This reluctance by the NSW Government over many years to provide the ITZ the protection it deserves is most apparent for areas adjacent to national parks and nature reserves. When visiting a coastal national park, many assume the ITZ is part of the park, but for example adjacent to Bundjalung National Park, the beach is Crown land and you can drive a four-wheel drive vehicle.

A speeding vehicle can harass beach pedestrians and wildlife such as birds at any time. Law enforcement is difficult for national park rangers. If somebody drives onto the sand dunes, once back on the beach they cannot be prosecuted.

In 1999 the NSW Government promised that ITZ areas adjacent to national parks and nature reserves would be fully protected. Government has told NPA in 2000 that NSW Fisheries agreed to greater ITZ protection provided they have a statutory right of consultation on park plans of management, and the ITZ of a handful of parks and reserves will be trialled soon. We are still waiting.

Many deeper marine waters adjacent to the ITZ and national parks warrant protection as marine sanctuaries. Such a ‘marine national park’, has been proposed for Curracarrong, off Royal National Park. It would provide a continuous protected area managed as a single unit, safeguarding the natural interactions between land and marine environments.

NPA has established a Vehicles off Beaches campaign. If you would like to join this, or just wish to report illegal or inappropriate use of our intertidal zone, email vehiclesoffbeaches@npansw.org.au or call the NPA office on

[02] 9299 0000.

Andrew Cox

Executive Officer, NPA