A vision for our park

Where ever possible all ajoining green spaces should be incorporated with the SHNP, to have any change of conserving a range of species in these areas over the long term the area needs to be maximised.

Tourism although important needs to be regulated by use of pathways etc so that natural areas are maximised.

Neighbours need to be educated on the importance of the park and on things they can do to improve the boundary, particularly weed control.

I would like to see better protection of the parks from over use.

I don't want to see anymore cafes, spas and hotels taking over our heritage sites - and to who's advantage? private operators! Surely there is a better way to appreciate the Harbour's amazing history? Why can't anyone just walk through the Quarantine Station? - I thought the whole point of the lease was going to make it more open to the public. The opposite seems to have happened.

Sydney Harbour National Park should be handed back to Aboriginal People in a big ceremony like Sorry Day. This park is more iconic than Uluru. This is the most important place in Australia for reconciliation between the descendents of the invaders and the First Peoples. Sydney is named after Lord Sydney who ordered the invasion of Australia. Phillip set up the first settlement at Werrong (Farm Cove). This is where the invaders first drove Aboriginal people from their hunting grounds. This is where the smallpox was introduced. This is where Aboriginal people and invaders first got to know each other, like Bennelong and Phillip, Tagaran and Dawes. This is where the two cultures MET and CLASHED. Aboriginal peoples were everywhere in Australia before the British settlement but this is THE PLACE where it started. The Harbour Bridge, The Opera House and Sydney Harbour National Park as an Aboriginal National Park would send a message around Australia and to the world of the importance of the original cultures. The Park could be called Barani meaning Yesterday and remind visitors of what it was like before British settlement. The Bridge and the Opera House represent two different sides to the new culture and Barani would represent the natural, original culture. Aboriginal history should be on the big stage in Vaucluse, Mosman, Manly,and Watson’s Bay, not in out of the way places. Aboriginal people knew the best places to live too. And for the people worried about rubbish there would be a Take In Take Out Policy and Aboriginal people would be hired to police it. There are no excuses for rubbishing our beautiful Harbour.

Rock climbing should be permitted in all National Parks. Rock climbers are a strongly environment sensitive group. They have as much right to use the park as others.

Manly Environment Centre suggestions:

Sydney Harbour National Park POM- North Head.

----Signage:

• Way finding signage is currently inadequate and confusing. Visitors to North Head usually want to go to Lady Fairfax lookout.

• Information on Flora and Fauna, Aboriginal, Military, Migration Heritage in inconsistent or non existent

• Site signage is confusing.

----Events Management:

NYE, Boxing Day, Special Events held at various sites, Ad Hoc events such as the viewing of arriving or departing ships.

• Access – a template for Traffic Management for events should be developed and be applicable to all stakeholders for any event on North Head. Such a plan must include the following

o a decision or not to ‘park and ride’ from Manly CBD,

o advertised bus plan to include forward and return route, pickup locations, destination, timetable and fare regime

o access to parking sites on North Head irrespective of ownership (This should also included St Pauls College, ICMS and Manly Hospital),

o safety for pedestrians,

o safety for bike riders,

o Traffic management on Darley Rd as well as side streets on the Eastern Hill.

• Public Facilities such as toilets, waste management

• Crowd Control requirements

• Gate closure times advertised.

----Walking tracks:

• Improved map available for visitors to include all tracks on North Head

• Signage from all land entry/exit points to North Head including Shelly Beach Carpark/hole in the wall, Blue fish Road, North Head Sanctuary, Stuart St/Collins Beach, Darley Rd, Q Station.

• Signage on access points from Sydney Harbour

----Boat and kayak access:

• Consistent regulations for access to the National Park from the water

• Current ‘critical habitat’ signage augmented with interpretative signage about the flora and fauna

----Reinforce the No Camping on the beaches or in the park.

----Bike access on formed roads only:

• Bike routes to be clearly signposted and marked on maps.

• Bike racks installed at the entrances of walking tracks.

• Clearly signposted and stating that bikes are not permitted on the walking tracks.

----Tourist Bus visitations

----Carpark locations and use:

• Parking metre locations

• Parked cars currently have the best view

----Viewing binocular franchises

----North Fort Café & Museum:

• Currently lots of busy signage

• No bike racks

----Collins Beach:

• Consider restricting road access along Collins Beach Rd to ‘service traffic’ for the AIPM. Cars to park at the top of the ‘hill’ or elsewhere.

• No bike racks

----Manly Hospital Carpark:

An opportunity exists for a walking track/path to be created along the ridgeline at the rear of Manly Hospital exiting on Collins Beach Rd or down the re-entrant to Collins Beach via the former gardens at Manly Hospital. These gardens are currently infested with weeds and hide a section of the stone wall. Rubbish collects at the exits of the stormwater pipes.

----Waste Management Strategy:

Toilet Facilities

----Stormwater management:

Currently flowing into the park from Darley Rd and entering the bush below Manly Hospital

----Bush Regeneration:

Engage all stakeholders to develop a long term comprehensive bush regeneration plan that is staged, prioritised and includes all areas. Consider using this as the basis for submissions for grant funding to implement the plan in stages or nominated areas.

I would like to suggest a traffic calming strategy for North Head: A one-Way loop for all users which avoids cutting into precious bush for separate paths.

Ultimately a 'No-Privat-Car' environment would be the solution. In the meantime, the dangerous situation for pedestrians and bicycle riders could be remedied by having a ON-WAY-LOOP on the existing road FOR ALL USERS to share.

Beginning before Parkhill Arch, along Bluefish Rd, onto Former school of Artillery through parking lot, to North Fort, where all cars park, except Age care or Disab. buses.

Lady Fairfax's can be reached by foot or bike. All users return on North Head Scenic Drive. Residents would be allowed to use School of Artillery roads.

All this would, of course, require cooperation by all stake holders.

Edyptula