was created to assist in the improved management of riversand estuaries and their floodplains so as to ensure these waterways cancontinue to support sustainable economic and social uses in the longterm. The Policy is based on the fundamental principle that governmentagencies, private landholders, resource users and the community ingeneral must all share responsibility for managing natural resources.NSW Water Quality andRiver Flow ObjectivesThis document outlines the Water Quality and River Flow Objectives fordifferent catchments. In this case, the Objectives for Sydney Harbour andParramatta River apply. The Water Quality and River Flow Objectivesaims to assist in the improvement of poor water quality and themaintenance of existing good water quality.NSW WetlandsManagement Policy(1996)This Policy is aimed at assisting the protection of wetlands in goodcondition, rehabilitate degraded wetlands where feasible, and support theappreciation of wetlands by:› Protecting wetland biodiversity, functions and services;› Protecting social and economic benefits of wetlands;20 July 2010 Cardno (NSW/ACT) Pty Ltd Page 31H:\Doc\2010\Reports.2010\Rep2554v2.docDRAFT FOR PUBLIC EXHIBITION

Oxford Falls Regional Crown Reserve Plan of ManagementPrepared for NSW Land and Property Management AuthorityPolicyDetails› Protecting the cultural heritage and spiritual significance of wetlands;› Providing flow regimes that mimic natural conditions, where possible;› Providing wetlands with water of appropriate volume and quality;› Limiting further fragmentation and reconnecting wetland systems;› Preventing or limiting catchment activities that impact upon wetlands;› Rewarding wetland managers who improve the condition of wetlands;and› Promoting the importance of wetlands to the community.Planning for BushfireProtection (2006)This document provides the necessary planning considerations whendeveloping areas for residential use in residential, rural residential, ruraland urban areas when development sites are in close proximity to areaslikely to be affected by bushfire events and replaces Planning for BushfireProtection 2001.Policy and Guidelinesfor Aquatic HabitatManagement and FishConservation 1999This document has been prepared by NSW Fisheries in order to improvethe conservation and management of aquatic habitats in NSW. It istargeted at local and state government authorities, proponents ofdevelopments and their advisors, and individuals or organisationsconcerned with the planning and management of our aquatic resources,including conservation organisations.Policy and Guidelinesfor Fish FriendlyWaterway Crossings2004This document provides a summary of the specific legislation and policyrequirements that must be observed by those intending to plan design andconstruct waterway crossings in NSW.SydneyCoastalStrategyRegionalManagementThis Strategy was developed by the Sydney Coastal Councils Groupwhich was established in 1989 and now comprises 15 member councils(firstly Warringah, Manly, Waverley, Randwick, Sutherland, andWoollahra, and then Botany, City of Sydney, Hornsby, Leichhardt,Mosman, North Sydney, Pittwater, Rockdale and Willoughby). Thestrategy promotes coordination between member councils in thesustainable management of the coastal urban environment and aims toassist the resolution of environmental and natural resource managementissues in these areas.3.5.2 Related Plans of ManagementWarringah Council Plans of ManagementAs discussed in Section 3.2.2, Council is required to prepare plans of management for all communityland in accordance with Division 2 of Part 2 of Chapter 6 of the Local Government Act 1993. Thismay include the preparation of plans for significant Crown reserves.A number of Council plans of management are relevant to the management of the OFRCR. Theseinclude:20 July 2010 Cardno (NSW/ACT) Pty Ltd Page 32H:\Doc\2010\Reports.2010\Rep2554v2.docDRAFT FOR PUBLIC EXHIBITION

Oxford Falls Regional Crown Reserve Plan of ManagementPrepared for NSW Land and Property Management Authority Red Hill & Golden Grove Parks Plan of Management (Warringah Council, 2000); Coastal Lands Plan of Management – A Generic Plan of Management (Warringah Council,2002a); Community Land Categorised as General Community Use (Including Miscellaneous CrownReserves) Generic Plan of Management – 24 May 2002 (Warringah Council, 2002b); Sportsgrounds Plan of Management – December 2007 (Warringah Council, 2007); Generic Parks Plan of Management – November 2008 (Warringah Council, 2008a); and Dee Why Valley and South Creek Open Space Corridor Plan of Management (WarringahCouncil, 2008b).Other plans of management have been adopted by Warringah Council but do not apply to land withinthe OFRCR.National Parks Plans of ManagementUnder S.72 of Part 5 of the National Parks and Wildlife Act 1974, the Director-General requires that aplan of management be prepared for National Parks. Although not applying to land within theOFRCR, plans of management exist for National Parks in the vicinity, namely: Garigal National Park Plan of Management – November 2008 (NPWS, 2008); and Ku-ring-gai Chase National Park Plan of Management, 1971 (NPWS, 1971).A proportion of Garigal National Park lies directly to the north of the OFRCR. The Garigal NationalPark Plan of Management is likely to be of particular relevance in the management of those OFRCRland parcels that share a common boundary with the Park.20 July 2010 Cardno (NSW/ACT) Pty Ltd Page 33H:\Doc\2010\Reports.2010\Rep2554v2.docDRAFT FOR PUBLIC EXHIBITION

Oxford Falls Regional Crown Reserve Plan of ManagementPrepared for NSW Land and Property Management Authority4 Description of the Study AreaThis section of the report presents the findings of the data collation and review undertaken inaccordance with Task 2 of the scope of works (Section 1.6). It provides an overview of the keyfeatures, updates the findings of the Land Assessment (DoL, 2005), and integrates mapping currentlyavailable for lands in the OFRCR. It considers: Land tenure (Section 4.1), Topography, geology and soils (Section 4.2), Hydrology, hydraulics and flooding (Section 4.3), Ecological processes (Section 4.4), Bushfire risk (Section 4.5), Cultural heritage (Section 4.6), Human usage of OFRCR lands (Section 4.7), Visual amenity and landscape character (Section 4.8), and Existing infrastructure and assets (Section 4.9).The information provided in Section 4 is has been compiled based on a review of available data,mapping, studies and reports, as well as observations made on the day of the site inspections. Siteinspections were conducted over a period of two days (26 March 2009 and 15 April 2009) in order tovisit as many of the land parcels comprising the OFRCR as possible. A site photolog is provided inAppendix C.The information provided in Sections 4.1-4.9 has also been used to undertake a rapid spatialassessment of the lands comprising the OFRCR (Section 4.10).4.1 Land TenureWhen referring to Crown lands, tenure is defined as the holding of land under the CL Act. There arethree general types of arrangements under which Crown land may be held under tenure:Lease – form of tenure generally for exclusive occupation and use of Crown land for aspecific term and under specific conditions as outlined under the provisions of the CL Act.Leases are designed with terms to suit the purpose of the lease. A lease may be forfeited fornon-compliance of conditions, or may expire because the term has lapsed. A lease is alsotransferrable with the consent of the Minister. Generally, leases will require landassessments.Licence – provides the right to occupy or use Crown land under the provisions of CL Act. Alicence may not necessarily confer exclusive use by a licensee. It is not transferrable andmay be revoked at the will of the Minister without compensation.Permissive Occupancy (PO) – PO agreements with the Minister are pursuant to the CL(Continued Tenures) Act 1989. Under the CL Act, only leases or licences will be issued in thefuture and permissive occupancies will be progressively terminated in favour of a licence orlease.Where an individual or organisation proposes to undertake an activity or build a structure or useCrown land, they are required to apply for a tenure from the LPMA. LPMA may issue a licence orlease to an individual or organisation for a range of purposes, including:The construction of waterfront structures (land below the mean high water mark is Crownland);Grazing of stock;Extractive industry (e.g. quarrying);Agriculture and cultivation;20 July 2010 Cardno (NSW/ACT) Pty Ltd Page 34H:\Doc\2010\Reports.2010\Rep2554v2.docDRAFT FOR PUBLIC EXHIBITION

Oxford Falls Regional Crown Reserve Plan of ManagementPrepared for NSW Land and Property Management AuthorityWater supply and access (e.g. pipelines for irrigation); andShort-term purposes, such as for sporting events or minor extractive operations.Crown land may be leased to permit exclusive use over a particular piece of land for a specified timeperiod, and in some cases a lease will be more appropriate than providing a licence (which does notconfer exclusive use). In general, leases are sought over land for which long-term security is aconsideration, such as where commercial uses are proposed and/or a major financial outlay isrequired.Figure 4.1 provides a summary of the tenure status OFRCR lands. Those lands under the ownershipof the Metropolitan LALC previously formed part of the OFRCR and were included in the LandAssessment (DoL, 2005), as discussed in Section 1.4.1. For this reason, these land parcels have notbeen included in this study.Table 4.1 provides a summary of all land parcels for which a licence or lease has been granted. Fulldetails of the Reserve Trust and Reserve Trust Management can be found for each land parcel undertenure in Appendix A. Land parcels under lease or licence are also indicated in Figure 4.1. Currentuses of OFRCR lands held under tenure were inferred based on information provided in DoL (2005)and observations made on the day of the site inspection. Income details for land parcels held undertenure are provided in the economic review (Section 8).Activities currently being undertaken on leased land do not always reflect the stated purpose,although specific licence conditions and lease arrangements were not available for review in thisstudy. Nonetheless, an effort was made to assess the current use of tenured land against theReserve Purpose (Table 4.1) and the characteristics of the relevant land parcel(s) (Table 4.1). Basedon this assessment, it is recommended that a review of all OFRCR lands held under tenure should beundertaken to ensure that the Tenure Purpose (Table 4.1) is consistent with the Reserve Purpose,commensurate with the environmental sensitivities of the land parcel in question.20 July 2010 Cardno (NSW/ACT) Pty Ltd Page 35H:\Doc\2010\Reports.2010\Rep2554v2.docDRAFT FOR PUBLIC EXHIBITION

Oxford Falls Regional Crown Reserve Plan of ManagementPrepared for NSW Land and Property Management AuthorityTable 4.1: Summary of Tenures for OFRCR LandsLotNo.DP No.LandParcelID No.TenureTenurePurpose1334 752038 85 L146139 ExtractionReservePurposePublicRecreation &UrbanServicesReserveTrustOxford FallsReserve TrustReserveTrustManagerMinisterialCorporationCurrent Use(after DoL, 2005)Used for Council worksdepot and stockpiling ofmaterials.Comment onCompatibility ofTenure Purpose withCurrent LandCharacteristics*It is understood thatthere are threatenedspecies & habitatconservation areas onthis land parcel thatshould be retained.183 752038 45L156030,L6678Grazing, damand pipelineFuture PublicRequirementsNo trust -Used for grazing 3-4horses. Rubbish/materials scatteredacross the site. Thefence between Lot 183& the neighbouring Lot2517 is missing allowingthe horses to access Lot2517. Sign on theproperty suggests use ofthe land for agistment.Area of possible pastsand extraction.This land parcel islocated within a riparianbuffer zone &considerations for thisshould be made (e.g.minimising fertiliseruse).1082 752038 91 L168445 Grazing - - -Shed constructed, usedas a weekender. Nograzing.This parcel comprisesthreatened habitat &may not be suited to thetenure purpose.20 July 2010 Cardno (NSW/ACT) Pty Ltd Page 36H:\Doc\2010\Reports.2010\Rep2554v2.docDRAFT FOR PUBLIC EXHIBITION

Oxford Falls Regional Crown Reserve Plan of ManagementPrepared for NSW Land and Property Management AuthorityLotNo.DP No.LandParcelID No.TenureTenurePurposeReservePurposeReserveTrustReserveTrustManagerCurrent Use(after DoL, 2005)Comment onCompatibility ofTenure Purpose withCurrent LandCharacteristics*1053 752038 1191047 752038 120L174235StoragepurposesPublicRecreation &UrbanServicesOxford FallsReserve TrustMinisterialCorporationVegetation has beencompletely removedfrom one section &fenced with sedimentfencing.Land parcels 120 & 125are located within ariparian buffer zone & isassociated with a non-Indigenous heritageplace. These featuresshould be affordedprotection.1046 752038 1251053 752038 1191047 752038 1201051 752038 121L403361AccessPublicRecreation &UrbanServicesOxford FallsReserve TrustMinisterialCorporationUnauthorisedencroachment ofbuilding materialrecycling business ontoland from adjoiningfreehold land. Twodams are present alongwith skip bins & piles ofbulldozed vegetation.Some unauthorisedfilling of this area mayhave occurred. Over 15Emus are kept within aA wildlife corridor runsthrough these lots &should be protected.20 July 2010 Cardno (NSW/ACT) Pty Ltd Page 37H:\Doc\2010\Reports.2010\Rep2554v2.docDRAFT FOR PUBLIC EXHIBITION

Oxford Falls Regional Crown Reserve Plan of ManagementPrepared for NSW Land and Property Management AuthorityLotNo.DP No.LandParcelID No.TenureTenurePurposeReservePurposeReserveTrustReserveTrustManagerCurrent Use(after DoL, 2005)fenced enclosure.Overstorey vegetationlargely cleared from landparcel no. 119.Comment onCompatibility ofTenure Purpose withCurrent LandCharacteristics*2627 752038 89 L192632Grazing,market gardenand orchardParishReserve forFuture PublicRequirementsNo Trust. -Not used for marketgarden or grazing. Oldshack type weekenderon land. No powerconnected. Water tanksrusted out. Broken fibrodumped around land.This parcel is locatedwithin a wildlife corridor& comprises areas ofthreatened habitat whichneed protection.181 752038 44 L199849Grazing,nursery,storage shedFuture PublicRequirementsNo Trust. -Held under tenure forthe purpose of 3 storagesheds, nursery garden &grazing. A large dam, 3horse enclosures withshelter sheds, a horsearena & a storage shedare all located on theland. An adjoiningCrown road has alsobeen enclosed withinthe property withoutapproval & a “privatedriveway” sign erected.This parcel is locatedwithin a wildlife corridor& comprises areas ofthreatened habitat whichneed protection.20 July 2010 Cardno (NSW/ACT) Pty Ltd Page 38H:\Doc\2010\Reports.2010\Rep2554v2.docDRAFT FOR PUBLIC EXHIBITION

Oxford Falls Regional Crown Reserve Plan of ManagementPrepared for NSW Land and Property Management AuthorityLotNo.DP No.LandParcelID No.TenureTenurePurpose1047 752038 120 L199961 PipelineReservePurposePublicRecreation &UrbanServicesReserveTrustOxford FallsReserve TrustReserveTrustManagerMinisterialCorporationCurrent Use(after DoL, 2005)Vegetation has beencompletely removedfrom one section &fenced with sedimentfencing. Two dams, skipbins & piles of bulldozedvegetation. Someunauthorised filling ofthis area may haveoccurred. Over 15 emusare kept within a fencedenclosure within thisarea.Comment onCompatibility ofTenure Purpose withCurrent LandCharacteristics*This land parcel islocated within a riparianbuffer zone &considerations for thisshould be made.Riparian vegetationshould be protected.1084 752038 90 L302720Dam andpipeline- - -Dam no longer used.Storage & grazing of 1goat in a small clearing.This parcel comprisesthreatened habitat whichshould be protected.1084 752038 90 L431972Dam andpipeline- - - See above. See above.2517 752038 34 L316041 -Future PublicRequirements- -Old disused sheds &enclosures, a dam, 2large sheds & recentlyconstructed vine trellisare located on the landThis land parcel islocated within a riparianbuffer zone &considerations for thisshould be made.20 July 2010 Cardno (NSW/ACT) Pty Ltd Page 39H:\Doc\2010\Reports.2010\Rep2554v2.docDRAFT FOR PUBLIC EXHIBITION

