So concluded Bob Debus, NSW Minister for the Environment, in his speech at the Blue Mountains World Heritage Dedication Ceremony at Govetts Lookout, Blackheath, on 12 May 2001.

The dedication celebrated the Blue Mountains attaining the highest levels of protection in November last year. New safeguards are now provided by the World Heritage Convention and the Commonwealth Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act. The ceremony honoured the work of visionary, dedicated members of NPA and other environment groups plus supportive governments, workers, politicians and residents.

Over the course of the World Heritage campaign, the Gardens of Stone and Nattai national parks were created and four wilderness areas declared under the Wilderness Act. The Warragamba Dam wall raising was stopped and the sewage upgrade for the Blue Mountains is nearly complete.

Just before the ceremony, legally binding plans of management (POMs) were adopted for Wollemi, Blue Mountains, Kanangra-Boyd and Nattai national parks. The Grose Wilderness was declared the day before the ceremony and the Special Areas Strategic POM under the Sydney Water Catchment Management Act adopted on 9 May 2001.

Announced at the ceremony was joint Federal and State funding for an executive officer to oversee the management and presentation of the world heritage area and to prepare an over-arching POM, as well as for a new $1M visitor centre near Bilpin. Another will be built at Katoomba.

There is now layer upon layer of legal protection, and strong support for the conservation of the Blue Mountains.

Now that long-awaited protection has mostly been delivered, can we rest easy? Unfortunately, existing and new pressures threaten the integrity of the Blue Mountains World Heritage Area:

Below: Sand mine and coal mine extensions on Newnes Plateau adjacent to Blue Mountains NP threaten water quality, damage water tables and cause cliff collapses and erosion.

Above: Jet-fighter joy flights scream low over the Kowmung and Kanangra areas.

Within: Increasing pressure for tracks and visitor infrastructure including car parks, picnic shelters, roads, tracks and camping areas;

Access to inholdings and activities on inholdings;

Recreational horse-riding and four-wheel driving;

Illegal rubbish dumping, plant and bush-rock theft.

Outside: Urban development continues to expand in the Blue Mountains and other areas, removing the bushland buffer and subjecting the park to weeds, stormwater, cats and dogs. A strategic containment plan is needed to limit this.

The vigilance, optimism and hard work of NPA and its members are still needed to protect the Blue Mountains. At least our efforts are now a bit easier.

Andrew Cox 
NPA Executive Officer

Levels of protection of Blue Mountains public lands

Area World Her NPW Act  POM  Declared wilderness Blue Mountains NP Y Y 1.5.2001 Grose Wilderness, southern Wollemi W'ness, most Kanangra-Boyd W'ness (omits inholdings, Crown, some NP lands) Wollemi NP Y Y 5.4.2001 Wollemi Wilderness (omits inholdings, SF, some NP lands) Gardens of Stone NP Y Y Draft in prep N/A Yengo NP Y Y On exhib 13.7.2001 Under assessment since 1994 Kanangra-Boyd NP Y Y 17.4.2001 Part Kanangra-Boyd Wilderness (omits inholdings) Jenolan Caves Karst Con Reserve Y Y No No (undeclared part of Kanangra-Boyd Wilderness) Nattai NP  Y Y 17.4.2001 Nattai Wilderness (omits inholdings) Thirlmere NP Y Y 1997  N/A Yerranderie, Bargo, Nattai SRA N N (partial) 17.4.2001 Part Kanangra-Boyd (in Yerranderie SRA) SCA freehold lands N  Pending 9.5.2001 N (pending – will be added to national park)