Address: Main Office: John Gorton Building

Table 5: Commonwealth environmental watering actions for the Macquarie–Castlereagh catchment

Location of watering action		Type of action			Objective of watering action	Water delivered megalitres (ML)
Complex	Site	River flows	Inundation			Timing	C’wealth	Partner	Total
			Wetland	Floodplain
Macquarie	Macquarie Marshes		●		Maintain and improve wetland vegetation, extend the duration of existing natural flows and prime wetlands for spring watering.	August 2010	1 888	1 442	3 330
	Macquarie Marshes		●		Maintain water levels to support the success of colonial bird breeding.	March to April 2011	25 000	110 594	135 594

Table 6: Commonwealth environmental watering actions for the Barwon–Darling and Lower Darling catchments

Location of watering action		Type of action			Objective of watering action	Water delivered megalitres (ML)
Complex	Site	River flows	Inundation			Timing	C’wealth	Partner	Total
			Wetland	Floodplain
Darling River Flows	Darling River and Great Darling Anabranch	●			Maximise the environmental benefits to the Darling River from a watering action involving delivery of environmental water to Menindee Lakes, i.e. to provide in-stream benefits including support for key ecosystem functions such as nutrient cycling and inundation of river benches. 7 672 megalitres, including 6 580 megalitres that flowed through the Darling Anabranch for the purpose of providing in-stream habitat, triggers for native fish breeding, and longitudinal connectivity between the Menindee Lakes system and the Murray River; and to support riparian vegetation health.	August to September 2010	7 672		7 672

Table 7: Commonwealth environmental watering actions for the Gwydir catchment

Location of watering action		Type of action			Objective of watering action	Water delivered megalitres (ML)
Complex	Site	River flows	Inundation			Timing	C’wealth	Partner	Total
			Wetland	Floodplain
Gwydir Wetlands	Gwydir Wetlands	●	●	●	Contribute to tributary flows to: Inundate as much of the Lower Gwydir Wetlands as possible. Wet as much of the Gingham Wetlands above the Gingham Bridge as possible.	August 2010	3 056		3 056
	Gwydir Wetlands	●	●	●	Support the inundation of the Gwydir Wetlands for two to four months to promote the recovery of wetland vegetation and create habitat for threatened and migratory listed species.	February to March 2011	10 000	10 000	20 000

Table 8: Commonwealth environmental watering actions for the Warrego catchment

Location of watering action		Type of action			Objective of watering action	Water delivered megalitres (ML)
Complex	Site	River flows	Inundation			Timing	C’wealth	Partner	Total
			Wetland	Floodplain
Warrego	Upper Warrego	●			Support near-natural flow regime in the upper catchment, extending lateral and longitudinal connectivity.	September to March 2011	6 050		6 050
	Lower Warrego	●		●	Contribute to the first post-winter flow–a critical spawning trigger for native fish species (October event). Contribute to overbank flows.	October to April 2011	10 000		10 000

Table 9: Commonwealth environmental watering actions for the Moonie catchment

Location of watering action		Type of action			Objective of watering action	Water delivered megalitres (ML)
Complex	Site	River flows	Inundation			Timing	C’wealth	Partner	Total
			Wetland	Floodplain
Moonie River	Moonie River	●	●	●	Contribute to an overbank flow with benefits to floodplain vegetation, waterbirds and native fish, and also initiate carbon and nutrient exchange.	December 2010	1 415		1 415

Resources

The following resources relate to information referred to in Outcome 4, Sustainable Water Legislation.

Operational aspects of the WELS Act www.waterrating.gov.au

Reporting on the outcomes of the use of Commonwealth environmental water www.environment.gov.au/water/publications/action/cewh-outcomes-report-2009-10.html.

Outcome 5: Heritage conservation

‘Protecting, conserving and celebrating Australia’s heritage contributes to environmental, social and economic sustainability.’

At a glance

• 
  The Ningaloo Coast became Australia’s 19th property and was inscribed in the World Heritage List in June 2011.
  