Oxford Falls Regional Crown Reserve Plan of ManagementPrepared for NSW Land and Property Management AuthorityLotNo.DP No.LandParcelID No.Tenure1062 752038 78 L321023TenurePurposeBuildings,environmentalprotection,residenceReservePurposeFuture PublicRequirementsReserveTrustNo Trust. -ReserveTrustManagerCurrent Use(after DoL, 2005)A house, several sheds& an animal enclosureare constructed on theland. The houseappears to have beenrecently extended. Alarge proportion of theLot has been cleared ofnatural vegetation &appeared to havepreviously been used forkeeping animals,landscaping &agriculture uses, but isnow overgrown withlong grass and weeds.Comment onCompatibility ofTenure Purpose withCurrent LandCharacteristics*Current land use iscompatible with landcharacteristics.192 752038 462640 752038 73L346092EnvironmentalprotectionFuture PublicRequirementsNo Trust. -See below for notes onland parcel 73.See below for notes onland parcel 73.20 July 2010 Cardno (NSW/ACT) Pty Ltd Page 40H:\Doc\2010\Reports.2010\Rep2554v2.docDRAFT FOR PUBLIC EXHIBITION

Oxford Falls Regional Crown Reserve Plan of ManagementPrepared for NSW Land and Property Management AuthorityLotNo.DP No.LandParcelID No.Tenure2640 752038 73 L76239TenurePurposePig farm,poultryReservePurposeFuture PublicRequirementsReserveTrustNo Trust. -ReserveTrustManagerCurrent Use(after DoL, 2005)About 25 cattle grazedon the land. Structuresinclude three largesheds (one storing alarge boat currentlybeing restored by a thirdparty), one former shednow converted into aresidence, one brick &tile home, &severalsmall grazing paddocks.All stock are hand fed.Unauthorised filling hasoccurred on adjoiningCrown road reserveusing imported material.Comment onCompatibility ofTenure Purpose withCurrent LandCharacteristics*This land parcel islocated within a riparianbuffer zone &considerations for thisshould be made.153 752038 372858 48272 422857 48272 38117 752038 39L74946SportingfacilitiesFuture PublicRequirementsNo Trust. -Facilities for the ManlyWarringah RadioControl Society.These land parcels arelocated within closeproximity to (oradjoining) GarigalNational Park.109 752038 4020 July 2010 Cardno (NSW/ACT) Pty Ltd Page 41H:\Doc\2010\Reports.2010\Rep2554v2.docDRAFT FOR PUBLIC EXHIBITION

Oxford Falls Regional Crown Reserve Plan of ManagementPrepared for NSW Land and Property Management AuthorityLotNo.DP No.LandParcelID No.964 752038 56TenureSeveralLicencesTenurePurposeMobile phonetowersReservePurposePublicRecreationReserveTrustNo Trust. -ReserveTrustManagerCurrent Use(after DoL, 2005)Recreational reserve, aswellastelecommunicationstowers.Comment onCompatibility ofTenure Purpose withCurrent LandCharacteristics*This parcel makes upPerentie Park.*”Land Characteristics” refer to those aspects used in the Constraints and Opportunities section (Section 4.10), including riparian buffer zones and wildlife corridors. It isassumed that the above parcels are affected by slope and bushfire hazard.20 July 2010 Cardno (NSW/ACT) Pty Ltd Page 42H:\Doc\2010\Reports.2010\Rep2554v2.docDRAFT FOR PUBLIC EXHIBITION

Oxford Falls Regional Crown Reserve Plan of ManagementPrepared for NSW Land and Property Management Authority4.2 Topography, Geology and Soils4.2.1 TopographyThe topography of the larger study area grades from low lying lands around Narrabeen Lagoon ataround 0m elevation up to heights of 200m, which occur predominantly in the northern part of thelarger study area. Many of the land parcels comprising the OFRCR are located at higher elevations,as shown in Figure 4.2.A slope analysis was also undertaken (Figure 4.3) which indicates that many of the land parcels aresituated on sloping land, highlighting the function of these areas for catchment protection and waterquality. The value of the OFRCR for catchment protection purposes has previously been identified(DoL, 2005; DoL, 2006).4.2.2 SoilsSoil LandscapesSoil landscapes from the Sydney Soil Landscape sheet (Chapman and Murphy, 1989) have beenmapped in Figure 4.4. The predominant soil landscapes characterising the OFRCR are theHawkesbury and Lambert landscapes. Details about the different soil landscapes found in the studyarea are provided below:Deep Creek (dc): Level to gently undulating alluvial floodplain draining the HawkesburySandstone. Limitations include flooding, extreme soil erosion hazard, sedimentation hazard,very low fertility and permanently high water tables;Gymea (gy): Undulating to rolling rises and low hills on Hawkesbury Sandstone. Limitationsinclude localised steep slopes, high soil erosion hazard, rock outcropping, shallow highlypermeable soil and very low soil fertility;Hawkesbury (ha): Rugged, rolling to very steep hills on Hawkesbury Sandstone. Limitationsinclude extreme soil erosion hazard, mass movement (rock fall) hazard, steep slopes, rockoutcropping, shallow, stony, highly permeable soils and low soil fertility;Hornsby (ho): Gently undulating rises to steep low hills on deeply weathered basalticbreccia. Limitations include highly plastic, low wet-strength, highly reactive subsoil, occasionalsteep slopes with an extreme soil erosion hazard and localised mass movement hazard;Lambert (la): Undulating to rolling low hills on Hawkesbury Sandstone. Limitations includevery high soil erosion hazard, rock outcropping, seasonally perched water tables, shallow,highly permeable soil and very low soil fertility;Oxford Falls (of): Hanging valleys on Hawkesbury Sandstone. Limitations include very highsoil erosion hazard, perched water tables and swamps, highly permeable soils, very low tolow soil fertility and localised rock outcrops;Somersby (so): Gently undulating to rolling rises on deeply weathered HawkesburySandstone. Limitations include localised permanently high water tables, areas of laterite andstony soil, very low soil fertility and highly permeable soil;Watagan (wn): Rolling to very steep hills on fine-grained Narrabeen Group sediments.Limitations include mass movement hazard, steep slopes, severe soil erosion hazard andoccasional rock outcrops; andDisturbed (xx): Level plain to hummocky terrain, extensively disturbed by human activities,including complete disturbance, removal or burial of soil. Limitations include localisedflooding and run-on, high water tables and highly permeable soil.20 July 2010 Cardno (NSW/ACT) Pty Ltd Page 43H:\Doc\2010\Reports.2010\Rep2554v2.docDRAFT FOR PUBLIC EXHIBITION

Oxford Falls Regional Crown Reserve Plan of ManagementPrepared for NSW Land and Property Management AuthorityA key constraint associated with the predominant soil groups within the OFRCR is the high potentialfor erosion. This necessitates careful consideration of water cycle management for any sitesproposed for development or disposal. Table 4.2 indicates the hazard level of soil erosion in eachMapping Area from the study by DoL (2005).Table 4.2: Soil Erosion Hazard of Mapping Areas (After: DoL, 2005)Mapping Area Soil Erosion Hazard (Non-concentratedFlows)Soil Erosion Hazard(Concentrated Flows)1 Low to extreme Low to extreme2 Low to very high Low to extreme3 Low to very high High to extremeAcid Sulfate SoilsAcid sulfate soils (ASS) risk mapping prepared by DIPNR (now DECCW) was investigated and a highprobably of occurrence was mapped for locations coincident with Middle Creek (near WakehurstParkway), South Creek (near South Creek Road) and Narrabeen Lagoon (Figure 4.5).ASS are widespread among low lying coastal areas of NSW, in estuaries, floodplains and coastallowlands. These are naturally occurring sediments and soils containing iron sulfides (mostly pyrite).Where these are exposed to the air by drainage of overlying water or excavation, the iron sulfidesoxidise and form sulfuric acid. Significant water quality issues can result from the disturbance of ASSand, in addition, ASS may also impact negatively on below-ground infrastructure. This issue requiresconsideration for any development proposed for any land parcels coinciding with sediments thought tohave the potential for ASS.Contaminated LandA search of the EPA’s record of notices issued under the Contaminated Lands Management Act 1997was conducted on 5 April 2009. The search revealed three sites for which the notices had beenissued, although all three sites were located outside of the study area. A voluntary remediationproposal was submitted in May 2003 by the NSW Department of Education and Training for the NSWInstitute of Sport site (i.e. the Narrabeen Sports Academy). The affected lots are Lot 1 DP 74818 andpart of Lot 869 DP 752038, Lot 870 DP 752038 and Lot 881 DP 752038. For the purposes of thisPlan it has been assumed that the contamination does not extend to Crown land on the opposite sideof Middle Creek and Wakehurst Parkway.4.2.3 GeologyGeological mapping obtained from the DoP for the wider study area, is shown in Figure 4.6. Anexplanation of the geological characteristics of these units is provided below (Geological Survey ofNSW, 1983):Qha – Quaternary period silty to peaty quartz sand, silt and clay. Ferruginous and humiccementation. Common shell layers;Jv – Jurassic period volcanic breccia, varying amounts of sedimentary breccia and basalt;Rh – Hawkesbury Sandstone. Triassic period medium to coarse-grained quartz sandstone,very minor shale and laminite lenses;Rhs – Triassic period shale, laminite;Rnbu – Bulgo Sandstone. Triassic period fine to medium-grained quartz-lithic sandstone withlenticular shale interbeds; and20 July 2010 Cardno (NSW/ACT) Pty Ltd Page 44H:\Doc\2010\Reports.2010\Rep2554v2.docDRAFT FOR PUBLIC EXHIBITION

Oxford Falls Regional Crown Reserve Plan of ManagementPrepared for NSW Land and Property Management AuthorityRnn – Newport Formation and Garie Formation interbedded laminate shale and quartz tolithic-quartz sandstone: minor red claystone north of Hawkesbury River. Clay pelletsandstone (Garie Fm) south of Hawkesbury River.4.3 Hydrology, Hydraulics and Flooding4.3.1 Hydrology and HydraulicsThe OFRCR lies within the overall catchment of Narrabeen Lakes. OFRCR land parcels lay within thesub-catchments of a number of creeks including Oxford, Middle, South, Deep, Wheeler and SnakeCreeks. Water quality within the catchment is influenced primarily by nearby land uses includingresidential, commercial and semi-rural operations. The Narrabeen Lagoon catchment is influenced bya number of factors which can have broadscale impacts on the hydrology, ecology and consequentlyrecreational use of the catchment. Human inputs into the natural system which can affect thecatchment as a whole include (Warringah Council, 2009a):Sedimentation and increased turbidity;Nutrient enrichment which encourages algae and weed growth;Displacement of native flora species with noxious weed species which can restrict flowregimes and reduce natural habitat diversity; andChemical and other pollutant inputs which can be toxic and/or bioaccumulate, particularly athigh concentrations.The Warringah Creek Management Strategy (Montgomery, Watson and Harza, 2002) was preparedon behalf of Warringah Council to review existing and future development pressures and to providerecommendations for the long-term management of creeks in the area (Montgomery, Watson andHarza, 2002). The strategy classified Warringah’s creeks into three groups on the basis of currentecological values and catchment land uses (Table 4.3).Table 4.3: Classification of Creeks Located in Close Proximity to the OFRCR (After: Montgomery WatsonHarza, 2002)Classification Description CreeksABCVery high ecological value; with less than 10%connected impervious area.Some degradation in the upper catchments, buthigh ecological value downstream; generally 10-15% connected impervious area.Generally of low to moderate ecological value withmoderate to highly developed catchments - 15-50%connected impervious area.Wheeler and Deep CreeksSnake and Oxford CreeksMiddle and South CreeksThis indicates that Middle and South Creeks are of relatively low ecological value, however anotherstudy by Smith and Smith (2008) has indicated that despite having extensive urban inputs, MiddleCreek still supports a diversity of native flora and fauna, including a number of features of highconservation significance (Smith and Smith, 2008) (Section 4.4).Site DrainageSite drainage within the OFRCR varies depending on a range of factors such as underlying geology,topography and vegetation. Table 4.4 sets out a broad classification of site drainage for mappingareas 1, 2 and 3. Land parcels within each mapping area can be found in the catchments of Deep,Oxford, Middle and South Creeks (in addition to sub-catchments of Wheeler and Snake Creeks).20 July 2010 Cardno (NSW/ACT) Pty Ltd Page 45H:\Doc\2010\Reports.2010\Rep2554v2.docDRAFT FOR PUBLIC EXHIBITION

Oxford Falls Regional Crown Reserve Plan of ManagementPrepared for NSW Land and Property Management AuthorityTable 4.4: Site Drainage and Creek Catchments for Mapping Areas (After: DoL, 2005)MappingArea123Creek CatchmentsDeep, Oxford, Middle andSouth CreeksDeep, Oxford, Middle andSouth CreeksDeep, Oxford, Middle andSouth CreeksSite DrainageMostly very good, with the exception of the areas ofSandstone Swamp, Swamp Oak Forest and WaterFern Swamp which all have very poor drainage,and the Coachwood Rainforest, Palm Woodlandand Bangalay Alluvial Forest which have moderateto good drainage.Mostly very goodVery good4.3.2 FloodingThe incidence of flooding depends on numerous interrelated factors and can vary greatly betweenrainfall events. Figure 4.7 presents flood extent provided by Warringah Council and shows the 100years Average Recurrence Interval (ARI) and the Probable Maximum Flood (PMF) extents for thestudy area. Projected sea-level rise due to climate change is not represented in Figure 4.7 as data isnot available. It is likely that low-lying OFRCR land parcels would be affected by climate change (sealevel rise) impacts.The majority of the land parcels within the OFRCR are not subject to flooding due to their elevation.Two parcels subject to considerable risk of flooding are the Narrabeen foreshore land parcels 173 and174, which would be inundated during the 100 years ARI event. Other parcels which may be at risk offlood include land parcels 100 and 102-110 which lie adjacent to South Creek.4.4 Ecological ProcessesAs outlined above, land parcels of the OFRCR lie within the Narrabeen Lagoon catchment. TheNarrabeen Lagoon catchment is comprised of many varying vegetation communities includingEndangered Ecological Communities (EECs) protected under the TSC Act such as SwampSclerophyll Forest on Coastal Floodplains (Smith and Smith 2005b). The catchment providessignificant habitat for a range of terrestrial and aquatic flora and fauna species, including threatenedspecies. The lagoon itself provides significant aquatic habitat (such as seagrass beds) for aquaticspecies.Tributary creeks (Section 4.3.1) also have high levels of species diversity and abundance. Smith andSmith (2008) indicated that Middle Creek, for example, supports a rich biodiversity of flora and faunadespite heavy urban inputs.4.4.1 FloraDue to urban and other land uses, land parcels within the OFRCR are not always represented bynatural vegetation communities. Table 4.5 outlines the remaining vegetation communities for eachMapping Area and gives details on natural vegetation degradation and any rehabilitative efforts whichhave occurred.The Middle Creek biodiversity assessment by Smith and Smith (2008) indicated the following werepresent in and around the creek:Nine native vegetation communities including Swamp Oak Forest, Bangalay Alluvial Forest,Water Fern Swamp and Estuarine Paperbark Scrub – the last three of which are all forms of20 July 2010 Cardno (NSW/ACT) Pty Ltd Page 46H:\Doc\2010\Reports.2010\Rep2554v2.docDRAFT FOR PUBLIC EXHIBITION

