The the FOFD submission has been forwarded to Parks & Wildlife for the review of the management plan of Adelaide River Parks.   Parks are working on a Draft Management Plan which is expected to be released in October 2008 to work it's way through government and allow for public comment.   Please add your support or additional comments to This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it

The Adelaide River Wetlands is a unique asset for tourism just an hour from the CBD of Darwin, accessible throughout the year.   It should be developed as a whole visitor ‘package,’ with Lambell’s Logoon, Black Jungle, Fogg and Harrison Dams linked together, with each area offering different features, providing information about the other locations.   Fogg Dam seems to have become forgotten from the tourism landscape.   Apart from it’s other attractions it offers magical sunrises accompanied by a dawn chorus of birds and spectacular sunsets reflected in the dam water.  It has a reputation as a paradise for bird watchers, photographers and biologists.  In earlier days most Darwin sunset photos shown on post cards were taken at Fogg Dam.   The Fogg Dam area has varying attractions throughout the seasons and is a fabulous birding location. It’s one of the few attractions accessible during the wet season.  The Adelaide River Park group could be so much more with appropriate development.  

Internationally there is huge interest in wetlands and their wildlife.   People’s lives are enriched by the experience of being so close to nature and learning about the interdependence between the wildlife and plants, the wetland and the delicate balance of survival.  Examples of how successful wetland areas can be are at:

The Wildfowl & Wetlands Trust     www.wwt.org.uk
Hunter Wetlands Centre        www.wetlands.org.au

In essence, Friends of Fogg Dam Inc. (FOFD) support the concepts proposed for the development of Fogg Dam in the Clouston Report , “It should become a true ‘Window on the Wetlands” deserving of a WOW factor.  Lambell’s Lagoon, Black Jungle, Fogg and Harrison Dams should be developed together as a wetland package with links to the existing Window on the Wetlands Visitor Centre.  It has the potential to become a Wetland Research and Education Centre offering a variety of visitor experiences just an hour from Darwin and easily accessible by researchers and the public the entire year.

Our submission outlines the assets, issues and opportunities of the Adelaide River Parks.

ASSETS

Habitat     
The diversity of habitat (monsoon forest, eucalypt forest, melaleuca swamp, floodplain, sedges and open water) in a small area is a feature that has made Fogg Dam of great interest to biologists and birdwatchers internationally.    Black Jungle has the rare palm,
Ptychosperma bleeseri and the rare orchid, Luisia teretifolia which may necessitate restricted access to some areas.

Waterlilies add a special quality for those visitors seeking tranquillity.
 
Birds, reptiles, mammals, and marsupials  
The diversity of habitat supports a wide variety of wildlife.   Fogg Dam is renowned for having water birds present throughout the year and huge numbers of Magpie Geese that nest there.  It supports a breeding population of Green Pygmy Geese and Workshop Jungle has the largest known breeding population of Rainbow Pittas.   The sheer number of birds provides enjoyment for all.

Keen birdwatchers seek out special birds, including: crakes; (leave out Banded Rail) Barking Owl; Channel-billed Cuckoo; Rainbow Pitta, Broad-billed Flycatcher, etc.   In the wet season Royal Spoonbills, egrets and herons flock to fish at the overflowing causeway and bridge at the overflow.  The Royal Spoonbills are spectacular with their ‘punk’ looking breeding plumage.

Excellent examples of mounds built by Orange-footed Scrub Fowls can be seen along the Monsoon Forest Walk.

Nearby Harrison Dam is known for the Yellow Chat and Adelaide River for the Mangrove Golden Whistler.   At the end of the year hundreds of brolgas congregate at Fogg and Harrison Dams.  The Adelaide River wetlands has potential to become an IBA (Important Bird Area) of Birdlife International.

Permanent water and plentiful food support a wide variety of animals, reptiles and amphibians.   Fogg Dam has the “highest known biomass of predators and prey of any ecosystem on earth – higher even than the fabled Serengeti Plain of Africa.”    The unusual relationship between Water Pythons and Dusky Rats is of great interest and has been studied for over 20 years.  

