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Legislative Assembly for the ACT: 2003 Week 10 Hansard (25 September) . . Page.. 3705 ..

MR STANHOPE (continuing):

within the Namadgi National Park. We are, of course, very hopeful that we can achieve that.

This is a species, regrettably, that is lurching on the brink of extinction. It is a very sad prospect, but the captive breeding program to date has been very successful. We are hopeful that we can begin to return the northern corroborree frog to Namadgi some time next year, accepting, of course, that it continues to face some significant impediments. Essentially, global warming has been identified as a significant issue for frogs, particularly alpine frogs.

Most of the frog communities in Australia, as members may be aware also, suffer and have suffered very grievously from the introduction of a range of fungal diseases. The belief is that the northern corroborree frog has perhaps been as affected by a fungal disease as much as by anything else.

Another species that we are monitoring closely, Mr Speaker, is the smoky mouse. At this stage, it is uncertain what the immediate impact of the fires has been on the smoky mouse. However, the regrowth vegetation which will be a feature of the forest over the next three to 10 years, will, perhaps ironically, advantage the smoky mouse. It may be, as I say, in an ironic sense, the smoky mouse will to some extent be protected as a result of the form or nature of the regrowth that will occur over the next few years.

As members may be aware, Mr Speaker, 27 September will be the day of the official reopening of our parks and reserves. There will be a celebration "Spring back to our parks and reserves"held at Namadgi National Park visitors centre on Sunday, 28 September from 11.00 am to 3.00 pm. I am hopeful that many members of the Canberra community will turn out to enjoy that day and to celebrate the reopening of Namadgi National Park.

Most of our roads have been reopened, with the major exception in the vicinity of the Honeysuckle (Apollo) Road. As a result of unstable rock and rock falls, that road, whilst currently under repair by ACT Roads, is not yet reopened. But I think action has been taken to ensure that both the ring road and Flints Lookout Road will be open.

I might, just as a matter of caution, urge visitors to be very careful within our national parks and our reserves. There are still real dangers within the bushfire-affected areas as a result of the hazards that burnt trees do represent. Visitors to Namadgi and Tidbinbilla should stop off at our visitors centres to receive the information that is available there.

The Cotter Reserve recovery is proceeding well, Mr Speaker. The new bridge is under construction. The playground, which was destroyed at the Cotter-I think the largest and perhaps the most popular playground in Canberra-is currently being rebuilt and will be completed by January.

All the popular picnic areas along the Murrumbidgee River Corridor, with the exception of Cotter Avenue, will be open by the weekend, with the reopening of Pine Island, Kambah Pool and Uriarra Crossing.

In summary, Mr Speaker, slow but good progress has been made in the recovery and the rehabilitation of our parks and our nature reserves. There is still, as we know, much more

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