Oxford Falls Regional Crown Reserve Plan of ManagementPrepared for NSW Land and Property Management AuthoritySwamp Sclerophyll Forest on Coastal Floodplains (Endangered Ecological Community underthe TSC Act);Two regionally significant communities (Seagrass Meadow and Coachwood Rainforest);Three other communities (Peppermint-Angophora Forest, Bloodwood-Scribbly GumWoodland and Sandstone Heath); andA total of 313 native plant species including:o Three rare Australian species (Angophora crassifolia, Darwinia procera andLomandra fluviatilis);o 23 species considered threatened in northern Sydney;o Four species considered threatened in Warringah; ando Eight biogeographically significant species.Threatened FloraTwo nationally significant threatened species have been sighted within the OFRCR (NPWS, 2009):Glandular Pink-bell (Tetratheca glandulosa); andCaley’s Grevillea (Grevillea caleyi).Threatened flora species are further described in Table 4.5 and sightings are mapped in Figure 4.8.It is noted that the mapping of threatened flora species is based upon data provided by the NSWWildlife Atlas (DECCW). Data are contributed to the Wildlife Atlas from a range of sources and willcontain some sampling bias (i.e. some locations may have been sampled intensively, while othersmay not have been sampled at all). Therefore, the mapping provided in Figure 4.8 should not beconsidered a complete record of all threatened species occurring in the study area.20 July 2010 Cardno (NSW/ACT) Pty Ltd Page 47H:\Doc\2010\Reports.2010\Rep2554v2.docDRAFT FOR PUBLIC EXHIBITION

Oxford Falls Regional Crown Reserve Plan of ManagementPrepared for NSW Land and Property Management AuthorityTable 4.5: Vegetation Communities and Threatened Flora Species and Communities within the OFRCR (After: Smith and Smith, 2002, and DoL, 2005)MappingArea1Natural Vegetation Communities / Species RemainingSilvertop Ash-Brown Stringybark Forest, Bloodwood-Scribbly GumWoodland, Peppermint-Angophora Forest, Sandstone Heath,Angophora Woodland, Sandstone Swamp, Yellow-top Ash Mallee,Swamp Oak Forest, Coachwood Rainforest, Bangalay Alluvial Forest,Water Fern Swamp and Palm Woodland.Threatened flora and EECsSilvertop Ash-Brown Stringybark Forest is significant as representingthe typical form of the Duffys Forest EEC.Endangered species of flora present is Persoonia hirsuta.Vulnerable species of flora present are Eucalyptus camfieldii (HeartleavedStringy Bark) Pimelia curviflora var. curviflora and Tetrathecaglandulosa. Tetratheca glandulosa (protected under both state andnational legislation) has previously been recorded within OFRCR landparcel 35.ROTAP species have also been recorded – Genoplesium baueri(within land parcel 172).Silvertop Ash-Brown Stringybark Forest is significant as representingthe typical form of the Duffys Forest EEC.23Silvertop Ash-Brown Stringybark Forest, Bloodwood-Scribbly GumWoodland, Peppermint-Angophora Forest, Sandstone Heath and asmall area of Angophora Woodland and Yellow-top Ash Mallee.Bloodwood-Scribbly Gum Woodland and Sandstone Heath. Upperstorey species include Allocasuarina littoris, A. torulosa, Corymbiagummifera, C. maculata, Eucalyptus pilularis ssp. pilularis, and E.haemastomaGrevillea caleyi (protected under both state and national legislation) isknown to exist within land parcel 28.Endangered species of flora present is Persoonia hirsuta.Vulnerable species of flora present are Eucalyptus camfieldii (HeartleavedStringy Bark) Pimelia curviflora var. curviflora and Tetrathecaglandulosa. Tetratheca glandulosa (protected under both state andnational legislation) has previously been recorded within land parcel23.Threatened species have been recorded on land parcels 85 and 92.ROTAP species have also been recorded – Boronia fraseri (withinland parcel 125).20 July 2010 Cardno (NSW/ACT) Pty Ltd Page 48H:\Doc\2010\Reports.2010\Rep2554v2.docDRAFT FOR PUBLIC EXHIBITION

Oxford Falls Regional Crown Reserve Plan of ManagementPrepared for NSW Land and Property Management Authority4.4.2 FaunaA fauna study conducted by Smith and Smith (2005a) within the Warringah LGA (and outside theNational Parks) recorded the following:A total of 408 fauna species (and four additional subspecies) consisting of:o 16 frog species;o 45 reptile species;o 304 bird species (four of which are known to be represented by two subspecieseach); ando 43 mammal species.A more specific biodiversity study by Smith and Smith (2008) indicated the following were present inand around Middle Creek:A total of 138 native fauna species consisting of:o Five frog species;o 18 reptile species;o 100 bird species; ando 15 mammal species.NSW Fisheries (DII) has identified Key Fish Habitat within the study area, including NarrabeenLagoon, Middle Creek and South Creek.Threatened FaunaThreatened fauna records sourced from the NSW Wildlife Atlas are shown in Figure 4.8. Aspreviously discussed, the mapping provided in Figure 4.8 should not be considered a completerecord of all threatened species occurring in the study area.Two nationally significant threatened species have been sighted within the OFRCR (NPWS, 2009):Spotted-tail Quoll (Dasyurus maculatus maculatus), SE mainland population; andGrey-headed Flying-fox (Pteropus poliocephalus).According to DoL (2005), Mapping Areas 1, 2, 4, 5 and 6 were not found to contain threatened fauna,whilst within Mapping Area 3, the following species were recorded or had been previously recorded :Rosenbergs Goanna (Varanus rosenbergi);Glossy Black Cockatoo (Calyptorhynchus lathami);Red-crowned Toadlet (Pseudophyrne australis); andPowerful Owl (Ninox strenua).According to the NSW NPWS Wildlife Atlas (NPWS, 2009) seven threatened fauna species havebeen recorded within the OFRCR. These include: Rosenburgs Goanna (Varanus rosenbergi) (e.g. land parcel 16); Red Crowned Toadlet (Pseudophyrne australis) (e.g. land parcel 19); Black Bittern (Ixobrychus flavicollis ) (land parcel 163); Glossy Black Cockatoo (Calyptorhynchus lathami) (land parcel 58); Spotted-tail Quoll (Dasyurus maculatus) (land parcel 143); Grey-headed Flying Fox (Pteropus poliocephalus) (land parcel 60); and Eastern Bentwing Bat (Miniopterus schreibersii oceanensis) (land parcel 167).The Middle Creek Biodiversity Assessment by Smith and Smith (2008) indicated the presence ofspecies similar to NPWS (2009), with nine threatened species being recorded as present in and20 July 2010 Cardno (NSW/ACT) Pty Ltd Page 49H:\Doc\2010\Reports.2010\Rep2554v2.docDRAFT FOR PUBLIC EXHIBITION

Oxford Falls Regional Crown Reserve Plan of ManagementPrepared for NSW Land and Property Management Authorityaround the creek. In addition to some of those recorded by NPWS (2009), the following were alsorecorded:Giant Burrowing Frog (Heleioporus australiacus);Osprey (Pandion haliaetus);Powerful Owl (Ninox strenua); andEastern Bentwing Bat (Miniopterus schreibersii oceanensis).4.5 Bushfire RiskBushfire hazard is an important consideration for determining the capability of the land within theOFRCR and adjacent sites for development purposes. The Warringah LGA Bushfire Prone Land Map(NSW Rural Fire Service, 2003) indicates the following in relation to OFRCR land parcels Category 1 (highest category) – The majority of land parcels within the OFRCR are locatedwithin this category; Category 2 (intermediate category) – Three OFRCR land parcels (land parcels 24, 19 and 30)are located within Category 2 land; and Uncategorised Land (lowest category) - Two parcels (land parcels 12 and 62) are located onuncategorised land. Parcel 174 is also located primarily on uncategorised land (but alsoincorporates a small section of Category 2 land).Figure 4.9, which shows all bushfire prone land (Category 1 or 2 inclusive of buffer), indicates that themajority of OFRCR land parcels are located on bushfire prone land and that there are only very smallareas of unclassified land (parcels 12, 62 and 99).The bushfire hazard and risks identified for the three Mapping Areas by DoL (2005) are set out inTable 4.6.Table 4.6: Bushfire Classification of Mapping Areas (After: DoL, 2005)MappingAreaPart of MappingAreaBush Fire Hazard1 Whole High Major2 Whole High Major3Land parcel 12 (Lot1 DP 700298)Land parcel 62 (Lot971 DP 752038)EnvironmentalRiskCleared (urban) Insignificant MajorCleared (urban), Insignificant MinorCommunity RiskInsignificant ormoderate.Small areas along thebushland / urbaninterface on Crownland - majorInsignificant ormoderate.Small areas along thebushland / urbaninterface on Crownland - major20 July 2010 Cardno (NSW/ACT) Pty Ltd Page 50H:\Doc\2010\Reports.2010\Rep2554v2.docDRAFT FOR PUBLIC EXHIBITION

Oxford Falls Regional Crown Reserve Plan of ManagementPrepared for NSW Land and Property Management AuthorityMappingArea3 (cont.)Part of MappingAreaPart of parcel 70and 71 (Lots 1008and 1009 DP752038)Parcel 92 (Lot 7034DP 93795)Bush Fire HazardEnvironmentalRiskCleared (non-forest) Insignificant MajorCommunity RiskCleared (non-forest) Insignificant InsignificantOther areas High MajorInsignificant ormoderateSmall areas along thebushland / urbaninterface on Crownland - major4.6 Cultural HeritageThe Oxford Falls area comprises a number of heritage items and places which are of cultural andspiritual significance.4.6.1 Aboriginal HeritageThe traditional land owners within the Warringah LGA are the Guringai (Ku-ring-gai) people.Cultural heritage sites found within the Warringah area give evidence of the past occupation of theland by Aboriginal people and provide insight into the traditional culture of Aboriginal people. AnAboriginal place at Cromer Heights is heritage listed as a Registered Place on the Register of theNational Estate. There were also some 88 Aboriginal heritage items referenced by the onlineAboriginal Heritage Information Management System (AHIMS), including rock engravings, middensand shelters with art when an online database search was conducted for the Oxford Falls, Belroseand Cromer areas (DECC, 2009a). OFRCR land parcels which comprise or are in close proximity toAboriginal sites include land parcels 3, 4, 48, 59, 82, 84, 110, 112 & 113.Since the DoL (2005) study, the Sydney Metropolitan LALC has taken ownership of a portion of theland previously identified as Crown land (Section 4.1.2).4.6.2 Non-Indigenous HeritageNational Heritage ListingsA search on the Australian Heritage Database (DEWHA, 2009b) returned 28 results for the WarringahLGA. Those located around the OFRCR area are as follows (all listed as either Registered orIndicative places on the Register of the National Estate): Bantry Bay Public Magazine Flat Rock Track Killarney Heights, NSW, Australia -(Registered); Bantry Bay Reserve Area (former) Wakehurst Parkway Killarney Heights, NSW, Australia(Registered); Beacon Hill and Governor Phillip Lookout Reserves Willandra Rd Beacon Hill, NSW, Australia(Registered); Belrose Grevillea Caleyi Site Belrose, NSW, Australia (Indicative Place); Betty Moloney Garden 18 Hurdis Av Frenchs Forest, NSW, Australia (Indicative Place);20 July 2010 Cardno (NSW/ACT) Pty Ltd Page 51H:\Doc\2010\Reports.2010\Rep2554v2.docDRAFT FOR PUBLIC EXHIBITION

Oxford Falls Regional Crown Reserve Plan of ManagementPrepared for NSW Land and Property Management AuthorityDeep and Middle Creeks Area Wakehurst Pwy Narrabeen, NSW, Australia (Indicative Place);andNarrabeen Lagoon Catchment Wakehurst Pwy Narrabeen, NSW, Australia (Indicative Place).NSW Heritage ListingsA search on the State Heritage Database for NSW (DoP Heritage Branch, 2009) returned two resultsfor the Warringah LGA for Heritage items protected under the NSW Heritage Act. These are:Bantry Bay Explosives Depot, Killarney HeightsManly Dam, King Street (near) Manly ValeNeither of these heritage items are located within or adjacent to the OFRCR.Local Heritage ListingsThe Warringah Local Environmental Plan 2000 (WLEP2000) has a listing of approximately 150 itemsand areas which have local heritage significance, ranging from private dwellings, public buildings,gardens, reserves, commercial and industrial buildings, rock pools, landscape features to bus sheltersand memorials (Warringah Council, 2009b).A search on the State Heritage Database for NSW (DoP Heritage Branch, 2009a) returned 168results for heritage sites and places in the Warringah LGA listed by Local Government. Only six ofthese are located in the nearby suburbs of Oxford Falls, Wheeler Heights and Beacon Hill, and arelisted as follows:Governor Phillip Lookout Reserve, cnr Warringah Road and Willandra Road, Beacon Hill;James Wheeler Grave, 1 James Wheeler Place, Wheeler Heights;Oxford Falls Heritage Conservation Area, Adjacent Wakehurst Parkway and Oxford FallsRoad, Oxford Falls;Oxford Falls Public School, cnr Dreadnought Road and Wakehurst Parkway, Oxford Falls;Ruins of Wheeler Homestead, War Veteran's Home Land, Wheeler Heights; andWarringah Reservoir (WS 0131), Government Road, Beacon Hill.The two heritage items within the suburb of Oxford Falls are of particular relevance to this plan ofmanagement due to proximity to the OFRCR. Oxford Falls (the waterfall) which lies within land parcel122, makes up part of the Oxford Falls Heritage Conservation Area, whilst Oxford Falls Public Schoollies within the Oxford Falls Peace Park in close proximity to land parcels 82-85.No locally listed heritage items were returned for Cromer, Cromer Heights or Belrose.4.7 Land Usage4.7.1 Existing Recreational Amenity and AccessThere are a range of local recreational groups that utilise land within the Oxford Falls Area. Commonland-based recreational activities that are undertaken within the OFRCR are outlined in Table 4.7 andmapped in Figure 4.10.For several land parcels, the types of recreational uses that are permitted on that land parcel areunclear.There is also a management issue relating to the differing management practices for Crown land andNational Parks land. It is noted that some types of recreational activities are permitted on Crown land,but not on National Parks land. On the ground, the boundaries between Crown land parcels and20 July 2010 Cardno (NSW/ACT) Pty Ltd Page 52H:\Doc\2010\Reports.2010\Rep2554v2.docDRAFT FOR PUBLIC EXHIBITION

