FORUM Celebrating Tomaree National Park’s 40th anniversary

What a fitting celebration for the 40th anniversary of Tomaree National Park’s gazettal!

By Sue Olsson, Coordinator
Friends of Tomaree National Park

A fascinating vicarious dive into the park from such varied perspectives — so much interest, expertise and appreciation from so many who enjoy and love Tomaree NP. And all gathered in one room!

NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service (NPWS) lead the Forum’s development, in close partnership with the Friends of Tomaree National Park and the National Parks Association (Hunter Branch).

The anniversary of Tomaree National Park’s proclamation and gazettal was October and November respectively,

Coincidentally, the Friends of Tomaree National Park celebrate their 4th anniversary, having started in October at North Tomaree and November at South Tomaree, 2020.

Opening

You’re invited on our journey as we weave through the afternoon.

We started with a wonderful short video NPWS created about the Friends of Tomaree National Park, viewing snippets of our work, our people, and our love and care for the national park.

What a great present to the Friends and to Tomaree National Park. Thank you NPWS. Sit back for just a few minutes and hear from our volunteers.

Friends of Tomaree National Park – YouTube

All anniversary celebration’s need a cake and people – what a magnificent cake, and what a fantastic gathering.

About 85 people joined us; community leaders, presenters, NPWS, Friends of Tomaree, and a host of wonderful people who also cherish Tomaree National Park.

Nestled immediately behind the cake from front left: Kylie Yeend, Director Hunter Central Coast Branch NPWS, Sue Olsson, Coordinator Friends of Tomaree National Park, John Simpson, President National Parks Association (Hunter Branch), Jane Frances, Chair Hunter Central Coast Regional Advisory Committee, Cr Nathan Errington, Mayor Leah Anderson, Kate Washington MP, Cr Roslyn Armstrong, Aunty Lorraine Lilley and Uncle Neville Lilley, Worimi Traditional Owners, and Susanne Callaghan, Acting Manager, Hunter Coast Area NPWS.

And behind the front row is a handful of the Friends of Tomaree National Park in yellow shirts, zig zagging from left, Lyn Herd, Robert Mays, Vanessa Wills, Alan Simpson, Dave Gray, Mitzi Dewhurst, Sue Johnson and Bob Creese, then Drew Coxon NPWS.

Forum MC, Dave Brown NPWS, kept the afternoon rolling smoothly

The Forum officially opened with Uncle Neville Lilley providing a Welcome to Country — you could hear a pin drop as we listened intently to his welcoming words in Gathang and then translated.

The afternoon had certainly begun with a bang — a fantastic scene setter in wonderful style, from the video of Friends who love and care for the park, to a wonderful gathering to learn more about the Tomaree National Park, to the friendly Welcome to Country, together created the vibe for a memorable afternoon.

An overview from NPWS: Suse Callaghan, provided a concise presentation of managing this ancient landscape, the traditional land of Worimi People.

The Hunter Coast Area has 49 staff with 70% Aboriginal staff, who manage over 25 diverse reserves including the islands and the Worimi Conservation Lands.

Park management responsibilities extend from Aboriginal and historical heritage management to fire, pest and weed management as well as visitor and neighbour management.

With a significant fire only two months prior at Box Beach, we were reminded of the critical role NPWS has statewide in fire management.

In addition, Tomaree National Park is in the top ten visitor parks in NSW and has a high urban interface — bringing together a diversity of challenges.

Suse handed over to the fabulous range of presenters who explored the myriad of values for why we protect Tomaree National Park.

Aboriginal Heritage

Tomaree (Djurami) National Park through Worimi (Warrimay) Eyes

Aunty Lorraine Lilley, Worimi Elder, and her son Jonathan Lilley, together deepened our understanding of Worimi connections to Tomaree (Djurami) National Park, as seen through Worimi (Warrimay) Eyes.

