WEST KIMBERLEY PLACE REPORT - Department of Sustainability ...
WEST KIMBERLEY PLACE REPORT - Department of Sustainability ...
WEST KIMBERLEY PLACE REPORT - Department of Sustainability ...
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Description <strong>of</strong> a Kimberley season by Nyikina people in the Kimberley region (see<br />
above on page 9).<br />
* * * *<br />
* * * *<br />
'Mitchell River Falls landscape has instilled a sense <strong>of</strong> awe, reverence and landscape<br />
attachment in human beings for thousands <strong>of</strong> years and continues to be a source <strong>of</strong><br />
spiritual interest and refreshment today….. Mitchell River Falls is a significant feature<br />
in a landscape <strong>of</strong> exceptional scenery, cultural sensitivity and majesty. Punamii-unpuu<br />
is one <strong>of</strong> the most scenic and biologically important areas in Western Australia and is<br />
a 'creation place' <strong>of</strong> great importance to the Wunambal people'. Description <strong>of</strong><br />
Mitchell Falls Landscape by Visual planner Richard Hammond (Crocker et al. 2009).<br />
* * * *<br />
A study (Crocker et al. 2009) was commissioned to assess the west Kimberley study<br />
area for potential National Heritage values against criterion (e).<br />
The scope <strong>of</strong> this report was focused on natural landscapes because <strong>of</strong> the high<br />
likelihood <strong>of</strong> these features having potential National Heritage aesthetic values.<br />
Accordingly, the aesthetic characteristics relating to architecture generally were not<br />
included in the aesthetic assessment. Some assessment was however undertaken on<br />
Broome under criterion (d). The aesthetic characteristics <strong>of</strong> underwater features like<br />
coral reefs was also excluded on the grounds <strong>of</strong> insufficient information in relation to<br />
comparative type data and assessment methodology.<br />
The report brief excluded the assessment <strong>of</strong> potential values which may be identified<br />
by Indigenous communities or cultural groups. These values are evaluated and<br />
addressed elsewhere in the overall place analysis.<br />
The report brief specified the use <strong>of</strong> the inspirational landscapes method. This method<br />
has been used to identify those landscapes which have an inspirational quality and this<br />
quality is used as a means <strong>of</strong> identifying landscapes which are exceptional in nature<br />
not just landscapes which are <strong>of</strong> high scenic quality.<br />
The aesthetic analysis has been applied to the west Kimberley study area, an area <strong>of</strong><br />
approximately 22 million hectares extending from Broome and the Fitzroy<br />
River/Fitzroy Crossing in the south to Cape Londonderry and King George River in<br />
the north.<br />
The report identified six places as having a high likelihood <strong>of</strong> National Heritage value<br />
under criterion (e). These places include the Kimberley Coast, Mitchell River<br />
National Park, King George Falls and River, Geikie Gorge Conservation Park and<br />
National Park, Windjana Gorge National Park and the King Leopold Ranges<br />
Conservation Park.<br />
These 'top' six places were identified by a process <strong>of</strong> short listing against each place's<br />
indicated level <strong>of</strong> aesthetic value, the strength <strong>of</strong> evidence supporting the description<br />
<strong>of</strong> an area's aesthetic value and the indicated community ranking <strong>of</strong> a place's aesthetic<br />
value. Remoteness <strong>of</strong> a place was also considered in the ranking process. Some places<br />
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