Oxford Falls Regional Crown Reserve Plan of ManagementPrepared for NSW Land and Property Management Authorityadjoining lands (e.g. Garigal National Park which is managed by DECCW) are not always clearlydefined or delineated, and this can cause confusion for recreational users. Where sign posting is notprovided, recreational users may inadvertently engage in non-permitted activities, being unaware thatthey have crossed the boundary between these two types of lands. This represents a managementissue for both LPMA and DECCW.Any recreational usage of Crown land is permitted under the CL Act. Therefore, there are no specificrestrictions on recreational usage of OFRCR lands. However, trail bike riding is considered to beinappropriate within the OFRCR due to the environmental sensitivity of the Reserve lands. WithinNational Park lands, recreational usage is more restricted. Walking and picnicking are permitted,while mountain biking and horse riding are not permitted - except on designated management tracks.Trail bike riding is not permitted in the National Park.The current use of parcel 92 as an informal bike track is not permitted under the Warringah LEP andthis situation will continue under the draft LEP due to the land use zoning. This is a particular issuegiven the presence of threatened vegetation on the site.Table 4.7: Primary Land-Based Recreational Activities Undertaken in and around the OFRCR (After DoL,2005)ActivityWalking,bushwalking,joggingLand Parcel IDNo.Lot and DP Numbers46 Lot 192 DP 752038 Yes108, 110, 113 &114Lot 7036 DP 93795 and Lots 825,829 & 830 DP 75203816, 20 & 21 Lots 161, 165 & 166 DP 752038(Five Mile Creek Trail)63 & 64 Lots 978 DP 752038 & Lot 2 DP808682Authorised Use?YesYesYes134, 135 & 142 Lot 1015, 1029 & 1030 DP 752038 Yes122 Lot 1043 DP 752038 (Oxford FallsWaterfall)83 & 84 Part Lots 1 and 2 DP 853151 andpart Lot 2869 DP 824056 (OxfordFalls Peace Park)174 Unsurveyed Crown land adjoiningCromer Golf CourseYesYesYes173 Lot 7061 DP 93798 Yes137 Lot 1132 DP 752038 Yes138 Lot 198 DP 752038 (at waterfall) YesPicnicking 173 Lot 7061 DP 93798 Yes138 Lot 198 DP 752038 (at waterfall) YesDog exercising 173 Lot 7061 DP 93798 Yes20 July 2010 Cardno (NSW/ACT) Pty Ltd Page 53H:\Doc\2010\Reports.2010\Rep2554v2.docDRAFT FOR PUBLIC EXHIBITION

Oxford Falls Regional Crown Reserve Plan of ManagementPrepared for NSW Land and Property Management AuthorityActivityHorse riding andhorse trainingLand Parcel IDNo.Lot and DP Numbers35 & 46 Lots 179 and 192 DP 752038 YesAuthorised Use?14 Lot 146 DP 752038 Unauthorised horsearena81 Lot 1064 DP 752038 Unauthorised horsearena13 Lot 6 DP 700298 Yes134, 135 & 142 Lots 1015, 1029 & 1030 DP 752038 Yes128 Lot 1034 DP 752038 Yes44 Lot 181 DP 752038 Yes126 Lots 1036 DP 752038 Yes137 Lot 1132 DP 752038 YesMountain biking(pedal)35 & 46 Lots 179 and 192 DP 752038 Yes108, 110, 113 &114Lot 7036 DP 93795 and Lots 825,829 & 830 DP 752038Yes16, 20 & 21 Lots 161, 165 & 166 DP 752038(Five Mile Creek Trail)Yes92 Lot 7034 DP 93795 No*134, 135 & 142 Lot 1015, 1029 & 1030 DP 752038 Yes128 Lot 1034 DP 752038 Yes38-42 Lots 2857 & 2858 DP 48272, Lots109 & 117 DP 752038, Lot 7029 DP1030769No126 Lots 1036 DP 752038 Yes137 Lot 1132 DP 752038 YesTrail biking(motorised)35 & 46 Lots 179 and 192 DP 752038 Yes92 Lot 7034 DP 93795 No*108, 110, 113 &114Lot 7036 DP 93795 and Lots 825,829 & 830 DP 752038Yes16, 20 & 21 Lot 1015, 1029 & 1030 DP 752038 Yes38-42 Lots 2857 & 2858 DP 48272, Lots109 & 117 DP 752038, Lot 7029 DP1030769No126 Lots 1036 DP 752038 Yes137 Lot 1132 DP 752038 Yes20 July 2010 Cardno (NSW/ACT) Pty Ltd Page 54H:\Doc\2010\Reports.2010\Rep2554v2.docDRAFT FOR PUBLIC EXHIBITION

Oxford Falls Regional Crown Reserve Plan of ManagementPrepared for NSW Land and Property Management AuthorityActivityLand Parcel IDNo.Lot and DP NumbersAuthorised Use?radio-Flyingcontrolledaircraft38-42 Lots 2857 & 2858 DP 48272, Lots109 & 117 DP 752038, Lot 7029 DP1030769Yes (under licence)*LPMA has attempted to negotiate the use of this land parcel (predominately by bike users), through avenuessuch as consideration of a lease arrangement.Other recreational activities that are carried out within the OFRCR and surrounding areas which wereless defined in previous studies include:Bird watching;Fishing;Kayaking, canoeing and rowing;Swimming;Power boating;Windsurfing and kitesurfing; andSailing.Water-based recreational activities are likely to be carried out in Narrabeen Lagoon, and although notpart of the OFRCR, water-based recreational users may be likely to utilise OFRCR land parcels,particularly those adjoining Narrabeen Lagoon (land parcels 173 and 174).Current recreational amenities exist within land parcel 173 at Middle Creek Reserve and includepublic toilets, picnic benches and barbeques.Recreational Clubs in the area include:Northern Beaches Mountain Biking Group;Manly Warringah Mountain Bike Club;Warringah Radio Control Society;Narrabeen Lagoon Sailing Club;Garigal District Scouts; andGarigal Rovers.4.7.2 Future Recreational DemandsA Recreation Strategy Plan was produced for the Warringah LGA (Suter and Associates, 1998) toprovide strategic direction for Council in regard to the provision and management of recreation withinWarringah. The below points are relevant to the current and future recreational management of theOFRCR. In relation to current and future recreational demands, the strategy identified that there is aneed for the following (Suter and Associates, 1998):A greater emphasis on less structured recreation areas, particularly:o Walking and cycling trails that create and improve linkages between open space andcommunity facilities;o Picnic and barbecue areas;o Grassed areas available for casual play and use;More structured and unstructured recreation opportunities for young people, including:o Multi-purpose skating and rollerblading facilities;o Hard surface areas for ball games and general activity;o Places to meet and socialise;o Information on and access to recreation activities;20 July 2010 Cardno (NSW/ACT) Pty Ltd Page 55H:\Doc\2010\Reports.2010\Rep2554v2.docDRAFT FOR PUBLIC EXHIBITION

Oxford Falls Regional Crown Reserve Plan of ManagementPrepared for NSW Land and Property Management AuthorityProvision of accessible areas and facilities, particularly with the trend towards an ageingcommunity;Emphasis on upgrades to existing facilities rather than development of new facilities,including:o Warringah Aquatic Centre;o Sporting and public amenity buildings;o Community centres;o Local playgrounds;o Rock pools;o Sporting grounds (particularly irrigation and drainage upgrades);A more coordinated approach to managing Council-owned facilities, with an emphasis onensuring access to the broad community and the provision of a range of recreationopportunities;Protection and enhancement of the natural environment so that it can continue to provideunique and appreciated settings for recreation;Warringah Council to continue being the catalyst for community participation in recreation bytaking an active role in initiating and guiding recreation programs and activities;A greater emphasis on recreation programs and activities to meet changing communitydemographics and needs, particularly:o Outdoor and less structured activities, e.g. walking, surfing etc.;o Health and fitness;o Cultural and arts activities;o Addressing the needs of specific target groups, e.g. youth, older adults etc.;o Improved design and promotion of information on recreation opportunities; andFormation of stronger partnerships with the community, adjoining Councils and other levels ofgovernment, in the provision and management of community facilities and services.Commensurate with LEP zonings, a range of recreational activities may be undertaken within theReserve in the future, including:Skate board ramp;Paint-ball centre;Mini-golf centre;Go-kart track;Equestrian centre;Lawn bowling green; and/orWater-ski centre.4.7.3 Visitation and TourismThe OFRCR and surrounding areas enjoy a prime coastal location which can be an attractivedestination for visitors and tourists from local areas and other regions in NSW and beyond. Theproximity of the area to the Sydney CBD also plays a part in this. Locations that are likely to beprimary visitation areas within and around the OFRCR are outlined in Table 4.8:Table 4.8: Examples of Primary Recreational Locations and Associated Activities within and around theOFRCRLocationNarrabeen Lagoon foreshores, includingMiddle Creek Reserve and Jamison ParkReserve.Example of ActivitiesBushwalking along Narrabeen Lagoon foreshore,kayaking, swimming.20 July 2010 Cardno (NSW/ACT) Pty Ltd Page 56H:\Doc\2010\Reports.2010\Rep2554v2.docDRAFT FOR PUBLIC EXHIBITION

Oxford Falls Regional Crown Reserve Plan of ManagementPrepared for NSW Land and Property Management AuthorityLocationOxford FallsLizard RockBeacon Hill Reserve and Governor PhillipLookoutGarigal National ParkNorthern BeachesExample of ActivitiesBushwalking to the waterfall.Bushwalking nearby.Picnicking, dog walking and bushwalking.Bushwalking on one of many tracks.Picnicking/BBQ, swimming and surfing.A number of events are held within the Warringah LGA including:Warringah Council’s Possum Magic Festival;Warringah Art Exhibition;Warringah’s National Tree Day;Performances and shows at the Glen Street Theatre, Belrose;Narrabeen Beach Challenge (ocean kayaking); andFenn Cup Series (ocean kayaking).The Sydney Academy of Sport and Recreation provides camps and activity programs for communitygroups and families which are likely to draw people from a range of areas. Programs include outdooreducation, corporate team-building and sports science.Cromer Golf Course held the NSW Golf Association 2009 NSW Foursomes Championship in August,which attracted visitors from across the state.4.7.4 Commercial OperatorsA number of OFRCR land parcels are held under licence by commercial operators. A commercialoperation is considered here to be an activity which provides direct or relatively direct income orrevenue to the leaseholder. Table 4.9 provides details of these. Income details for land parcels heldunder tenure are provided in the economic review (Section Error! Reference source not found., TableF.).Table 4.9: Commercial Tenures within the OFRCR (After DoL, 2005)LandLotParcel DP No. Tenure Current Commercial UseNo.ID No.45 183 752038 L156030, L6678 Grazing (including dam and pipeline)91 1082 752038 L168445 Grazing89 2627 752038 L192632 Grazing, market garden and orchard44 181 752038 L199849 Grazing, nursery, storage shed90 1084 752038 L302720, L431972 Dam and pipeline73 2640 752038 L346092, L76239 Pig and poultry farm20 July 2010 Cardno (NSW/ACT) Pty Ltd Page 57H:\Doc\2010\Reports.2010\Rep2554v2.docDRAFT FOR PUBLIC EXHIBITION

Oxford Falls Regional Crown Reserve Plan of ManagementPrepared for NSW Land and Property Management AuthorityLandParcelID No.LotNo.DP No. Tenure Current Commercial Use56 964 752038 Several licences Telstra mobile phone towersOther commercial activities which operate in close proximity to the OFRCR include:Cromer Golf Club; andThe Sydney Academy of Sport and Recreation.Commercial opportunities within certain land parcels of the OFRCR may not be fully realisedcurrently. There may be some potential to further explore a very limited number of commercialoperations for certain land parcels within the OFRCR, in accordance with the ecological and socioculturalvalues of the area.4.8 Visual Amenity and Landscape CharacterThe OFRCR has particularly high scenic value and comprises areas of relatively intact naturalvegetation, ecological features and landforms, with extensive views from higher reaches andridgetops looking down to areas such as the Oxford Falls Valley and the east coast of NSW.Lookouts contribute to the scenic and aesthetic amenity of the area and include Governor PhillipLookout, Beacon Hill and other lookouts at Red Hill Reserve, Deep Creek Reserve and alongLindhurst Way, Belrose. Views of the water along the Narrabeen foreshores are also prominent andadd to the character of the landscape. Informal lookouts include those from OFRCR land parcelssuch as 101 (distant views to ocean) and from Corymbia Circuit onto 70 (bushland views).Photographs demonstrating the landscape character of the area can be found in Appendix C (Photos9, 10, 17, 22, 29 and 30). Access to these areas is important for the local community as well asvisitors and tourists to experience the landscape character of the OFRCR and its surrounds.4.9 Existing Infrastructure and AssetsSewerage InfrastructureMost sewerage infrastructure owned and operated by Sydney Water Corporation is located in theresidential areas to the south of the study area. There are limited services to most OFRCR landparcels. Land parcels adjacent to Morgan Road, Maybrook Avenue, Little Willandra Road andWakehurst Parkway are generally located within close proximity to sewer mains, whilst sewerinfrastructure can be found on Crown Land within OFRCR land parcels 63, 64, 80, 102-104, 166, 168,and 169.Water InfrastructureWater utilities operated by Sydney Water Corporation service residential lots to the south of theOFRCR, and infrastructure can be found along roads with residential properties such as MorganRoad, Wearden Road, Oxford Falls Road, Little Willandra Road and Maybrook Avenue.OFRCR land parcels that lie within close proximity to water mains include 23, 24, 28-31, 63, 64, 66-72, 85, 95, 97 (crosses through the lot), and 102-104.Electricity and Telecommunications InfrastructureElectricity and telecommunications infrastructure exists on the following land parcels (DoL, 2005):20 July 2010 Cardno (NSW/ACT) Pty Ltd Page 58H:\Doc\2010\Reports.2010\Rep2554v2.docDRAFT FOR PUBLIC EXHIBITION