Jonathan taught us how the sounds for D and T are much the same in Gathang (pronounced gut-tongue), with Djurami, meaning ‘to look and see’, having a similar sound to Tomaree.

While several generations had not been allowed to openly speak Gathang, today Worimi are reinvigorating and sharing their language. Jonathan talked to us masterfully in Gathang.

Aunty Lorraine shared aspects of her life growing up in Karuah, and how she came to live with her grandmother Ellen Dates (Russell), her cultural teacher.

She encouraged us to experience djurami ‘to look and see’ dhurrumiri, the rainbow, another word of similar sound to Tomaree.

Jonathan explained djurami is the verb ‘to look and see’ and dhurrrumiri is the noun.

Aunty Lorraine told us how one of the wonderful aspects of djurami is seeing the world around us, connecting nature’s seasonal patterns and observations on land, with occurrences at sea.

For instance, the hairy processionary caterpillars appear at the time the mullet run north. And when Gymea lilies bud we know whales are coming, and when in full bloom the whale migration is in full swing.

In finalising, Worimi People have lived here for thousands of years, and now share this beautiful land with others. Aunty Lorraine asks us to care for this land together in partnership.

Sitting in the Forum I could picture a rainbow over Tomaree / Djurami, with much colour in the afternoon as the kaleidoscope of presenters’ viewpoints unfolded.

Historic values

Military history

Judy Washington OAM, Tomaree Headland Heritage Group, treated us to a wealth of historic photos and places.

With concern for an attack on Newcastle through Port Stephens, Fort Tomaree was established, with the Department of Defence taking over leased Crown Land on Tomaree Headland.

Defence occupied the coast to Fingal Spit.

We saw the detail of Fort Tomaree and its various armouries, from the radar, the military guns and installations, to the surf guns and torpedoes, as well as the upper and lower camps seemingly replicating fishing villages. The lower camp became Tomaree Lodge.

Beyond Fort Tomaree, a separate multinational training camp was established from Shoal Bay to Nelson Bay for combined navy, army and airforce amphibious training involving the US, Australian and later UK forces. The hospital is now repurposed as an Art Gallery, throughout the adjacent gardens there are cement slabs and other remnants, while only photos are evidence of the huts on Little Beach.

Fingal Island Maritime

John “Stinker” Clarke, local historian, reflected on his personal relations with the area and its natural beauty, having arrived here some 50 years ago.

Fingal ‘Island’, once connected via a treed landform was broken with the Maitland Gale in 1898, creating an intermittent spit, and stranding the 3 resident families who managed the lighthouse. Over this time cattle grazed the ‘island’.

With automation of the lighthouse, in 1973 the lighthouse keepers were removed. Much of the infrastructure was deemed surplus to needs — the supply shelter was blown up, the wharf (depicted) bulldozed, and all goods such as records, furniture, generators and fittings were buried.

Stinker told how the island then became over ran with invasive weeds, like bitou and lantana, when the cattle were removed.

Only the house remained – until 1991 when that was burnt down.

Over a decade later, the ‘Island’ was added to Tomaree National Park.

Natural values

Threatened Species Conservation

Doug Beckers, NPWS helped us understand the legislative requirements governing NPWS in its protection of threatened species. NSW NPWS is the first Australian national park agency to adopt a zero-extinction target.

Within Tomaree National Park there are two Threatened Ecological Communities, Freshwater Wetlands and Swamp Sclerophyll Forest, as well as 27 threatened species.

Some case studies demonstrated how this translated into reality.

Case 1: The Leafless Tongue Orchid, Cryptostylis hunteriana, is present in the vicinity of new infrastructure development. Strict mitigation requirements govern associated works. Interestingly this orchid has only a green stem enabling a little photosynthesis, and probably depends on a fungal associate for its nutritional requirements.

