Page 4079 - Week 14 - Wednesday, 24 October 1990
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Australian National University, and also students from the University of Canberra. This is the only university in Australia, I might add, that actually conducts courses in relation to the conservation of museum artefacts, and that is something I think we in Canberra should be proud of. The rock art sites are regarded by many archaeologists as being very important, as there are not many examples of Aboriginal art in the southern tablelands.
This amendment, however, applies only to areas within the Act declared as wilderness zones under section 52 of the parent Act. While no clear definition of a wilderness zone is provided in the Act, if one turns to section 59 of the main Act, it is very clear what should not take place in wilderness zones. For example, at the moment, prior to this amendment, one is not able to excavate, establish a track or a road, or use a motor vehicle, except on a track or road that was formed for the use of vehicles having four or more wheels and was in existence at the time of the declaration of the wilderness zone. Some, of course, would say that a true wilderness area is one where there is no evidence of European habitation and that if one entered such an area one should not be able to identify anything that related to settlement by Europeans. Under such a definition not even a distant road or powerline, for example, would be allowed. However, clearly, that is not always possible.
In December 1989, as Ms Follett has already indicated, her Government declared the Bimberi wilderness zone within Namadgi National Park - a declaration that I can assure her was fully supported by the members of the Residents Rally. That put into place a commitment made in the management plan, and agreed to with the New South Wales Government, that a wilderness zone would be declared that incorporated the southern part of the ACT and part of Kosciusko National Park. Like Namadgi National Park, the Bimberi wilderness zone contains substantial cultural resources. The management plan for the park and the Nature Conservation Act require the conservator of wildlife to manage these resources appropriately. It is important to protect these values for a number of reasons: firstly, wilderness areas are large areas that are as close as possible to natural ecosystems where natural processes can take place with little disturbance from humans, and along with national parks, they are important for maintaining genetic diversity; secondly, many people use wilderness areas for recreation and for personal reflection. These values are becoming increasingly important in today's world, and the values are important if we are to improve the future quality of life for residents of the ACT.
An excellent example of an Aboriginal stone arrangement is located in the Bimberi wilderness zone. It is located on top of a high and remote peak and it is believed to have been used as part of initiation ceremonies. Many Aboriginal people were drawn to the Snowy Mountains and the Brindabella Ranges at this time of the year to feast on the
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