Ku-ring-gai Chase National Park and Island Nature Reserves Draft Plan of Management public consultation

A new draft plan of management for Ku-ring-gai Chase National Park, Lion Island Nature Reserve, Long Island Nature Reserve and Spectacle Island Nature Reserve was open for public comment until 22 November 2022. Opportunities to comment have now closed.

The draft plan is accompanied by the Ku-ring-gai Chase National Park and Lion, Long and Spectacle Island Nature Reserves Draft Planning Considerations report. It is recommended that readers of the plan refer to the planning considerations document for detailed explanations of the parks' values and management considerations.

Watch the video or go to our interactive map to find out more about the parks and the draft plan.

What is a plan of management?

Parks and reserves established under the NSW National Parks and Wildlife Act 1974 need to have a plan of management. The plan includes information on important park values and provides directions for future management. Once the plan is adopted, no management operations can be undertaken in the park unless they are consistent with the plan.

Why is a new plan being prepared?

The current plan of management was adopted in 2002, and many things have changed since then. Key changes include increasing numbers of visitors, a greater diversity of outdoor recreational activities that visitors want to undertake and responding to future challenges such as the impacts of climate change. The draft plan responds to these changes and new information about the park values and management considerations.

What is a planning considerations document?

The draft plan of management is accompanied by the Ku-ring-gai Chase National Park and Lion Island Nature Reserve, Long Island Nature Reserve and Spectacle Island Nature Reserve Planning Considerations report.

This report provides a more detailed explanation of the parks' values and the management considerations associated with the development of the plan of management. It is a complementary document to the plan of management for those who are looking for more detailed information on many of the management issues.

What happens to my feedback?

At the close of the public exhibition period, we consider all submissions on the draft plans and prepare a submissions report. Multiple submissions received by the same author will be counted as a single submission.

We provide the relevant advisory bodies with the draft plans, all the submissions and the submissions report. They consider the documents, make comments on the plans or suggest changes, and for the draft plan of management, provide their advice to the Minister for Environment and Heritage.

When will the plan of management be finalised?

At the close of the public exhibition period, we consider all submissions on the draft plan and prepare a submissions report. We provide the Greater Sydney Regional Advisory Committee and the National Parks and Wildlife Advisory Council with the plan, all the submissions and the submissions report. They consider the documents, make comments on the plan or suggest changes, and provide advice to the Minister for Environment and Heritage.

The Minister considers the plan, submissions and advice, makes any necessary changes and decides whether to adopt the plan under the National Parks and Wildlife Act 1974.

Once a plan is adopted, it is published on the NPWS website, and key stakeholders, including those who made a submission on the draft plan, will be notified.