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Jim McNabb's
Call for BSP Review The Bunyip State Park is 16,000 hectares in size and has exceptional natural condition over much of the Park, with a diversity of flora and fauna. Bunyip State Park Management Plan Review will be in 2003 and we need your help. The last plan only received 52 submissions; most of them were from four-wheel drive clubs, trail bike clubs and horse riding clubs, and only 3 were from people that try and look after the Park. If we want the park for Bird Watching, Bush Walking and the Wild Life you must send in a submission to the next Plan. A total of 140 bird species has been recorded in the Park including Powerful Owl (Ninox strenua) - 23 sites, Sooty Owl (Tyto tenebricosa) - 25 sites, and some Masked Owl (Tyto novaehollandiae) sites in the parks (Bunyip State Park and Kurth Kiln Park) have been found to have the largest collection of large forest-owls of most if not all Parks in Victoria. There are 53 species of mammals known in the Parks and four of them are considered to be at least State significance, which include the threatened Broad-toothed Rat and the near-threatened Swamp Antechinus. The endangered Leadbeater's Possum has been recorded just north of the Park. You don't have to send a long or scientific letter - just put pen to paper and say what you think of the trail bikes, four wheel drives etc, and we will get the numbers required for change. "Habitat in the parks are under constant pressure from visitor activities such as motorbike riding, four wheel driving, horse riding, mountain bike riding, camping and illegal tree/firewood collecting. Illegal firewood collection has a negative impact on owls because offenders tend to target dead hollow trees in the belief that they are unimportant. It is therefore important that Parks Victoria have accurate information on the distribution of large owls and their habitat needs to enable effective conservation of owls whilst catering for the requirements of human recreationists." (Quote from Bunyip State Park and Kurth Kiln Regional Park Distribution and Habitat of Large Forest Owls 2002 - by Ed McNabb & Jim McNabb) "These owls are top predators occupying large home ranges. They require large hollow-bearing trees for nest-sites and their prey includes a high proportion of arboreal mammals, which in turn need hollow-bearing trees. Masked and Sooty Owls also require tree hollows or caves for roosting and are therefore highly dependent on large hollows in old trees." (Loyn et al. 2001) Send your Letters to For more information, contact Jim McNabb via email to: jmcnabb@jeack.com.au |