This group of conservation areas, which comprises Ku-ring-gai Chase, Dharug and Marramarra National Parks, Muogamarra Nature Reserve and a number of island nature reserves, forms a green belt which separates metropolitan Sydney from the growth centres of Gosford and Wyong.
This plan of management maintains the moderate density walking and picnicking opportunities in a natural setting provided for the population of the Gosford-Wyong area. Three locations are proposed to be redeveloped for picnicking in the park at Girrakool, Somersby Falls and Pearl Beach. This plan of management also provides for limited pack camping, particularly along the route of the Great North Walk.
This contrasts with the dispersed walking and low key camping in Dharug and Marramarra National Parks and car touring, sightseeing, high density picnicking and boating in Ku-ring-gai Chase National Park. The Broken Bay group of national parks, in turn, provides different recreational settings to other parks in the Hawkesbury River and Central Coast sub-regions such as wilderness in Yengo National Park and coastal recreation in Bouddi National Park and Munmorah State Conservation Park.
Brisbane Water National Park is hemmed in on two sides by urban, industrial and intensive agricultural development. Most of the larger streams of the park have their headwaters outside the park and this gives rise to major difficulties of park management; particularly with respect to the maintenance of natural processes within the park. Promoting the formation of Catchment Management Committees is recognised as an important initiative to be taken by the Service to reduce the impacts that may arise from human activities both within and outside the park.
Photo: Somersby Falls, Brisbane Water National Park / Jeff Betteridge/OEH