Oxford Falls Regional Crown Reserve Plan of ManagementPrepared for NSW Land and Property Management Authority24 – Cable TV cable crossing lot;33 – High voltage easement;47 – Powerlines;56 – 132kv power transmission line and telecommunication tower;70 – High voltage lines (adjacent to this lot);95 – Powerline crossing lot;97 – Powerlines;101 – Powerline easement and power line crossing lot;106, 108, 110 and 112 – Power lines crossing lot; and169 – 132kv power transmission line;4.10 Rapid Spatial AssessmentBased on the site inspection, data compilation and review and initial stakeholder consultation, theOFRCR was found to have substantial significance with respect to a range of different features,including catchment protection, environmental protection (including flora and fauna), recreational use,cultural heritage and visual character.For this reason, a Rapid Spatial Assessment was undertaken in order to summarise the findings ofthe Land Assessment (DoL, 2005) in conjunction with the additional information compiled during thedata compilation and review stage (Task 2 of the scope of works). Using spatial modelling techniquesin a Geographical Information System (GIS), a Rapid Spatial Assessment (RSA) of values and riskwas performed to summarise the inherent values and risks associated with each individual land parcelwithin the OFRCR. Table 4.10 provides a summary of the 12 land characteristics that were used inthe RSA, as well as the values and/or risks associated with these characteristics.Table 4.10: Summary of Attributes used in Rapid Spatial AssessmentLand Characteristic Value/Risk Data Source1. Riparian Buffer Zones Catchment Protection ValuesEnvironmental Protection ValuesWarringah Council GIS,Cardno analysis2. Wildlife Corridors Environmental Protection Values Warringah Council GIS3. Indigenous Heritage Cultural Heritage Values DECCW (AHIMS)4. Non-Indigenous Heritage Cultural Heritage Values Warringah Council GIS5.Threatened Habitat Areas including Environmental Protection Values Warringah Council GISEndangered Ecological Communities6. Core Bushland Habitat Environmental Protection Values Warringah Council GIS7. Recreation Areas Recreation Values Warringah Council GIS8. Areas with a Slope >10% Catchment Protection ValuesHazards and RiskWarringah Council GIS,Cardno analysis9. Bushfire Prone Land (Category 1, Catchment Protection Values Warringah Council GISCategory 2 and/or buffer)Hazards and Risk10. Acid Sulfate Soils Risk Catchment Protection Values Warringah Council GISHazards and Risk11. Extreme Erosion Hazard Catchment Protection ValuesHazards and Risk12. Flooding Hazard (land within the100 year ARI extent)Hazards and RiskDNR and Chapman,G.A & Murphy, C.L.(1989)Warringah Council GISFor the RSA, each land parcel was assessed and given a value of either “0” (indicating that the landcharacteristic was not present) or “1” (indicating that the land characteristic was present on part or allof the land parcel). These values were summed to give a score from 0 to 12. The outcome of theRSA was therefore a score for each land parcel within the OFRCR that provides an indication of the20 July 2010 Cardno (NSW/ACT) Pty Ltd Page 59H:\Doc\2010\Reports.2010\Rep2554v2.docDRAFT FOR PUBLIC EXHIBITION

Oxford Falls Regional Crown Reserve Plan of ManagementPrepared for NSW Land and Property Management Authoritykey attributes or values associated with each land parcel. The scores also provide some guidance tothe Reserve Trust as to what type of activities might be compatible with the features of an individualland parcel. Land parcels that received higher scores are likely to have a larger number of significantattributes that relate to the value and use of that area. Strategic identification of future usage of theseland parcels is therefore likely to be important.The lower and upper limit rapid spatial assessment scores are as follows:0 = no significant value in terms of the attributes listed in Table 4.10; and12 = significant inherent value combined with significant natural hazards and risk to land use.Scores in between these two extremes represent a continuum whereby combinations of differentattributes (values or risks) are associated with each land parcel.These scores are intended for use as a guide to site-specific values and risks only. However ingeneral terms, sites with a high score are more likely to be retained for conservation and recreation,while sites with a lower score are more likely to be allocated a new land use in keeping with theobjectives of the OFRCR.For example, land parcel 172 received a score of 10 because the following ten attributes were foundto be present on this land parcel: Riparian Buffer Zones; Wildlife Corridors; Non-Indigenous Heritage; Threatened Habitat Areas including Endangered Ecological Communities; Core Bushland/Habitat; Recreation Areas; Areas with a Slope >10%; Bushfire Prone Land (Category 1, Category 2 and/or buffer); Acid Sulfate Soils Risk; and Extreme Erosion Hazard.Based on the presence of these attributes within land parcel 172, LMPA may decide to designate theprimary purpose of this land parcel as environmental protection and recreation within the Plan ofManagement.The results of the assessment have been tabulated and are provided in Appendix D.4.10.1 LimitationsThe rapid spatial assessment provides an overview of the main landscape characteristics and givesan indication of which land parcels may be suitable for certain land uses. However, there arelimitations of the assessment, as follows:Only a limited number of characteristics were considered by the assessment;Each characteristic was equally weighted (i.e. slope was considered to have equal influenceon future land use as presence of a threatened habitat);Spatial data, which was gathered from a number of sources (e.g. DECCW and WarringahCouncil), may contain some inaccuracies; andPotential for as yet unknown items such as threatened species or Aboriginal heritage itemsmay exist.These limitations mean that the results achieved from this assessment should be used as a guide tovalues and risks rather than a definitive basis for decision-making.20 July 2010 Cardno (NSW/ACT) Pty Ltd Page 60H:\Doc\2010\Reports.2010\Rep2554v2.docDRAFT FOR PUBLIC EXHIBITION

Oxford Falls Regional Crown Reserve Plan of ManagementPrepared for NSW Land and Property Management Authority4.10.2 Environmentally Sensitive LandsEnvironmentally sensitive lands incorporate those parcels which are likely to be more suited toenvironmental protection and low intensity community use/recreation due to high biodiversity,catchment, cultural heritage or recreation values. Particularly environmentally sensitive lands arelikely to include land parcels that received higher scores in the rapid spatial assessment.The highest returned value in the rapid spatial assessment for all land parcels was 10 (out of 12).One land parcel (172) returned a score of 10, meaning that ten out of 12 land characteristics werepresent and that environmental protection and passive recreational uses are likely to be moresuitable.A score of 9 out of 12 was returned for 18 land parcels. Similarly, environmental protection andpassive recreational uses are likely to be more suitable for these areas. Land parcel 122, forexample, comprises Oxford Falls (the waterfall). The following land parcels returned a score of 9: 122 133 141 146 147 149 151 154 156 157 160 161 163 164 167 169 170 171These findings are consistent with the preferred land use (DoL, 2005), which categorised all theabove land parcels as ‘Green’ Areas, being lands classified for “Environment/Community”. Inaddition, these findings are also consistent with the Mapping Areas from the land assessment (DoL,2005). All the above land parcels had previously been assigned to Mapping Area 1 (suitable forenvironmental protection and low intensity recreation (natural or semi-natural) and not suitable forurban development).4.10.3 Less Environmentally Sensitive LandsLess environmentally sensitive lands incorporate those parcels which are likely to be capable ofsustaining slightly more intensive uses (e.g. recreational uses) as they possess slightly lowerbiodiversity, catchment or cultural heritage values, or are subject to lower levels of environmental risk.Some of these parcels may be considered suitable for disposal subject to additional, detailed studiesat these locations.The lowest returned value in the rapid spatial assessment for land parcels was 2 out of 12. Only oneland parcel received this score (land parcel 62), with only two out of 12 land characteristics present forthis land parcels. A score of 3 out of 12 was returned for 8 land parcels, as listed below: 12 28 30 31 32 99 116 118.These findings are relatively consistent with the preferred land use (DoL, 2005), which categorisedthe majority of the above land parcels as ‘Orange’ Areas, being lands classified for “InvestigateDisposal”.20 July 2010 Cardno (NSW/ACT) Pty Ltd Page 61H:\Doc\2010\Reports.2010\Rep2554v2.docDRAFT FOR PUBLIC EXHIBITION

Oxford Falls Regional Crown Reserve Plan of ManagementPrepared for NSW Land and Property Management Authority5 Management StudyIn accordance with Task 3 of the scope of works (Section 1.6), this section summarises themanagement context in terms of the values and significance of the OFRCR lands (Section 5.1) andkey management issues identified during the course of this study (Section 5.2). Based on thisinformation, a series of goals for management (Section 5.3) have been developed and a number ofmanagement options proposed for consideration for inclusion as actions in the plan of management(Section 5.4). Under the plan, specific actions for implementation would be selected annually duringthe forward planning and prioritisation process.5.1 Values and SignificanceThe values and significance of the OFRCR lands have been assessed based on the feedbackprovided by stakeholders (Section 2.3), and the data compilation and review process detailed inSection 4. Determining the values and significance of the OFRCR and surrounding areas formed animportant step in setting the context for the management goals (Section 5.3).5.1.1 Catchment ProtectionNarrabeen Lagoon CatchmentNarrabeen Lagoon catchment provides habitat for a range flora and fauna species and is comprisedof many varying vegetation communities including Peppermint Angophora Forest and Water FernSwamp (Smith and Smith 2005b). The lagoon itself provides habitat (such as seagrass beds) forbirds, fish and invertebrates. The lagoon and foreshore areas form part of a wildlife corridor whichlinks Long Reef Headland, Dee Why Lagoon and South Creek to the Warriewood Wetlands(Warringah Council, 2009a). The area also provides extensive and significant areas for recreationalusers, providing for activities such as bushwalking, cycling and mountain biking, swimming, kayakingand boating (Section 4.7.1).TributariesTributary creeks such as Middle, Snake, Wheeler, Deep, South and Oxford Creeks have high levelsof species diversity and abundance. A biodiversity study of Wheeler Creek (NPA, 2001) recorded atotal of 11 mammal species, 13 reptile species and rare species of birds not seen in similar bushlandnearby, whilst Smith and Smith (2008), indicate that Middle Creek supports a rich biodiversity of floraand fauna. Narrabeen Lagoon, Middle Creek and South Creek are all considered by NSW DII to beKey Fish Habitat.Parks and ReservesGarigal National ParkGarigal National Park lies to the north and south of the OFRCR, with some OFRCR land parcels lyingdirectly adjacent to the northern areas of the National Park (e.g. land parcels 38, 39, 40, 169, 171 and172). Parts of Garigal National Park lie within the Narrabeen Lagoon catchment and provide habitatlinkages and wildlife corridors between the OFRCR, Ku-ring-gai Chase National Park, the NarrabeenLagoon foreshores and other bushland areas in the Warringah LGA. The park is a source of extensivenatural habitats and species diversity and abundance.20 July 2010 Cardno (NSW/ACT) Pty Ltd Page 62H:\Doc\2010\Reports.2010\Rep2554v2.docDRAFT FOR PUBLIC EXHIBITION

Oxford Falls Regional Crown Reserve Plan of ManagementPrepared for NSW Land and Property Management AuthorityWheeler Creek ReserveThe National Parks Association (NPA) owns a portion of land in Wheeler Creek Valley which ismanaged as a flora and fauna reserve and shares boundaries on two sides with OFRCR land. Thisland is held under a Voluntary Conservation Agreement with Natural Areas Ltd so that it can beconserved and protected.Narrabeen Head Aquatic ReserveThe Narrabeen Head Aquatic Reserve includes the whole foreshore from the southern end ofTurimetta Beach to the rock baths at Narrabeen Head, extending 100 metres seawards from meanlow water. Although not located directly adjacent to the OFRCR, the Narrabeen Head AquaticReserve is located within close proximity to Narrabeen Lagoon and may therefore be influenced bycatchment inputs to the lagoon. The reserve incorporates a combination of estuarine and oceanicinfluences, supports a wide variety of marine life and has educational value with respect to catchmentconservation (DECC, 2009b).5.1.2 Environmental Protection – Flora and FaunaThe OFRCR and surrounding areas comprise diverse habitats which have given rise to a range offlora and fauna species. Flora, fauna and vegetation community surveys undertaken for theWarringah LGA by Smith and Smith (2002, 2005a, 2005b) indicate that a range of species can befound in the area, including a number of threatened species. A rapid fauna habitat assessmentconducted by Sydney Metropolitan Catchment Management Authority (SMCMA, 2008) assessed 50sites within the Sydney catchment area for biodiversity values. Narrabeen Lakes was ranked in the“Highest” category in terms of fauna values, whilst Garigal-Oxford Falls was ranked in the “Very High”category.In addition to this:24 flora and fauna species found in the area are listed as threatened under theCommonwealth EPBC Act (DEWHA, 2009a); and15 flora species and 32 fauna species found in the area are listed as threatened under theTSC Act (NPWS, 2009).EECs found in the Narrabeen catchment include Swamp Sclerophyll Forest on Coastal Floodplains(Smith and Smith, 2005b). Smith and Smith (2002, 2005a, 2005b) also indicated that:Local habitats are associated with high rates of diversity and abundance of different flora andfauna species; andWildlife corridors link with Garigal National Park and Ku-ring-gai Chase National Park.In addition to this, the following were noted within the Warringah LGA (excluding national parks)(Smith and Smith, 2002, 2005a, 2005b):17 locally significant flora species within the Warringah LGA; 10 locally significant fauna species within the Warringah LGA (5 reptile, 4 bird and 1mammal); 176 regionally significant flora species within the northern Sydney region; 32 regionally significant fauna species within the northern Sydney region (5 frog, 5 reptile, 18bird and 4 mammal); Endangered species listed under bilateral and multilateral agreements (e.g. JAMBA, CAMBAand ROKAMBA).20 July 2010 Cardno (NSW/ACT) Pty Ltd Page 63H:\Doc\2010\Reports.2010\Rep2554v2.docDRAFT FOR PUBLIC EXHIBITION

Oxford Falls Regional Crown Reserve Plan of ManagementPrepared for NSW Land and Property Management Authority5.1.3 Visual CharacterElements such as landforms, vegetation, buildings and infrastructure contributes to the overallcharacter of the landscape and has a bearing on the way in which an area is experienced and valuedby people (The Landscape Institute and IEMA, 2008). Visual amenity and the landscape character ofthe OFRCR and surrounding areas are particularly significant for residents and visitors. The naturaland built environment may evoke sensory, cultural and spiritual responses and is likely to contributesubstantially to the quality of life of users and nearby residents. Formal and informal lookouts withinthe area incorporate views of local bushland, water and the ocean, and are particularly important incontributing to the scenic and aesthetic quality of the area (Section 4.8). Narrabeen Lagoon is aprominent landscape feature, and views of the water along the Narrabeen foreshores are particularlyscenic.5.1.4 Cultural and Recreational ValuesThe OFRCR and surrounding areas is of significance for Aboriginal people, namely the GuringaiAboriginal people and representative bodies such as the Metropolitan Local Aboriginal Land Council.A number of Aboriginal heritage items and places can be found in the area. These sites are valuedbecause they give evidence of the past occupation of the land by Aboriginal people and provideinsight into their cultural traditions (Section 4.6.1).The OFRCR holds particularly significant recreational value. Recreational activities carried out withinthe OFRCR include bushwalking, mountain biking and horse riding. Recreational clubs which utiliseland within the OFRCR include:Northern Beaches Mountain Biking Group;Manly Warringah Mountain Bike Club;Warringah Radio Control Society; andGarigal District Scouts.There are many tracks and trails in the OFRCR which are used by a range of different recreationaluser groups on a regular basis. Linkages and access to these tracks and trails is highly valued byrecreational users.5.1.5 Summary of ValuesA summary of the significance and values of the OFRCR and surrounding areas is given in Table 5.1.Table 5.1: Significance and Values of the OFRCR and Surrounding AreasScale Significance ValuesCatchment ProtectionLocal› The Narrabeen Lagoon catchment iscomprised of many varying vegetationcommunities including PeppermintAngophora Forest and Water FernSwamp.› Tributaries within the catchment, suchas Middle Creek and Wheeler Creeksupport high rates of diversity andabundance of different flora andfauna species.› The OFRCR lands are important inmaintaining water quality suitable foraquatic ecosystem health andrecreational usage both within theReserve and in Narrabeen Lagoon.Regional/State› Narrabeen Lagoon and its foreshoresform part of a wildlife corridor whichlinks Long Reef Headland, Dee Why20 July 2010 Cardno (NSW/ACT) Pty Ltd Page 64H:\Doc\2010\Reports.2010\Rep2554v2.docDRAFT FOR PUBLIC EXHIBITION