Case 2: The Sand Double-tail, affectionally known locally as the Tomaree donkey orchid, Diuris arenaria, is an Asset of Intergenerational Significance, so has an even higher requirement on NPWS to ensure it does not become extinct. This requires some fire – though lack of fire and too much fire are each threats.

Case 3: Villous mint-bush, Prostanthera densa, is part of the SOS program, Save or Species. Several plantings are attempting to bolster the Tomaree Peninsula population. The nearest population is in the Sydney area.

Case 4: New Holland Mouse involves translocation to a Victorian and a NSW site, as well as potential ‘rewilding’ in NSW.

Interrelationships of Tomaree’s geology, vegetation and water

John Simpson, National Parks Association (Hunter Branch), wove together the intricacies of Tomaree’s geology, the soils and how that creates the vegetation and water relationships within the national park.

Essentially, when considering soils and water, there’s

highly permeable extensive sand sheets, and
highly impermeable headlands which weather to clay.

Tomaree’s basic landforms are evident at Zenith Beach and Stephens Peak to its south, with …

extensive stabilised sand dunes
‘pocket’ beaches and mobile dunes
volcanic headlands, both coastal and island.
drainage lines
freshwater swamps

The coastal influence, and the soils associated with these landforms, give rise to 13 different vegetation communities supporting over 350 plant species.

Importance of the groundwater to Tomaree National Park, and to us

Approximately 50% of Tomaree’s 350+ plant species depend on the groundwater reserves.

While canopy trees such as eucalypts and banksias can reach the groundwater, Tomaree supports a diverse range of freshwater swamps. Swamps like the Shoal Bay swamp sit perched above the aquifer.

The Tomaree peninsula draws about 80% of its water supply from this groundwater aquifer, the Tomaree borefields.

Over summer, Grahamstown Dam provides about 20% of Tomaree’s water supply.

John explained how the Hunter Water Corporation (HWC) can operate without impacting the national park vegetation.

The aquifer is about 10m below the surface, with its basement between 40m and in spots 80m. Even with a rainfall event of some 140mm, the water did not reach the aquifer — the plants took it all!

Most vegetation cannot access the HWC extraction area — though canopy trees and banksias can continue to do so sustainably.

However, the aquifer is below the sea level — a risk that needs to be protected. If HWC over-extracts, saltwater intrusion can become a potential issue.

Birds of Tomaree National Park

Neil Frazer, Hunter Bird Observers Club, provided a timely reminder that national parks do not exist in isolation. They are part of an integrated system of reserves, interconnected by forests and to some extent by whatever habitat is provided though the urban areas

The park boasts some 200 bird species, of which half are relatively common …

… and 13 species are threatened.

While bird populations constantly change, they are found in three main habitats; the raptors broadly being part of the coastal woodlands and heathlands.

Neil also shared interesting stories and snippets about various birds.

The Southern Boobook Owl is the smallest of our owls and a resident. Ingestion of poisoned rats has impacted the NSW population reducing it to near threatened — the recent rat plague had major impact.
The Peregrine Falcon is the fastest bird worldwide, with flight up to 100km/hr and reaching an amazing 380 km/hr in a dive. An audience participant contributed knowledge of their breeding location in the national park.
Shoal Bay wetlands have breeding colonies of white ibis and cormorants.
And good news for the Sooty Oystercatchers, while listed Vulnerable, their population inside Port Stephens has increased to around 40 birds, while up to 16 birds are present along our local coast. They breed on Broughton Island and are readily seen on Tomaree’s rocky platforms.

Community values

Visitation in Tomaree National Park

David Brown, NPWS, took us behind the scenes of the Tomaree Coastal Walk ~ what it took to create the iconic walk and experience.

The prime objectives of the walk are to:

create nature based experiences which support sustainable growth of the regional economy

sustainably increase and disperse overall visitation to Tomaree National Park throughout the year.

Dave walked us through three phases:

Early days of planning, design and construction
Marketing the new experiences
Data observations of its use.