• 
  Koongarra area added to the Kakadu World Heritage Area on 27 June 2011.
  
• 
  Eleven Australian Convict Sites located across Australia were inscribed in the World Heritage List in July 2010.
  
• 
  The Royal Australian Mint launched commemorative coins in recognition of significant Australian Convict Sites being included in the World Heritage List.
  
• 
  National Heritage listing of the Great Ocean Road.
  
• 
  $3.645 million was distributed to 50 organisations towards 55 projects to conserve, identify and promote Indigenous heritage.
  
• 
  Australia’s first Heritage Week. Over 300 events were held by state and territory heritage agencies, National Trusts, historical societies and community heritage organisations to help share and celebrate our unique collective heritage.
  

Outcome 5: Heritage Conservation

Outcome 5

Conservation and Protection of Australia’s Heritage

Outcome 5 reports against Program 5.1—Arts and Cultural Development, and Program 5.2—as per the 2010–11 Budget. Although Program 5.1 was transferred to the Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet as a result of the Machinery of Government Changes in October 2010, reporting requirements for this Program continued for funding appropriated in the 2010–11 Budget. This chapter incorporates Outcome 7—Conservation and Protection of Australia’s Heritage, which was created to reflect reporting requirements in the 2010–11 Portfolio Additional Estimates.

Heritage Division

Main responsibilities for this outcome

The department’s Heritage Division is responsible for identifying, protecting, conserving and celebrating Australia’s heritage by developing and implementing strategies and programs, and administering legislation. The department also aims to strengthen the integrity of the World Heritage Convention by helping countries in Australia’s region to implement it.

Objectives

• 
  Identify, protect, conserve and celebrate Australia’s natural, Indigenous and historic heritage places that are of national and world significance.
  
• 
  Identify, protect and conserve heritage places that are Commonwealth owned or controlled.
  
• 
  Promote Australia’s reputation internationally by:
  

• 
  strengthening the integrity of the World Heritage Convention by working with United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation and other World Heritage Committee members to improve the policies and processes of the Convention, and helping countries in Australia’s region identify and protect their World Heritage
  
• 
  working with the Government of Papua New Guinea to protect the natural, cultural and historic values of the Kokoda Track and surrounding region.
  

• 
  Increase knowledge and appreciation of Australia’s maritime heritage and protect shipwrecks and associated relics.
  
• 
  Provide funding and advice to support heritage protection, conservation and interpretation through the successful management of funding programs, including working with state and territory National Trusts through the Australian Council of National Trusts, to enhance and promote the conservation of Australia’s cultural heritage.
  
• 
  Encourage Australians to learn about, access and enjoy Australia’s heritage by raising the profile of heritage and increasing the awareness of its contribution to social amenity and well being.
  

Strategies

Australia’s World, National and Commonwealth Heritage places are of natural, Indigenous or historic significance or any combination of the three. They are important places to Australia’s sense of national identity and shared values. Their protection and recognition benefits all Australians.

The Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 protects the heritage values of places in the following lists:

• 
  World Heritage List—places of outstanding universal value which are inscribed under the Convention Concerning the Protection of the World Cultural and Natural Heritage (usually referred to as the World Heritage Convention).
  
• 
  National Heritage List—places of outstanding heritage value to the nation.
  
• 
  Commonwealth Heritage List—places of heritage value which are owned or leased by the Australian Government.
  

The department manages the processes set up by the EPBC Act by providing heritage listing advice to the government, and advises property managers on heritage management plans and strategies. The department also supports the Australian Heritage Council in its assessment, advice, and public information and awareness activities.

World Heritage List

National governments nominate places for the World Heritage List and the World Heritage Committee assesses them.

Working with state officials, the department completed the management framework and community consultation processes for the World Heritage nomination of the Ningaloo Reef in Western Australia. Ningaloo Reef covers more than 600 000 hectares of coastal waters and land, including one of the longest near-shore reefs in the world. It is home to rare wildlife including whale sharks and sea turtles. On 24 June 2011 UNESCO inscribed Ningaloo in the World Heritage List.