Oxford Falls Regional Crown Reserve Plan of ManagementPrepared for NSW Land and Property Management AuthorityScale Significance ValuesLagoon and South Creek toWarriewood Wetlands.National› EECs that are found in the Narrabeencatchment include Bangalay AlluvialForest and Swamp Sclerophyll Foreston Coastal Floodplains.› Catchment links with Garigal NationalPark.Environmental Protection – Flora and FaunaLocalRegional/StateNational› Local habitats are associated withhigh rates of diversity and abundanceof different flora and fauna species.› 17 locally significant flora specieswithin the Warringah LGA (Smith andSmith, 2005b).› 10 locally significant fauna specieswithin the Warringah LGA (5 reptile, 4bird and 1 mammal) (Smith andSmith, 2005a).› 176 regionally significant flora specieswithin the northern Sydney region(Smith and Smith, 2005b).› 32 regionally significant fauna specieswithin the northern Sydney region (5frog, 5 reptile, 18 bird and 4 mammal)(Smith and Smith, 2005a); and› 15 flora species and 32 fauna speciesare listed as threatened under theTSC Act (NPWS, 2009).› 24 flora and fauna species are listedas threatened under theCommonwealth EPBC Act (DEWHA,2009a);› Wildlife corridors link with GarigalNational Park and Ku-ring-gai ChaseNational Park;› The Wheeler Heights Area is listed onthe RNE as an Indigenous Place;› Narrabeen Head Aquatic Reserve is amarine protected area in Australia.› OFRCR lands perform an importantfunction in terms of biodiversityconservation through themaintenance of significant areas ofnatural habitat for rare and threatenedflora and fauna species.InternationalVisual Character› Endangered species listed underbilateral and multilateral agreements(e.g. JAMBA, CAMBA andROKAMBA).Local› Extensive bushland vistas and oceanviews.Regional/State › Views of significant landscapefeatures such as Narrabeen Lagoon,› The landform provides for a range ofviews, characterised by the naturalbushland setting of the area.20 July 2010 Cardno (NSW/ACT) Pty Ltd Page 65H:\Doc\2010\Reports.2010\Rep2554v2.docDRAFT FOR PUBLIC EXHIBITION

Oxford Falls Regional Crown Reserve Plan of ManagementPrepared for NSW Land and Property Management AuthorityScale Significance ValuesOxford Falls Valley and the NorthernBeaches.NationalHuman Use and Enjoyment› Views towards and from GarigalNational Park.› The Beacon Hill and Governor PhillipLookout Reserve, and Manly Damand Surrounds are listed on the RNEas Natural Heritage Places.LocalRegional/StateNational› Significance for the GuringaiAboriginal people and theMetropolitan Local Aboriginal LandCouncil, including Aboriginal heritageitems;› Extensive recreational usage of theOFRCR and surrounding areas bylocal people on a regular basis;› Place for activities for variousrecreational clubs and organisations;and› Cultural significance of non-Aboriginalheritage items which exist in the area.› Attractive destination for tourists fromother areas in NSW;› Bushwalks such as the NarrabeenLakes to Manly Lagoon walk;› Oxford Falls Peace Park is ofrecreational and historical/heritagesignificance; and› Events such as the NSW GolfAssociation 2009 NSW FoursomesChampionship held at Cromer GolfClub.› The Beacon Hill and Governor PhillipLookout Reserve, and Manly Damand Surrounds are listed on the RNEas Natural Heritage Places; and› Recreational links (such as walkingtracks and trails) to Garigal NationalPark and Ku-ring-gai Chase NationalPark.› The OFRCR lands form part of anarea that has traditionally heldsignificance for local Aboriginalpeople.› The Reserve lands represent animportant regional recreationalresource for a range of different usergroups, commensurate with theenvironmental values of the land.5.2 Existing Management ModelAs discussed in Section 1.4.2, the Management Strategy for the Reserve lands prepared by DoL(2006) identified that there currently exists a fragmented and piecemeal approach to management ofthe land parcels making up the OFRCR, as illustrated in Figure 5.1.The flow chart also provides an indication of the various sources of income and expenditures relatedto each of the five categories of management regime for the various land parcels.20 July 2010 Cardno (NSW/ACT) Pty Ltd Page 66H:\Doc\2010\Reports.2010\Rep2554v2.docDRAFT FOR PUBLIC EXHIBITION

Oxford Falls Regional Crown Reserve Plan of ManagementPrepared for NSW Land and Property Management AuthorityFigure 5.1: Current Management Model20 July 2010 Cardno (NSW/ACT) Pty Ltd Page 67H:\Doc\2010\Reports.2010\Rep2554v2.docDRAFT FOR PUBLIC EXHIBITION

Oxford Falls Regional Crown Reserve Plan of ManagementPrepared for NSW Land and Property Management AuthorityCurrently the various land parcels making up the Reserve are not held under a single Trust and thereare various managers for different clusters of land parcels. The LPMA, the Ministerial Corporation(Min Corp, part of the LPMA) and Warringah Council are collectively responsible for the managementof all lands within the OFRCR.Figure 5.2 shows land parcels under management by the respective authorities The figure indicatesthe fragmented operational management of the OFRCR that currently includes a number ofrelationships and interdependencies:Council: As trust manager of, for example, the Wakehurst Parkway Trust, Council receivesfinancial support from the LPMA. Council also generates funds for management from grantsand levies obtained by Council for the management of land parcels within the RCR undertheir management (parcels either under trusts or devolved lands from LPMA).LPMA: Maintains direct management responsibility for a number of parcels within the OxfordFall RCR which are currently not part of any trust or devolved to council.Min Corp: Has specific management responsibilities for land parcels falling within the OxfordFalls Reserve Trust. Min Corp receives financial support from LPMA to manage the relevantlands.Figure 5.3 shows the distribution of income from OFRCR lands.In an agreed variation to the original scope of works (Section 1.6), an economic assessment of theexisting management model has been undertaken (refer to Appendix F). The economic analysishighlights the inefficiencies associated with this management model.In summary, the key constraints associated with the existing management model are:Different land parcels making up the OFRCR are managed by different parties, resulting in anuncoordinated approach;Integrated management is difficult; andOpportunities to re-distribute funds amongst land parcels is limited.Generally, this fragmented approach fails to provide a coordinated regional approach in the delivery ofsocial and economic benefits to the Oxford Falls region (DoL, 2006). Therefore, the continuation ofthe existing management model is not recommended.5.3 Management IssuesA range of management issues were identified through both the stakeholder consultation (Section 2)and from previous studies, including the DoL Land Use Assessment (2005) and OFRCR ManagementStrategy (DoL, 2006). These management issues effectively represent a conflict with the recognisedvalue of the Reserve lands and the objectives for the management of Crown lands. They wereidentified so as to provide a basis for management objectives and goals for the plan of management,and also to assist in the development of management options for the OFRCR (Section 6).The 52 management issues identified for the OFRCR are presented in Table 5.2. The managementcategories in the table were formulated by Cardno on the basis of the type of issues identified.20 July 2010 Cardno (NSW/ACT) Pty Ltd Page 68H:\Doc\2010\Reports.2010\Rep2554v2.docDRAFT FOR PUBLIC EXHIBITION

Oxford Falls Regional Crown Reserve Plan of ManagementPrepared for NSW Land and Property Management AuthorityTable 5.2: Management Issues Identified for the OFRCRNo. Management CategoryIssueIDManagement Issue Location Land Parcel Suggested By1 Catchment Protection C1 High erodibility of soils combined with steep gradesleads to erosion and sedimentation.All All Cardno2 Catchment Protection C2 Degradation of riparian vegetation resulting inerosion and sedimentation.All All Cardno, NPA3 Catchment Protection C3 Crushed sandstone is used in track and trailmaintenance (e.g. Slippery Dip fire trail) and thismaterial can erode leading to siltation of nearbyareas.Slippery DipTrail37-39, 40 and42MWRCS4 Catchment Protection C4 Siltation has occurred near Wakehurst Parkwayand at locations fronting the NSWIS.WakehurstParkway,NarrabeenLagoonvariousMWKC5 Catchment Protection C5 Siltation from access road impacting on RedCrowned Toadlet Habitat6 Catchment Protection C6 Faecal contamination associated with septic tanksin the catchment.7 Catchment Protection C7 Unauthorised dumping of rubbish, household andother items onto lands within the OFRCR.8 Catchment Protection C8 Presence of the aquatic weed Horsetail (Equisetumsp.) in portions of Snake Creek on private property.Belrose 16 CardnoAll CardnoAll All CardnoBelrose LPMA9 Catchment Protection C9 Fire trails improperly used as vehicle access waysfor some private properties.VariouslocationsE.g. 16LPMA20 July 2010 Cardno (NSW/ACT) Pty Ltd Page 69H:\Doc\2010\Reports.2010\Rep2554v2.docDRAFT FOR PUBLIC EXHIBITION

Oxford Falls Regional Crown Reserve Plan of ManagementPrepared for NSW Land and Property Management AuthorityIssueNo. Management CategoryManagement Issue Location Land Parcel Suggested ByID10 Catchment Protection C10 Poor water quality in creeks. Various - CGC, Cardno11 Catchment Protection C11 The lands comprising the OFRCR have beenidentified as Bushfire Prone Land.All All except 12,62 and 128RFS, Cardno12 Catchment Protection C12 Enforcement of suitable asset protection zones isrequired on lands subject todevelopment/commercial use within the OFRCR.13 Cultural Heritage H1 There is a high probability for the occurrence ofpreviously unidentified items of heritagesignificance, primarily with respect to Aboriginalheritage.All All NPAAll All AHO, LPMA14 Cultural Heritage H2 Some heritage items or places are at threat fromincidental damage from recreational users.E.g. parts of theOxford FallsConservationAreaE.g. 121-124,126-130, 132,133, 141, 142,145, 146, 148,149Cardno15 Cultural Heritage H3 There is a need for ongoing protection of items ofEuropean and Aboriginal heritage significancewithin the OFRCR.16 Cultural Heritage H4 Poor promotion and acknowledgement of theheritage significance of the OFRCR.All All CardnoAll All Cardno17 Environmental Protection -Flora and FaunaE1Development of lands within and adjacent to theOFRCR has resulted in direct (e.g. loss of habitat)and indirect (e.g. fragmentation/edge effects)impacts on flora and fauna.All All NBE, FoNL,BNARC20 July 2010 Cardno (NSW/ACT) Pty Ltd Page 70H:\Doc\2010\Reports.2010\Rep2554v2.docDRAFT FOR PUBLIC EXHIBITION

Oxford Falls Regional Crown Reserve Plan of ManagementPrepared for NSW Land and Property Management AuthorityNo.Management CategoryIssueIDManagement Issue Location Land Parcel Suggested By18 Environmental Protection -Flora and FaunaE2Weed infestation is common throughout theOFRCR.All All NPA, Cardno19 Environmental Protection -Flora and FaunaE3Lack of detailed information on biodiversity withinthe OFRCR.All All NBARC20 Environmental Protection -Flora and FaunaE4Lack of ongoing monitoring of biodiversity within theOFRCR.All All NBARC21 Environmental Protection -Flora and FaunaE5Fire trails and other tracks function to transmitweeds through the bushland comprising theOFRCR.Variouslocations- Cardno, LPMA22 Environmental Protection -Flora and FaunaE6Unauthorised encroachment of private landholdersonto adjoining Crown land has occurred with aresultant reduction in natural bushland.Variouslocations- NPA23 Environmental Protection -Flora and FaunaE7Forest Way forms a barrier to the movement ofmany fauna species.Forest Way - SMCMA24 Environmental Protection -Flora and FaunaE8Horse riding causes hoof damage to trails, weedtransmission and the dispersal of nutrient-richfaecal deposits.Variouslocations- NBE25 Environmental Protection -Flora and FaunaE9Introduced flora and fauna are impacting on nativespecies within the OFRCR.All All SMWS26 Environmental Protection -Flora and FaunaE10High incidence of wildlife mortality/injury byvehicles, particularly on roads with higher trafficvolumes.All parcelsadjacent toroadways- NBE, NBARC,WIRES20 July 2010 Cardno (NSW/ACT) Pty Ltd Page 71H:\Doc\2010\Reports.2010\Rep2554v2.docDRAFT FOR PUBLIC EXHIBITION

Oxford Falls Regional Crown Reserve Plan of ManagementPrepared for NSW Land and Property Management AuthorityNo.Management Category27 Environmental Protection -Flora and FaunaIssueManagement Issue Location Land Parcel Suggested ByIDE11 Tree vandalism on Crown land. All All Cardno28 Environmental Protection -Flora and FaunaE12Insufficient public education and promotion of theenvironmental significance of the OFRCR,particularly with respect to threatened species andEECs.All All Cardno29 Environmental Protection -Flora and FaunaE13Heavy weed infestation along the eastern side ofSouth Creek, particularly at the corner of TorontoAve and South Creek Road.South Creek 174 CGC30 Environmental Protection -Flora and FaunaE14Transmission of weed propagules via thestormwater system and creeks.All All Cardno31 Environmental Protection -Flora and FaunaE15Site tenure incompatible with some of theenvironmental values of the site.Belrose, OxfordFalls44 and 85 Cardno32 Environmental Protection -Flora and FaunaE16Neighbouring residents encroaching on Crown landwhile mowing lawns.All All Cardno33 Environmental Protection -Flora and FaunaE17Lack of habitat connectivity within the OFRCR andwith neighbouring areas.All All Cardno34 Governance G1 Land tenure, land use and managementresponsibilities are not clearly defined.35 Governance G2 The existing organisational framework formanagement of lands comprising the OFRCR iscomplex and confusing due to the large number ofagencies involved.All All FoNL, NPA,CardnoAll All FoNL, NPA,Cardno20 July 2010 Cardno (NSW/ACT) Pty Ltd Page 72H:\Doc\2010\Reports.2010\Rep2554v2.docDRAFT FOR PUBLIC EXHIBITION