There is an abundance of ‘tree’ frogs, ‘ground’ frogs, Long-necked Turtles and pythons.  Both salt and fresh water crocodiles habitat the area.  Mammals include the Agile Wallaby, Dingo, Brush-tailed Possum, Water, Dusky Rat and Planigale.  At night people can go crocodile spotting (for the red eyes), and when the causeway overflows fish can be seen in the light going over the wall where fresh water crocodiles often await them.

A number of wildlife documentaries have been made on location at Fogg Dam.

Australian wildlife is unique and of enormous interest to overseas visitors and tropical wildlife is of interest to southerners.  As proposed in the Clouston Report, there is enormous potential to extend trails to view different habitats with signs, interpretive information, tours (birding, flora, night tours, etc), hides.  This could be supplemented with provision of binoculars, perhaps a web cam to capture activities.

Culture  
The Limilngan-Wulna people are the traditional owners.  Their land has areas of special significance with stories of the Dreamtime, and this needs to be acknowledged prominently. Development of cultural information is the provenance of the Traditional Owners/Joint Park Managers and FOFD support them.   We would be pleased to see Indigenous cultural tours.

Wetland Research Centre  
Fogg Dam has been a focus of international wetland research for over 20 years and is well known among biologists.    More recently it has become a base for Sydney University Tropical Research, providing valuable research on cane toad ecology and their impact upon the environment. 

Wetland Research in the area needs to be supported and encouraged because of its uniqueness.  There is no other publicly-owned area in the world with a tropical wetland that is suitable for research, accessible year round, and in a politically stable environment. There is also a need to undertake research to ensure the integrity of the wetlands is maintained.

Just as the North Australian Research Unit of the Australian National University is used as a base in Darwin for researchers, this location could become an International Wetland Research Centre and support all research being undertaken in the wetlands.

The area is a useful resource for researchers at Charles Darwin University. Osaka University in Japan is involved in a longitudinal study of lightning in the area.  This study has been occurring over a number of years.  Tropical horticulture research by the NT Government is undertaken in the area and it has previously been a centre for cropping and forestry research by CSIRO.

The Wetland Research Centre could feed into a Wetland Education Centre, for the public, schools, etc. which, logically, could also be located at Middle Point Village (previously known as CSIRO Village).

Rich History      
The Adelaide River floodplain area has an important Territory heritage value.  Its pioneering history includes the founding and development of Koolpinyah and Humpty Doo cattle stations (established and owned by an early NT Administrator), buffalo and crocodile hunting and the extraordinary efforts to establish a food bowl for Asia: the colourful Humpty Doo Rice Project, which not only captured the interest of most Australians at the time, but also many in the United States, even Hollywood movie stars.   It’s an amazing story. 

Much can be made of the area’s development by commercial and government interests: Fogg and Harrison Dams, Middle Point Village, a network of roads and a connection to Darwin’s electricity grid are all a result of this development.  The road names all have significance (Anzac Parade, Harrison Road, Wood Lane, Centre Road) and should be explained and sign posted.

The area also has an important WW11 history which should be acknowledged.

Visual      
Fogg Dam is renowned as a place for wonderful sunrises and sunsets.  For a long time after the Rice Project ended most “Darwin” sunset photos were taken at Fogg Dam.    The vast floodplains are an amazing site, especially for international visitors from highly built up environments in Europe and Asia.    It’s a place of contrasts throughout the different seasons: a fantastic venue for watching wet season storms rolling in and brilliant lightning displays; yet it also has forests and the aesthetic qualities of birds, water and waterlilies.

Activities
Potential activities include: bird watching; bush walking; wildlife viewing; horse riding at Lambell’s Lagoon; storm and lightning watching; star gazing; picnicking; photography; flora, environment, habitat and wetland education.

ISSUES

Protection of the biodiversity of the wetlands habitats, the floodplains and upland vegetation.
This is the major concern of FOFD.  Freshwater wetlands in close proximity to tidal waters are susceptible to salinisation.   This may be accentuated by the impact of global warming.   The Management Plan should consider how to prevent salt water intrusion.  Perhaps the armed forces, which assisted in building the rice project infrastructure, could assist with this and repair of irrigation channels, etc?

