Meeting held at 1300 hours at the Fogg Dam rotunda.

1.    Open, welcome and apologies
Present: Alan Anderson, Gemina Corpus, Leisa Baldwin, Jane Moore, Heather Boulden, Jeremy Hemphill, Pru Adamson.
Apologies: Penny Wurm; Lyn & Brian Reid.

2        Minutes of meeting 18 Jan 2009
    Acceptance moved Jeremy/Alan. Accepted.

3        Business arising from minutes
a)    Fogg Dam equipment list from Ken Levy – awaiting return of Monika, overseas.
b)    Monsoon Forest Interpretive signage – Alan & Strider - in abeyance pending replacement of boardwalk.
c)    Donation boxes – awaiting response from P&W

4.      Correspondence:  Out:
•    16 Jan, letter to Mr Peter Blake, seeking permission to locate a storage container at Middle Point Village.
•    6 Feb, email to Monika, giving an update and wondering when she’ll be back.
•    6 Feb, letter to Mr Peter Blake, Chair of NT Land Corporation, thanking him for giving FOFD permission to locate a container adjacent to the Interpretive Shelter.
•    7 Feb, email to Dr Don Franklin, saying how pleased FOFD is to hear there is an Honours student to undertake a study of the aquatic vegetation and conservation of the Fogg Dam wetlands, offering to assist if we can and asking if FOFD could have periodic updates on the project.

Correspondence In:
•    2 Feb, letter from Mr Peter Blake, Chair of NT Land Corporation, giving permission to locate the storage container adjacent to the old P&W Interpretive Shelter at Middle Point Village.
•    7 Feb, email from Dr Don Franklin, advising the student, Alice Leppitt, will start mid-year and he will be happy to set up contact between FOFD and her.  Fine details of the project are yet to be worked out but help with field work may well be appreciated.   Also, historical air photos of the dam would be useful.

Correspondence accepted: Jeremy/Leisa

5.    Business arising from correspondence:
•    Container storage for FOFD equipment – see Item 8, Telstra Shop Grant.

6.    Feedback on P&W Draft Management Plan for Adelaide River Parks
    Pru Adamson reported on the method and status of the Plan of Management she is developing for the Adelaide River Parks, including Fogg Dam, Harrison Dam, Black Jungle and Djukbinj as follows:
•    She has considered submissions lodged and talked to various interest groups including: FOFD, NRETA Heritage, Parks and Wildlife Management and Traditional Owners


•    The process, while useful, has taken longer than originally proposed. Instead of being complete at the end of 2008, the status now is:
•    Draft plan to be submitted for internal P&W review by 27 February
•    The plan (perhaps revised) to be submitted to other partners, eg TOs
•    After authorization by the Minister, the plan (as perhaps further revised) be submitted to community interest groups: FOFD, Lambell’s Landcare, Shooters, etc and the public.

As a generalization, urban development and increasing population will have an impact on the Top End parks. As there is already substantial good scientific data on these parks, the impact can be measured and addressed.

In relation to the Adelaide River parks, most proposals of FOFD are included, eg for:
•    Improving visitor facilities,
•    Improving attractiveness of the dam itself and
•    Building on the heritage value of the rice project

However, it is proposed that hunting at both Harrison Dam and Lambell’s Lagoon should continue, although, as a separate exercise, the NT government is proposing a separate review of recreational and indigenous hunting.

In essence the Draft Plan proposes:
•    Improved facilities at Fogg Dam
•    There be a regional promotional link, eg badging (branding) and heritage values , of the Adelaide River parks with Mary River and Marrakai
•    Improved web based information for tourists
•    Improved access to Fogg Dam

NRETAs heritage section has been looking to develop a heritage trail in the area and has money for that. There are issues for public liability where heritage sites are located on privately owned land.

Pru said there is an increasing need for volunteer organizations to be involved in park management and, with that, more money should be made available to those groups. She also said there is a national move to encourage the use of private sector land to protect the environment, eg by creating corridors for wildlife.

Discussion included:
•    the state of the dam itself and the causeway
•    traffic management on the causeway to improve safety for vehicles and pedestrians
•    access to Fogg Dam, eg only from Anzac Parade or Anzac parade and a new road from the PowerWater substation on the Arnhem Highway.

Pru is unable to say when the Plan will be available to FOFD and the public for comment as this depends on the various stages of review outlined earlier. She will provide the names of her prime contacts in Tourism NT and NRETAs Heritage section.

Pru suggests that at the next Fogg Dam Field Day, the TOs again be invited to participate as they are now better organized than at the 2008 event. She suggested a person named Wightman for checking on the Wulgna people’s seasons.

7.       Landcare/Aust. Post Grant
Heather reported that we are due to submit a five part report by 17 April covering
a)    PR Plan – this includes acknowledgements of the grant on our webpage and sign and print media
b)    Purchase of equipment, tools – a St John’s 1st aid kit has been bought, gloves and mosquito repellent have been bought from Geminex and several tools and a barrow have been bought at Howard Springs Hardware. Additional tool purchases are to be made following discussion with P&W.

8.       Telstra Grant
    Purchase of container for storage has been arranged through Royal Wolf with delivery dependent on the ground being firm. After delivery, work will be required to tie down the unit, build an entry ramp, paint, provide signage plus install shelving, padlocks, etc.

9.    The Anzac Parade Sign    
Jane discussed her concepts and advised she is updating her computer software and will probably need access to a larger scanner than Peter’s . It was agreed the sub-committee (Heather, Jane, Alan and Leisa) meet in the next week to further develop the concept and consider production issues.

10.     Open Day 2010
•    Organising committee nominations:  Leisa; Alan; Heather;
•    Preparation and to sponsorship.. Heather, Alan and Leisa will draw up a task list for allocation amongst members.
•    Direct cost of 2008 Open Day to FOFD was only $456.00  ($300.00 Public Liability insurance, $156.00 gifts for speakers).  The cost of printing, which would have been considerable, was donated by ConocoPhillips. With Colin having retired from ConocoPhillips and having returned to England, we cannot count on that support.

11.    Other business –
    State of causeway road.   Issues discussed and agreed Heather to write:
•    to both Roads and P&W requesting repair to strengthen, widen and add a pedestrian walk plus more vehicle lay-overs and
•    considering the need for a water gate underneath the causeway to flush weeds and silt.

12.     Next meeting:    2.30pm Saturday 14 March  at Kezia Purick’s office, Coolalinga (entrance at rear of the office)                        
             Next working bee:    Date to be decided.


Summary of issues to follow up.

a)    Fogg Dam equipment list from Ken Levy – awaiting return of Monika.
b)    Monsoon Forest Interpretive signage – Alan & Strider - in abeyance pending replacement of boardwalk.
c)    Donation boxes – awaiting response from P&W
d)    Purchase of Aust Post/Landcare grant equipment, develop sign
e)    Delivery of storage container.
f)    Letter to Roads and P&W re state of the causeway
g)    Planning for the proposed 2010 field day.