Oxford Falls Regional Crown Reserve Plan of ManagementPrepared for NSW Land and Property Management AuthorityNo. Management CategoryIssueIDManagement Issue Location Land Parcel Suggested By36 Governance G3 Cumulative impacts of proposed developments arepoorly considered.All All37 Recreation R1 Non-permissible recreational uses are occurring inparts of the OFRCR.Variouslocations, e.g.Lizard RockE.g. 48-51NBE38 Recreation R2 Conflicts are occurring between differentrecreational user groups.Variouslocations, e.g.parcelsadjacent toSlippery DipTrailE.g. 37-40, 42Cardno39 Recreation R3 Conflicts are occurring between recreational usersand environmental and catchment protectionvalues.40 Recreation R4 There are insufficient recreational resourcesavailable, particularly for certain user groups, suchas mountain bikers.All All CardnoAll All NoBMoB, NBE41 Recreation R5 Closure of available bike trails within the OFRCRincreases pressure on trails on neighbouring areas.Variouslocations- NoBMoB42 Recreation R6 The potential economic benefits relating torecreational usage of the OFRCR are not beingrealised.43 Recreation R7 Unauthorised bike trails and other recreationalareas have been constructed within the OFRCR,resulting in damage to native vegetation.All All CardnoAll NoBMoB20 July 2010 Cardno (NSW/ACT) Pty Ltd Page 73H:\Doc\2010\Reports.2010\Rep2554v2.docDRAFT FOR PUBLIC EXHIBITION

Oxford Falls Regional Crown Reserve Plan of ManagementPrepared for NSW Land and Property Management AuthorityNo. Management CategoryIssueIDManagement Issue Location Land Parcel Suggested By44 Recreation R8 The unauthorised establishment of informal bikejumps at Red Hill is impacting on native vegetation(including threatened species) and causing erosion.Red Hill (nearLady PenrhynDrive)92 Cardno45 Recreation R9 There is a risk of members of the public walkingthrough Crown land adjacent to the Cromer GolfCourse being struck with golf balls.46 Recreation R10 Access via foot to the walking track near SouthCreek is impeded by a weir wall.Cromer 174 CGCCromer 174 CGC47 Recreation R11 Recreational amenities at Middle Creek Reserve onthe foreshore of Narrabeen Lagoon are run down.48 Recreation R12 The recreational and commercial potential ofMiddle Creek Reserve on the foreshore ofNarrabeen Lagoon has not been fully realised.49 Recreation R13 The intersection at the turnoff from WakehurstParkway to Middle Creek Reserve is dangerous forpeople wanting to access the reserve from thesouth.NarrabeenLagoonNarrabeenLagoonNarrabeenLagoon173 LPMA, Cardno173 Cardno173 Cardno50 Recreation R14 Inadequate delineation of Crown and NationalParks lands. Need to clarify tenure for recreationalusers.Land parcelsadjacent toNational Parkland1, 38-41, 168,169, 171, 172Cardno51 Recreation R15 Information regarding permissible and acceptableactivities on Crown land is inadequate.All All Cardno20 July 2010 Cardno (NSW/ACT) Pty Ltd Page 74H:\Doc\2010\Reports.2010\Rep2554v2.docDRAFT FOR PUBLIC EXHIBITION

Oxford Falls Regional Crown Reserve Plan of ManagementPrepared for NSW Land and Property Management AuthorityNo.Management Category52 Scenic Amenity andLandscape CharacterIssueIDL1Management Issue Location Land Parcel Suggested ByLack of acknowledgement of the scenic values andlandscape character of the OFRCR.All All Cardno20 July 2010 Cardno (NSW/ACT) Pty Ltd Page 75H:\Doc\2010\Reports.2010\Rep2554v2.docDRAFT FOR PUBLIC EXHIBITION

Oxford Falls Regional Crown Reserve Plan of ManagementPrepared for NSW Land and Property Management Authority5.4 Management GoalsCommensurate with the identified values and significance of the Reserve lands, a number ofmanagement goals (Table 5.3) have been developed that express the desired managementoutcomes for the OFRCR.These goals have been developed in consultation with the Steering Committee. They seek toaddress both the principles of Crown Land management as defined under the Crown Lands Act 1989(Section 1.1) and the broader management objectives which define the overall direction of the Plan(Section 1.5).Table 5.3: Management GoalsManagement GoalValue Category:Catchment ProtectionGoal: To provide for the ongoingprotection of sensitive lands withinthe OFRCR.Value Category:Environmental ProtectionGoal: To protect and retain existinghabitat for species (especiallythreatened species and communities)within the OFRCR, rehabilitatedegraded habitat and provide forecological connectivity throughoutthe OFRCR.Value Category: GovernanceGoal: To establish a robustorganisational framework withrepresentation from the responsibleimplementing agencies as well as thecommunity to ensure the OFRCRPlan of Management is implemented.Ultimately this goal seeks to providefor the sustainable, ongoingmanagement of the OFRCR.NotesThe following notes accompany this goal:• This goal relates to catchment protection, where sensitiveparts of the catchment contribute to the maintenance ofwater quality within creeks and receiving waters (i.e.Narrabeen Lagoon).• This goal also relates to locations within the OFRCR thatare subject to environmental hazards such as bushfirerisk and flooding.The following notes accompany this goal:• This strategy recognises the regional significance oflands within the OFRCR in terms of their ecologicalattributes, including a large number of regionallysignificant vegetation communities and their flora andfauna species. In addition, this strategy acknowledgesthe importance of the existing bushland in the OFRCR forconnectivity at a regional level.• The primary strategy is to retain existing habitat, with aview to re-establishment of terrestrial habitat wherepossible.• When measuring the achievement of this goal there is aneed to recognise the existing constraints (e.g. land use).The following notes accompany this goal:• This goal will seek to ensure that the various Governmentagencies, authorities and other organisations involvedwork together to achieve a holistic and integratedapproach to management of the OFRCR.• This goal will also seek to ensure the allocation ofappropriate resources for implementation of the Plan,including revenue-generating activities with proceedsgoing to the governing body. Activities which hold widereconomic benefit are also important for the achievementof this strategy.• It is recognised that ongoing liaison between thesedifferent groups will be an essential component of thisgoal.20 July 2010 Cardno (NSW/ACT) Pty Ltd Page 76H:\Doc\2010\Reports.2010\Rep2554v2.docDRAFT FOR PUBLIC EXHIBITION

Oxford Falls Regional Crown Reserve Plan of ManagementPrepared for NSW Land and Property Management AuthorityManagement GoalValue Category: Cultural HeritageGoal: To acknowledge, conserveand, where appropriate, promoteIndigenous and non-Indigenousheritage of the OFRCR.Value Category: RecreationalUsageGoal: To encourage, provide andenhance facilities for the appropriaterecreational usage of the lands withinthe OFRCR and to provide for andenhance recreational connectivitywith surrounding lands (whereappropriate) whilst also maintainingecosystem viability.Value Category: Scenic Amenityand Landscape CharacterGoal: To maintain or enhance thevisual experience of the landscapefrom scenic vantage points withinand around the OFRCR.NotesThe following notes accompany this goal:• Any promotion of heritage items and places should beundertaken as appropriate and with consultation,particularly for Aboriginal heritage.The following notes accompany this goal:• There is a need to balance competing recreational usesand reduce the incidence of conflict between differentuser groups.• This will include identification of environmentally sensitiveareas for which less intensive uses may be moreappropriate.The following notes accompany this goal:• This goal is expected to be difficult to measure withoutbaseline data or the use of 3D modelling.5.5 Management OptionsA series of management options were developed that aim to address the management issues(Section 5.2) and achieve the management goals for the OFRCR (Section 5.3).An initial list of over 70 options was developed by the study team for discussion. This wassubsequently modified and condensed into a final list of 53 management options in consultation withthe Steering and Consultative Committees (Appendix E). They represent activities or strategies thatwere considered for inclusion in the OFRCR Plan of Management.Information provided for each management option identified includes: The primary management goal addressed by that option (noting that a single option maycontribute to achieving more than one goal), A description of the option, The specific location or land parcel to which the option applies (where relevant), Agencies supporting implementation. The OFRCR Trust is assumed to be theimplementation body for all options, Option cross-references indicating a dependency between two or more options, Cross-references to management issues (where relevant), An estimated net present value of implementation over a 20 year period (at a discount rate of7%) based on estimates of capital and ongoing costs, Potential funding streams (i.e. other revenue obtained from leases and licences).The options listed in Appendix E were presented to the Steering Committee once again for furtherconsideration and refinement for inclusion as actions in the plan of management.20 July 2010 Cardno (NSW/ACT) Pty Ltd Page 77H:\Doc\2010\Reports.2010\Rep2554v2.docDRAFT FOR PUBLIC EXHIBITION

Oxford Falls Regional Crown Reserve Plan of ManagementPrepared for NSW Land and Property Management Authority6 The Plan6.1 OverviewThe OFRCR Plan of Management aims to be both a strategic and an operational document.In summary, the preceding sections of this report have sought to: Establish the background for the preparation of this Plan of Management (Section 1), Clarify the statutory and non-statutory framework surrounding the management of Crownlands (Section 3), Provide an audit of the features of the OFRCR (Section 4), and Summarise the existing management context and provide a series of recommendations foroptimising the future management of the Reserve (Section 5).This Section presents the Plan of Management for the OFRCR.The Plan of Management seeks to clearly identify lands within the OFRCR, to implement a moreholistic and integrated approach to management of these lands in accordance with surrounding landuses and management plans for these adjacent lands.6.2 Proposed Management ModelThe LPMA’s Regional Crown Reserve system aims to provide a holistic approach to the managementof Crown lands on a regional basis and facilitates a balance between the competing needs of publicenjoyment and use of the reserve, and the need for environmental protection. Having identified thestrategic and operational issues associated with the existing management model (Section 5.2) theLPMA, in conjunction with Warringah Council, have developed a new model for the management ofthe OFRCR that seeks to take advantage of the specific values, significance and usage of theOFRCR lands.Warringah Council and the LPMA propose to establish a Trust between Council and Min Corp tomanage the OFRCR. A Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) will be established that sets out theroles and responsibilities of each party and describes how the Trust finances are to be managed assummarised in Figure 6.1.The key features of the proposed management model are as follows:Joint management arrangement as determined by the MoU;There will be a need for agreement between the two parties on income sharing and approvalsfor any major activities (such as land disposal);Individual land parcels are not allocated to each manager, rather the OFRCR lands aremanaged in a holistic fashion;Provides a more coordinate approach in accordance with the objectives of management forRegional Crown Reserves; andUnder the new management model, any revenue derived from any new (or renewed) leasesor licences would be paid directly to the OFRCR Trust for use in management of OFRCRlands.In a strategic sense, the new management model provides for a more coordinated approach tomanagement of OFRCR lands as a whole. This is important in the context of the value of theReserve lands as regional resource for biodiversity conservation and recreational usage. It isenvisaged that the joint Trust arrangement will provide Council with a more direct role in management20 July 2010 Cardno (NSW/ACT) Pty Ltd Page 78H:\Doc\2010\Reports.2010\Rep2554v2.docDRAFT FOR PUBLIC EXHIBITION

Oxford Falls Regional Crown Reserve Plan of ManagementPrepared for NSW Land and Property Management Authorityof the Reserve assets in terms of both decision making and the allocation of resources. The potentialfinancial benefits of the new management model, as compared to the existing model, are discussed inthe Economic Assessment provided in Appendix F.Consultation with stakeholders and the community would be undertaken on an ‘as needs’ basis, likelythrough Council’s existing consultative mechanisms, such as the range of Committees established fornatural resource management purposes.Figure 6.1: Proposed Management Model6.3 Management ActionsA total of 53 management actions have been developed for implementation as part of the Plan ofManagement (Appendix G).The management actions were derived by the Steering Committee after further consideration andrefinement of the initial list of management options presented in Section 5.5 (and Appendix E). Theactions represent a series of activities for implementation by the Trust that aim to: Work towards the attainment of the desired outcomes for the OFRCR outlined asManagement Goals in Table 5.3; Address existing management issues listed in Table 5.2;20 July 2010 Cardno (NSW/ACT) Pty Ltd Page 79H:\Doc\2010\Reports.2010\Rep2554v2.docDRAFT FOR PUBLIC EXHIBITION

Oxford Falls Regional Crown Reserve Plan of ManagementPrepared for NSW Land and Property Management AuthorityManage the OFRCR lands in a regional context and in a manner that is consistent with theobjectives for management of these lands, including access and public requirements, tourismpurposes and environmental and heritage conservation.The following information is provided for each management action:A unique Action Identification Number,Supporting organisations for implementation (the OFRCR Trust is the primary implementingbody in all cases),The main management goal addressed, andDependencies or cross-references between actions.‘The management actions represent strategic directives rather than targeted, site-specific activities,and therefore no cost estimates for implementation have been provided. Further advice onimplementation is provided in Section 7.4.6.4 Implementation, Monitoring and Evaluation6.4.1 Implementation StrategyThe key tool for management of the OFRCR will comprise an annual reporting function, whereby theAnnual Report provides an overview of activities undertaken in the previous financial year andidentifies activities for the coming financial year. The Annual Report should include as a minimum:Confirmation of the extent and status of the OFRCR lands (i.e. identification of any lands thathave either been acquired or are no longer part of the Reserve),Details of the Trust structure and objectives for management of the OFRCR,Priority management categories for that year,The list of actions selected for implementation that address these management categories,The status of implementation of these actions and (where complete) a review of their successin achieving the corresponding management goal,Details of any corrective actions or further activities that should be undertaken to address anyimplementation issues,An overview of the financial status of the Trust, andA list of priority management goals and corresponding actions for implementation in thecoming financial year.As indicated above, each year the OFRCR Trust will select the management goals (Section 5.4), andpriority strategies for the coming year. At that time, the Trust will consider the full list of managementactions (Appendix G) and identify one or more actions best suited to contribute towards themanagement goal(s). These actions may then be developed into more detailed strategies forimplementation in the coming year.Some decision support tools to aid in selection of management actions have been discussed inSection 7.4.2.The Annual Report will, therefore, perform an important function in setting the strategic direction formanagement in the coming year, while also reporting on the outcomes of initiatives undertaken in theprevious year in a transparent fashion. This approach aims to provide sufficient flexibility to permit anadaptive management response, while also considering the availability of funding for implementation(be it Trust funds or a specific grant that is available in that year). As previously discussed,consultation will be undertaken on an as needs basis through Council’s existing consultationmechanisms, in addition to which the Annual Report will be made publicly available.20 July 2010 Cardno (NSW/ACT) Pty Ltd Page 80H:\Doc\2010\Reports.2010\Rep2554v2.docDRAFT FOR PUBLIC EXHIBITION

