Approval of the Kakadu National Park Management Plan 2016-2026 (Cth)

COMMONWEALTH OF AUSTRALIA

Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999

APPROVAL OF THE KAKADU NATIONAL PARK MANAGEMENT PLAN 2016-2026

I, JAMIE BRIGGS, Minister for Cities and the Built Environment, acting pursuant to section 370 of the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999, hereby approve the Kakadu National Park Management Plan 2016-2026.

Dated this …25... day of …November…, 20 ..15..

JAMIE BRIGGS…………………………… Jamie Briggs Minister for Cities and the Built Environment

[THIS PAGE IS INTENTIONALLY BLANK – INSIDE COVER]

The artwork appearing on the cover of this plan was created by Ina Brown © Al-mangeyi 'This is a picture of an Al-mangeyi (a long neck turtle).

I go hunting for them with my family in the dry season.

My favourite place to hunt for turtle is the Mamukala wetlands.

We use a crow bar to find them in the mud, then we cook them in the coals.'

The cover artwork was created during Children's Ground printmaking workshops as part of the developing Bininj Kunwaral Arts Enterprise.

ISBN: 978-0-9807460-7-5 (Print) ISBN: 978-0-9807460-6-8 (Online) © Director of National Parks 2016 This plan is copyright. Apart from any use permitted under the Copyright Act 1968, no part may be reproduced by any process without prior written permission from the Director of National Parks. Requests and inquiries concerning reproduction and rights should be addressed to: Director of National Parks GPO Box 787 Canberra ACT 2601 Director of National Parks Australian business number: 13051 694 963 This management plan sets out how it is proposed the park will be managed for the next 10 years. A copy of this plan is available online at: www.environment.gov.au/topics/national-parks/parks-australia/publications. . Foreword Kakadu National Park is, and always has been, Bininj/Mungguy land. The evidence for this is in the World Heritage rock art and archaeological sites throughout the park and Bininj/Mungguy people's traditional connection to their land and culture. The long and continuing history of Bininj/Mungguy custodianship of Kakadu is one of the most important things about the park, recognised in its World Heritage listing. Traditional owners and managers of Kakadu have strong responsibilities and obligations to care for country and to guide and look after visitors. From the late 1970s to the time of preparing this plan, about half of the park has been granted as Aboriginal land under the Aboriginal Land Rights (Northern Territory) Act 1976 and the traditional owners have leased back the land to the Director of National Parks to be managed as part of Kakadu National Park. The remaining half of the park may become Aboriginal land during the life of this plan and will also be leased to the Director of National Parks. Since the park was declared, it has been managed as if it was all Aboriginal land. Through joint management, Bininj/Mungguy have worked hard with the Director of National Parks and park staff to balance the protection of their culture with making the park an outstanding destination for visitors. The Kakadu National Park Board of Management wrote this management plan. When writing this plan, the Board worked together to: * decide on the most important values to recognise and protect in the plan