In recognition of its outstanding natural and cultural values, the 1 228 hectare Koongarra area inside Kakadu National Park, but excluded from its original 1979 boundaries because of its potential uranium resources, was added to the Kakadu World Heritage Area by the World Heritage Committee on 27 June 2011.

Terns at Winderabandi Point, Ningaloo Marine Area – Commonwealth Waters. (Tony Howard)

Australian World Heritage Tentative List

Under the Operational Guidelines for the Implementation of the World Heritage Convention (2005), the Australian Government prepares an Australian World Heritage Tentative List, an inventory of Australian properties considered suitable for inscription in the World Heritage List over the next 10 years.

The department also worked with the Queensland Government on a proposal for Cape York. It was agreed that the consent and participation of the local Indigenous people was essential for the proposal. This project is continuing.

The department continued to work with the Northern Territory Government on a proposal for the West MacDonald Ranges. There was agreement that before proceeding the proposal required further consultation.

National and Commonwealth heritage listings

Under the EPBC Act the minister is responsible for including places in the National and Commonwealth Heritage Lists. In 2010–11 the minister called for public nominations for both lists. In setting the Australian Heritage Council’s assessment work plan for the National Heritage List, the minister considered 50 nominations from members of the public, non-government organisations and other levels of government, and one nomination from the council itself (for the Tarkine). The department received 21 nominations for the Commonwealth Heritage List, and 19 places were set in the finalised assessment work plan for the Commonwealth Heritage List for 2012–13.

Seven places were added to the National Heritage List. They are the Great Ocean Road and Scenic Environs and Coranderrk in Victoria; the Wilgie Mia Aboriginal Ochre Mine, and Goldfields Water Supply Scheme in Western Australia; Ngarrabullgan in Queensland, and off the coast of Western Australia, HMAS Sydney II and HSK Kormoran Shipwreck Sites. The Jordan River levee site in Tasmania, was added as an emergency listing as at 30 June 2011 the National Heritage list included 95 places.

In 2010–11 Llandilo International Transmitting Station and HMAS Sydney II and HSK Kormoran Shipwreck Sites were added to the Commonwealth Heritage List, bringing its total to 325. One place became ineligible for the Commonwealth list following its sale and was removed from the list.

Work on inclusion of the Kimberley in the National Heritage List progressed.

Emergency listings

The minister can ‘emergency list’ places he believes might have National or Commonwealth heritage values if the values are under likely and imminent threat. In 2010–11 the minister agreed to list the Jordan River levee site in the National Heritage List under the emergency provisions. Three other requests to emergency list places were also received:

• 
  Yan Yean, in Victoria—the minister decided the potential heritage values of Yan Yean were not under an imminent threat and therefore could not be listed in accordance with the EPBC Act.
  
• 
  Lake Burley Griffin and Lake Foreshore in the Australian Capital Territory— this request was still under consideration at 30 June 2011.
  
• 
  Fort Direction in Tasmania— the minister decided not to emergency list Fort Direction noting advice from the Department of Defence that it was not under imminent threat.
  

World Heritage management

In 2010 a revised Conservation Management Plan and a World Heritage Environs Area Strategy Plan were finalised for the Royal Exhibition Building and Carlton Gardens, listed in the World Heritage List.

The Australian World Heritage Advisory Committee

The Australian World Heritage Advisory Committee advises federal and state heritage ministers on national and cross-cutting issues affecting Australia’s World Heritage properties. It is a forum for Australia’s World Heritage property managers to share information on place management and protection. In 2009 the committee identified three priority work areas, reporting on them to the Environment Protection and Heritage Council in 2010. The areas are:

• 
  Indigenous cultural protocols
  
• 
  threats to World Heritage properties, including climate change and invasive species
  
• 
  presentation, communication and tourism.