This Franklin-Gordon Wild Rivers National Park incorporates a number of former reserves. The history of each of these reserve areas is provided separately below. Each history has been compiled from a variety of sources and whilst all effort has been made there can be no assurance that it is a complete and accurate historical record for this reserve. Under the Crown Lands Act 1903 all Crown land for a distance of five chains (100.6 metres) on each side of the Gordon River, extending from the mouth of the Gordon River on Macquarie Harbour as far as Butler Island; and 5 chains on each side of the King River extending upstream from the mouth of that river to the eastern boundary of the municipality of Strahan, was declared to be a “Reserve for preservation of Scenery”.
 |
| Franklin-Gordon Wild Rivers National Park |
The Crown Lands Act 1903 reserve which was notified in the Gazette on 14 April 1908 and which had the effect of exempting from sale and reserving land in the vicinity of the Gordon River and King River for preservation of scenery, was revoked as far as it related to certain areas described in the schedule to the proclamation (total areas are not stated in the schedule), by virtue of a proclamation under the Crown Lands Act 1935. Note: The Scenic reserve in the Gordon River vicinity likely already covered the same areas, therefore, the CLA reserve had little relevance and the revocation did not impact on the area provided protection.
In a proclamation under the Scenery Preservation Act 1915; two areas of land in the vicinity of the Gordon River near the mouth of that river where it enters Macquarie Harbour (comprising a total area of 6,200 acres (including 2,200 acres and 4,000 acres), were declared to be scenic reserves. These reserves became known as Gordon River Scenic Reserve.
The Scenery Preservation Act 1915 and the Animals and Birds Protection Act 1928 were replaced by the National Parks and Wildlife Act 1970. On the commencement of the National Parks and Wildlife Act 1970, the Gordon River Scenic Reserve ceased to be a scenic reserve under the Scenery Preservation Act 1915, and was deemed to have become a conservation area and State reserve by virtue of Schedule 2 of the National Parks and Wildlife Act 1970. The reserve became known as Gordon River State Reserve.
In a proclamation under the Franklin-Gordon Wild Rivers National Parks and Wildlife Act 1970 and in accordance with Statutory Rules 1974, No.142; two separate areas of Crown land comprising 1342 hectares (1150 hectares and 192 hectares indicated on LD Plan 357) were declared to be conservation areas and State reserves, being extensions to the adjacent Gordon River State Reserve.
 |
| Franklin-Gordon Wild Rivers National Park |
The Scenery Preservation Act 1915 and the Animals and Birds Protection Act 1928 were replaced by the National Parks and Wildlife Act 1970. On the commencement of the National Parks and Wildlife Act 1970, the scenic reserve known as Lyell Highway Scenic Reserve ceased to be a scenic reserve under the Scenery Preservation Act 1915, and was deemed to have become a conservation area and State reserve by virtue of Schedule 2 of the National Parks and Wildlife Act 1970. The reserve became known as the Lyell Highway State Reserve.
At the commencement of the relevant sections of the Regional Forest Agreement (Land Classification) Act 1998: the conservation area and state reserve known as ‘Franklin – Gordon Wild Rivers National Park’ was revoked by virtue of section 12 of that Act and, by virtue of section 14 (1) of that Act the same area was then declared to be reserved land in the class of national park and was taken to have been so declared under the National Parks and Wildlife Act 1970 and continued to be known by the same name - ‘Franklin – Gordon Wild Rivers National Park’.
Crown land comprising a total of 5,533ha (141 hectares indicated on CPR Plan 4258, 325 hectares indicated on CPR Plan 4267, 3927 hectares indicated on CPR Plan 4268 and 1140 hectares indicated on CPR Plan 4269) was proclaimed to be reserved land in the class of national park; and was named ‘Franklin – Gordon Wild Rivers National Park’, being an extension to the existing reserve.
The National Parks and Wildlife Act 1970 was replaced by the National Parks and Reserves Management Act 2002 and the Nature Conservation Act 2002. At the commencement of the Nature Conservation Act 2002 the reservation of the Franklin – Gordon Wild Rivers National Park under the former National Parks and Wildlife Act 1970 was carried forward into the Nature Conservation Act 2002 by virtue of Section 77 of that Act.
Nice pictures!!
ReplyDelete