FOFD recommend that vegetation and hydrology of the Adelaide River floodplains are regularly monitored for early detection of problems and correction of adverse changes.  Perhaps this could be incorporated into a program through the proposed Wetland Research Centre.

Surrounding development
Increasing development around the parkland areas and proposals to subdivide the government farms on Anzac Parade, compromise the natural habitat due to use of and run off fertilizers, pesticides, herbicides and other chemicals as well as potential for weed infestation.   Regular soil testing should monitor the impact of these contaminants and a management strategy should be developed.   Land use around the reserves should be encouraged to compliment the recreational function of the reserves.

FOFD recommend that:
•    the water catchment, lakes and wetlands of the reserves be managed as an integrated system to ensure the protection hydrology and biology of the area
•    formation of a Landcare Group, driven by government (the major land owner)
•    land developments contain covenants to protect the parkland habitats from runoff, chemicals, etc.


Shooting at Harrison Dam and Lambell’s Lagoon  
Wildfowl hunting at Harrison Dam and Lambell’s Lagoon is no longer appropriate for the  following reasons:
•    increased development of the area
•    a conservation reserve where birds are protected, located in between two areas which allow wildfowl hunting is incompatible.

The horticultural and other developments along Anzac Parade backing onto Harrison Dam and interest in bird watching mean hunting at Harrison Dam has become hazardous.    It was originally recommended (Clouston) to have a buffer zone between these properties and the shooting zone.   This was never implemented.   Shooters enter horticultural properties to take advantage of the fire breaks to improve their sight of birds flying across.    Shells left behind are evidence of this.  

While most shooters probably abide by the regulations, shooting frequently occurs before and after the allowed shooting times. 

There has been a pattern of fires occurring in Harrison Dam prior to and early in the shooting season which create risks to horticultural properties.   Some residents of these properties are too intimidated to go to the back of their properties during the shooting season because of the presence of men with firearms.   It is also distressing for residents to find injured birds dying on their properties – some of which are protected species, eg Rajah Shelducks.   The same conflicting situation with horticultural development and wildfowl hunting exists at Lambell’s Lagoon.   Shooting at Lambell’s Lagoon and Harrison Dam can be heard at Fogg Dam.

Fogg Dam has an international reputation among birders. Visiting birders become very upset at the sound of shooting at birds when in a conservation park.  Furthermore, the time hunting is permitted coincides with the time birding is particularly interesting. Birders go to Harrison Dam to check out birds, in particular, to look for the Yellow Chat.    This is a very dangerous.  The shooting season now extends into the time when the Letter-winged Kite may be in the area. 

Birders are an important target group for tourism.   Wildfowl shooting would prevent the Adelaide River area becoming an IBA (Important Bird Area) with Birdlife International.

FOFD recommend that wildfowl hunting at Harrison Dam and Lambell’s Lagoon cease and that an alternative/s site be found for shooters.   Perhaps private properties, well away from the parklands, may be interested in catering for shooters?

Protection of Wildlife
At the entrance of the causeway, where it is very clear for all who enter, there needs to be the following illustrated signs:
•    Wildlife has right of way
•    No fishing
•    No swimming – beware of crocodiles
•    Speed limit 20 kph

Despite the sign along the entrance saying ‘no fishing’, it is common to see people fishing at Fogg Dam.   The ‘no fishing’ sign is not obvious and can easily be missed.

Signs for:
•    No hunting
•    No camping
•    No dogs
•    No cats
need to be prominent at the entrance of the park.

Increased number of visitors
Development of the Adelaide River Parks needs to be planned to ensure that the increased number of visitors do not damage sensitive habitats.

Feral animal control
Pigs cause a lot of damage and control measures need to be implemented.  Perhaps local trapping in conjunction with other measures could be undertaken?   Fences need to be maintained for feral animal control.

Fire Prevention
The prevention of fire appears to be undertaken well by Parks & Wildlife.    It is essential that sufficient resources allow this to continue – to protect the parks and to minimise the risk of fire spreading to private land holdings from the parks.