The early days of planning, design and construction involved extensive consultation with the broader community and stakeholders, as well as environmental studies and a management plan amendment.

While the walk involved new staircases, bridges, lookouts, precinct upgrades and extensive track work, it has created a 27km walking trail linking existing and new tracks from Tomaree Headland through to Birubi Point Aboriginal Place.

There’s over 70 new signs and directional totems throughout the Tomaree Coastal Walk, as well as a range of interpretive signs highlighting the natural and cultural icons.

From Tomaree Headland, the walk’s northern end, while gazing toward Broughton Island, you can experience through augmented reality Gould’s Petrel shorebird nesting. At the southern end, the site’s design and the Birubi storytelling: Matjarr nguka blinba, connect you to Worimi Country.

After just one year, and a 3 month marketing campaign, over 17,000 people have walked the Tomaree Coastal Walk, representing a 26% increase in those walking the northern end (excluding Tomaree Headland) and a 75% increase at the southern end.

In summary, David says …

“The Tomaree Coastal Walk has achieved a range of benefits including:

– protecting and enhancing significant cultural, natural and historic values

– creating memorable experiences for community and visitors to Port Stephens

– enabling better management of existing and future visitation in the park

– driving growth in the visitor economy, including growing regional visitor numbers and increasing overnight visitor expenditure.

Tomaree Coastal Walk will have a long-lasting legacy to the residents and visitors to Port Stephens.”

Additionally, as a segue to my presentation on Bushcare in Tomaree National Park, the walk has also enabled access to, and increased the priority on, managing invasive bitou in the national park. It has been a win win environmentally, socially and as an economic booster.

Bushcare in Tomaree National Park

Sue Olsson, Friends of Tomaree National Park, took us through their first 4 years of volunteer bushcare in Tomaree National Park.

Starting with just 8 people, they now enjoy about 60 active volunteers and 3 groups and growing. On the way there’s been a lot of learning, a big agenda with big aspirations for the future.

Closing

And the final activity for the afternoon was the lucky door prize, a superb image of Tomaree National Park, featuring its rocky platforms at sunrise. Thank you NPWS.

The Friends of Tomaree National Park would like to acknowledge our community leaders who each fitted the Forum into their busy schedules. Thank you Worimi Elders Aunty Lorraine and Uncle Neville Lilley, Kate Washington MP, Mayor Leah Anderson, Cr Rosalyn Armstrong and Cr Nathan Errington. We really appreciated your attendance.

We thank all the presenters who gave up their time to plan and deliver their presentations and who enthusiastically shared their knowledge and wisdom — without you we would not have had a Forum!

We very much appreciated the help of several volunteers on the day who ensured everything ticked over smoothly.

And our sincere appreciation to NPWS’s Dave Brown and Drew Coxon for the leadership and work you undertook in bringing this Forum and the Friends video together. Thank you also Kylie Yeend and Suse Callaghan in facilitating and supporting staff involvement and resources, and for your much appreciated time and involvement on the day.

We also very much appreciate NPWS’s role in actively supporting the family-focussed Picnic for Nature ~ connecting beach, bush and your backyard, a couple of weeks prior.

The Forum and the Picnic for Nature were each a key element in celebrating the 40th anniversary of Tomaree National Park, in reaching different participants and creating understanding and care for our wonderful park.

Jump here to see other Tomaree NP activities including wildflower and night walks, day walks, bush regeneration community activities that were part of celebrating our 40th Anniversary of Tomaree National Park — still to come, One Mile Headland forest regen and the Tomaree orchid and flora exhibition currently exhibiting — all part of enjoying, appreciating, caring and celebrating 40 years of Tomaree National Park.

Again we are reminded of Aunty Lorraine Lilley’s closing words in her presentation …

You will find the program and pre event information here.

Thank you everyone!

Photos with thanks, Drew Coxon, Mayor Leah Anderson, Kelly Hammond and Sue Olsson