Oxford Falls Regional Crown Reserve Plan of ManagementPrepared for NSW Land and Property Management AuthorityThis implementation strategy has been developed by the Steering Committee and agreed by bothCouncil and the LPMA, representing the future members of the joint Trust for the OFRCR.6.4.2 Decision Support ToolsThe LPMA has stated that a key objective for management of RCR lands is the ongoing sustainabilityof management of Crown lands, providing ongoing benefits to the local and broader community andaddressing triple bottom line considerations (i.e. social, environmental and economic). Therefore, twodecision support tools have been developed to aid in the selection and further development of specificmanagement actions for implementation, including a multi-criteria matrix tool and the delineation ofmanagement precincts.Multi-criteria Matrix ToolA multi-criteria matrix assessment has been undertaken for all the identified management actions andis included in Appendix G. It provides assistance in identifying actions for implementation thataddress the specific management priorities (or categories) for that year. It is effectively a triple bottomline assessment of each of the management actions in terms of the key value categories (Section5.1) for the OFRCR:Environmental Protection,Catchment Protection,Recreation,Cultural Heritage,Governance, andWider Economic Value.EnvironmentalSocialEconomicFor each of the value categories identified above, a score has been assigned to each managementaction based on the extent to which the goal will impact on that value (in accordance with thedescriptors provided in Tables G.1-G.6 in Appendix G). The scores for each of the six valuecategories are then summed to calculate a Raw Benefit Index.In assigning scores to each of the options it is assumed that construction impacts will be assessedprior to any physical works and that appropriate mitigation measures will be implemented to ensureminimal impacts on ecology and human use during works.In effect, the Raw Benefit Index provides an assessment of the sustainability of the managementaction and in this way acts as a planning tool to assist in selecting actions for implementation.The Steering and Consultative Committees have also been provided opportunity to assign a score foreach action in terms of their priorities (High priority = 3, Medium priority = 2, low priority = 1). Thesescores have been included in the multi-criteria matrix in order to provide an indication of the currentpriorities of the Steering Committee, and also the likely community support for each action. Thesescores have been summed with the Raw Benefit Index to provide an Adjusted Benefit Index.Management PrecinctsBased on discussion with the Steering Committee, the OFRCR has been broken down into a series offunctional units known as management precincts. The management precincts effectively identify themost appropriate land uses for each part of the reserve in accordance within its public purpose andtherefore assist in selecting sites for implementation of the chosen management action(s).20 July 2010 Cardno (NSW/ACT) Pty Ltd Page 81H:\Doc\2010\Reports.2010\Rep2554v2.docDRAFT FOR PUBLIC EXHIBITION

Oxford Falls Regional Crown Reserve Plan of ManagementPrepared for NSW Land and Property Management AuthorityOne of the challenges to management of a large reserve network such as the OFRCR is the disjunctand diverse nature of the individual land parcels comprising the reserve. The management precinctsseek to group land parcels into clusters that have similar attributes and which may be targeted fordifferent types of activities or levels of development. They were delineated based upon considerationof the following attributes: The size of each land parcel and proximity to other OFRCR lands; Adjacent land uses; Ease of public access (whether by vehicle or on foot/bike); Proposed land use zonings identified in the draft Warringah LEP 2009; The outcome of the rapid spatial assessment (Section 4.10); and Sub-catchment boundaries.The management precincts are mapped in Figure 6.2.The key characteristics and suitable land uses for each precinct are provided in Table 6.1.20 July 2010 Cardno (NSW/ACT) Pty Ltd Page 82H:\Doc\2010\Reports.2010\Rep2554v2.docDRAFT FOR PUBLIC EXHIBITION

Oxford Falls Regional Crown Reserve Plan of ManagementPrepared for NSW Land and Property Management AuthorityTable 6.1: Precinct StatementsPrecinctKey Characteristics* Notes Suitable Land UsesNo.123• Environmental Protection Values:very high• Catchment Protection Values: veryhigh• Cultural Heritage Values: high• Recreation Values: moderate to high• Hazard and Risk: high.• Land Use Zoning: Predominantly RE1,some portions of SP2 and E3.• Environmental Protection Values:high• Catchment Protection Values:moderate to high• Cultural Heritage Values: moderate tohigh• Recreation Values: low to moderate• Hazard and Risk: moderate.• Land Use Zoning: Predominantly E3• Environmental Protection Values:moderate to high• Catchment Protection Values:moderate• Cultural Heritage Values: low• Recreation Values: low• Hazard and Risk: moderate.• Land Use Zoning: All E3Continuous corridor that establishes connectivitythrough the OFRCR and to Narrabeen Lagoon.Access is generally limited, particularly forvehicles.Some recreational facilities currently provided onthe foreshore of Narrabeen Lagoon (e.g. BBQs,car parking, picnic areas).Large heritage conservation area coveringseveral land parcels.Relatively contiguous cluster of land parcels.Some significant flora and fauna speciespresent.Good access to parts of the precinct, however,access to other areas is limited due totopographical constraints.Located adjacent to Garigal National Park.Access is limited for most of this precinct (via afire trail or by foot only).Priority land uses relate to environmentalconservation and catchment protection.Suitable for low intensity passive recreationalusage with no/minimal supporting infrastructure,except for those land parcels adjacent toNarrabeen Lagoon, which can support higherrecreational intensities supported by amenities.Suitable for scientific research andenvironmental education activities.Priority land uses relate to environmentalconservation and catchment protection.Suitable for low intensity passive recreationalusage with no/minimal supporting infrastructure.Suitable for scientific research. Educationalactivities may be appropriate commensuratewith the ecological and cultural sensitivities ofsome sites.Priority for land uses relate to environmentalconservation and catchment protection (due tocontinuity between this precinct and the adjacentNational Park).Suitable for low intensity passive recreationalusage with no/minimal supporting infrastructure.20 July 2010 Cardno (NSW/ACT) Pty Ltd Page 83H:\Doc\2010\Reports.2010\Rep2554v2.docDRAFT FOR PUBLIC EXHIBITION

Oxford Falls Regional Crown Reserve Plan of ManagementPrepared for NSW Land and Property Management AuthorityPrecinctNo.Key Characteristics* Notes Suitable Land Uses4• Environmental Protection Values:moderate• Catchment Protection Values:moderate• Cultural Heritage Values: moderate• Recreation Values: moderate to high• Hazard and Risk: moderate.• Land Use Zoning: All E3.Adjacent to Garigal National Park.Relatively contiguous land parcel.Lands under tenure for recreational purposes(radio-controlled aeroplane club).Moderate intensity, controlled recreational usagepossible (retain existing recreational usage asper tenure arrangement).Medium priority for environmental protectioncommensurate with recreational uses.5• Environmental Protection Values: lowto moderate• Catchment Protection Values:moderate to high• Cultural Heritage Values: low tomoderate• Recreation Values: moderate to high.• Hazard and Risk: moderate.• Land Use Zoning: Predominantly E3.Consists of fragmented land parcels close toresidential areas.Good access from surrounding residential andrural residential areas.High intensity recreational usage possible.Medium priority for catchment protection.Low priority for environmental protection.6• Environmental Protection Values: lowto moderate• Catchment Protection Values: low• Cultural Heritage Values: low• Recreation Values: moderate to high• Hazard and Risk: moderate.• Land Use Zoning: Predominantly E3.Large contiguous block of land.Relatively good access, although vehicularaccess is limited due to the steep topography inplaces.High intensity recreational usage possiblecommensurate with the provisions of the draftLEP.Low priority for catchment protection andenvironmental protection values.20 July 2010 Cardno (NSW/ACT) Pty Ltd Page 84H:\Doc\2010\Reports.2010\Rep2554v2.docDRAFT FOR PUBLIC EXHIBITION

Oxford Falls Regional Crown Reserve Plan of ManagementPrepared for NSW Land and Property Management Authority7 ConclusionThis plan of management has been developed for the OFRCR (R1012168, gazetted 25/08/06) inaccordance with the requirements of Clause 112 of the Crown Lands Act 1989. The OFRCRincorporates a number of individual parcels summing to a total of approximately 520ha of land andwas established with a view to providing for a more strategic approach to the delivery of regionalsocial, economic and environmental benefits associated with the Reserve lands (DoL, 2006).The Plan provides a framework for management of the Reserve lands and identifies a number ofmanagement actions for implementation by the Reserve Trust subject to availability of funds andcommunity priorities. The management model proposed (Section 6.2) is a Trust arrangementbetween Warringah Council and Min Corp, that would provide significant strategic and operationalbenefits over the current separate management entities. The Plan was developed in consultation witha Steering Committee (comprising Council, LPMA and DECCW) and a Consultative Committee(comprising representatives of community-based organisations).It is recommended that the Minister for Lands adopt the Oxford Falls Regional Crown Reserve Plan ofManagement and that a joint Trust incorporating Warringah Council and Min Corp be established toimplement the Plan.20 July 2010 Cardno (NSW/ACT) Pty Ltd Page 85H:\Doc\2010\Reports.2010\Rep2554v2.docDRAFT FOR PUBLIC EXHIBITION

Oxford Falls Regional Crown Reserve Plan of ManagementPrepared for NSW Land and Property Management Authority8 ReferencesCardno (2008). Climate Change Actions for Manly LGA. Prepared for Manly Council.Chapman, G.A & Murphy, C.L. (1989), Soil Landscapes of the Sydney 1:100 000 Sheet. SoilConservation Service of NSW, Sydney.Cordell (2005). Cordell NSW Commercial / Industrial Building Cost Guide, September 2005. Volume36, Issue 3.DECC (2009a). Re: AHIMS search for the following area at E:334420-340482; N:6263665-6269126.Online Database: Aboriginal Heritage Information Management System. Available:http://www3.environment.nsw.gov.au/npws.nsf/Content/How+to+obtain+AHIMS+data. AccessedMarch 2009.DECC (2009b). Narrabeen Head Aquatic Reserve. Webpage. Online:http://www.environment.nsw.gov.au/NationalParks/parkHome.aspx?id=a003 Accessed 15 July 2009.DECCW (2010). EnValue Database. Online Database. Available:www.environment.nsw.gov.au/envalue/ Accessed 7 April 2010. Department of Environment, ClimateChange and Water.DEWHA (2009a). EPBC Act Protected Matters Report for Area. Coordinates: -33.69844, 151.21073, -33.75737, 151.21073 to -33.75737, 151.27898; -33.69844, 151.27898. Online database. Available:http://www.environment.gov.au/apps/boobook/mapservlet?app=pmst. Accessed 22 July 2009.DEWHA (2009b). Australian Heritage Database Search Results for Warringah LGA. Online Database.Available: http://www.environment.gov.au/heritage/ahdb/ Accessed 2 April 2009.DoL (2003). Draft Assessment of Crown Land at Belrose, Cromer and Oxford Falls. NSW Departmentof Lands.DoL (2005). Final Assessment of Crown Land at Belrose, Cromer and Oxford Falls. NSW Departmentof Lands.DoL (2006). Oxford Falls Regional Crown Reserve (R1012168) Management Strategy. Prepared byJohn Filocamo, NSW Department of Lands.DoL (2007). Trust Handbook, Chapter 5 – Plans of Management. NSW Department of Lands.DoP (2007). Draft North East Subregional Strategy. NSW Government.DoP Heritage Branch (2009). Heritage Branch State Heritage Register Search Results for WarringahLGA. Online Database. Available: http://www.heritage.nsw.gov.au/07_subnav_04b.htm Accessed 2April 2009.Fairfull, S. and Witheridge, G (2003). Why Do Fish Need to Cross the Road? Fish PassageRequirements for Waterway Crossings. NSW Fisheries Office of Conservation.Geological Survey of NSW (1983). Australia 1:100,000 geological series; Map Sheet 9130. NSWDepartment of Mineral Resources.Montgomery Watson Harza (2002). Warringah Creek Management Strategy. Prepared for WarringahCouncil, Dee Why.NPA (2001) Wheeler Creek Biodiversity Survey. National Parks Association of NSW.20 July 2010 Cardno (NSW/ACT) Pty Ltd Page 86H:\Doc\2010\Reports.2010\Rep2554v2.docDRAFT FOR PUBLIC EXHIBITION

Oxford Falls Regional Crown Reserve Plan of ManagementPrepared for NSW Land and Property Management AuthorityNPWS (1971). Ku-ring-gai Chase National Park Plan of Management, 1971.NPWS (2008). Garigal National Park Plan of Management – November 2008.NPWS (2009). Database Search Results, Threatened Flora and Fauna species recorded since 1980.Selected Area - 151.19658,-33.78051 to 151.29658,-33.68051. Online Database. Available:http://wildlifeatlas.nationalparks.nsw.gov.au/wildlifeatlas/watlas.jsp Accessed: 2 April 2009.NSW DPI (1999). Policy and Guidelines for Fish Friendly Waterway Crossings.NSW Rural Fire Service (2003). Bushfire Prone Land Map – Warringah LGA.NSW Rural Fire Service (2006). Planning for Bushfire Protection 2006. Online:http://www.rfs.nsw.gov.au/dsp_content.cfm?CAT_ID=900. Accessed: 22 July 2009.Smith, P. and Smith, J. (2002). Warringah Natural Area Survey – Vegetation Communities and PlantSpecies. Prepared by P&J Smith Ecological Consultants for Warringah Council.Smith, P. and Smith, J. (2005a). Warringah Natural Area Survey – Fauna Species. Prepared by P&JSmith Ecological Consultants for Warringah Council.Smith, P. and Smith, J. (2005b). Warringah Natural Area Survey – Vegetation History and WildlifeCorridors. Prepared by P&J Smith Ecological Consultants for Warringah Council.Smith, P. and Smith, J. (2008). Middle Creek Biodiversity Assessment and Management Plan.Prepared by P&J Smith Ecological Consultants for Warringah Council.Suter and Associates (1998). Warringah Council Recreation Strategy Plan. Prepared for WarringahCouncil.Taronga Zoo Fauna Survey Team (1992). Avifauna, Herpetofauna and Mammal Fauna of the MiddleCreek Reserve, Narrabeen, NSW. Prepared for Warringah Council.The Landscape Institute and IEMA (2008). Guidelines for Landscape and Visual Impact Assessment(2nd Ed.). Spon Press, Oxon.Warringah Council (2000). Red Hill & Golden Grove Parks Plan of Management. 25 July 2000.Warringah Council (2002a). Coastal Lands Plan of Management – A Generic Plan of Management.Adopted 24 September 2002.Warringah Council (2002b). Community Land Categorised as General Community Use (IncludingMiscellaneous Crown Reserves) Generic Plan of Management – 24 May 2002.Warringah Council (2007). Sportsgrounds Plan of Management – December 2007.Warringah Council (2007). Warringah Regional Multiple Use Trail Strategy. Adopted 2007.Warringah Council (2008a). Generic Parks Plan of Management – November 2008.Warringah Council (2008b).Management.Dee Why Valley and South Creek Open Space Corridor Plan ofWarringah Council (2009a). Narrabeen Lagoon: Creating A Sustainable Catchment Project.Webpage. Online: http://www.warringah.nsw.gov.au/environment/NarrabeenLagoon-C-Project.aspxAccessed 20 July 2009.20 July 2010 Cardno (NSW/ACT) Pty Ltd Page 87H:\Doc\2010\Reports.2010\Rep2554v2.docDRAFT FOR PUBLIC EXHIBITION

Oxford Falls Regional Crown Reserve Plan of ManagementPrepared for NSW Land and Property Management AuthorityWarringah Council (2009b). Warringah Council's Cultural and Heritage Web Page. Online:http://www.warringah.nsw.gov.au/plan_dev/heritage.aspx Accessed 20 July 2009.20 July 2010 Cardno (NSW/ACT) Pty Ltd Page 88H:\Doc\2010\Reports.2010\Rep2554v2.docDRAFT FOR PUBLIC EXHIBITION