Weed Control
Weed control is a priority for maintaining the habitat and is directly associated with fire prevention and feral animal control.   In addition to weeds in the woodlands and forest areas, many consider the overgrown native vegetation in the dam area to be ‘weeds,’ because they’re plants in the wrong place.

Water Management           
A major issue with Fogg Dam is the enormous increase of vegetation in the dam itself.  Fogg Dam was much more popular with locals 25 years ago.   Frequently the comment is made, “we used to love going to Fogg Dam years ago but no longer go there because the water has gone.”  

What used to be vast areas of open water is now almost covered with vegetation. While it is predominantly native vegetation, it is generally considered to be ‘weed.’   Much of the plant matter is sedge, which perhaps could be regularly flushed out.  Recent, aerial photographs show only about 5% of the dam is open water. Observation decks at the end of the boardwalks no longer overlook open water.  In the Rice Project days the dam was used for water skiing.    This would be impossible now.  More open water is needed to enhance the experience of visitors and improve the Adelaide River floodplain marketability. Spillways, including overflow over the causeway need to be maintained because they’re the source of so much wildlife activity and visitor interest.

In early years when Fogg Dam had expanses of open water migratory birds were regular visitors.   Very few visit now.   This is a great loss. 

When Fogg Dam was under the management of the Department of Primary Industries and Fisheries, there was a different management strategy for maintaining the dam.   During this period there was much more open water. 

In some years, it may be practical to drain the dam to physically remove weed and sludge.  Might it be possible to allow the dam to be drained in two sections so that there is always one area with water for birds and for visitors who want to see the birds?  Possibly two habitats, one upstream and another downstream?  

Originally Fogg Dam had a gate valve underneath the causeway to direct water through a channel to the rice paddies. This was removed or buried when the causeway was improved in the early 1990s.   The need for such a sluice gate, or other draining mechanism, has been suggested several times.   Expert advice is needed to advise on management of the dam to ensure wide areas of water are maintained without compromising wildlife ecology.

Causeway and traffic
Traffic on the causeway can be a problem, particularly with large buses bullying smaller vehicles. Speed is also an issue, causing injury and death to wildlife.

FOFD are against making the causeway one way traffic.  Our suggestions are to have:
•    A speed limit of 20km per hour
•    One direction, travelling westward, to have right of way
•    The provision of ample areas for cars to park along the north side of the causeway so that vehicles travelling east can readily move to one of these areas to allow traffic with right of way to pass.
The traffic rule needs to be clearly signed.

The bank on the north of the causeway opened a year ago has proven to be popular as a car parking area and should continue.

A number of the bollards, which kites and owls often roost on, need replacing.

At some time in the future, it may be economic to limit traffic to essential vehicles only and provide a Territory Wildlife Park style train to transport people.

The causeway itself is badly eroded and the eastern end littered with patched and unfilled potholes.  This reflects poorly on the NT Government’s maintenance practices, which need to improve.

Monsoon Forest Boardwalk
Replacement of the boardwalk is a high priority.   The diversity of flora makes the boardwalk a special experience: a magnificent vine forest with canopy up to 20 metres high, paperbarks, palms and climbing ferns.   FOFD trust that the replacement boardwalk will again have a resting platform with seating overlooking a clear wetland area.   Replacement is well overdue and causes considerable disappointment to both locals and visitors.

Some interpretive signage along the walk exist but this can be increased to make it even more interesting to visitors.  FOFD propose this walk be made a ‘heritage trail’ with major trees and shrub types named on signs with explanations about their Aboriginal and European uses and their place in ecology.  FOFD believe that reflectors along the walk, before getting to the boardwalk, would be useful because several people are known to have become lost along the walk after dark.

Woodland to Waterlily Walk
Vegetation in the dam needs to be cleared so the viewing platforms overlook water.  The walk should be extended as per the Clouston Report.

History

The history of the area is in danger of being forgotten.    The Territory can’t afford to lose its history.  This requires collection, restoration and assembly of equipment and the provision of appropriate interpretive signage.
Visitor Facilities
Signage to the toilets needs to be improved.   It has come to the attention of FOFD that visitors often cannot find the toilets.

OPPORTUNITIES

CONCLUSION