Editing Namadgi National Park

{{Use dmy dates|date=February 2021}}
{{Use Australian English|date=August 2012}}
{{Infobox Australian place
| type                   = protected
| name                   = Namadgi National Park
| state                  = act
| iucn_category          = II
| image                  = Image:Mount Ginini - Namadgi National Park - 2.jpg
| caption                = View from the top of [[Mount Gingera]]
| image_alt              = 
| coordinates            = {{coord|35|31|37|S|148|56|46|E|scale:500000|display=inline,title}}
| relief                 = yes
| map_alt                = 
|local_map=yes|zoom=8| nearest_town_or_city   = [[Canberra]]
| area                   = 1060.95
| area_footnotes         = <ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.environment.act.gov.au/parks-conservation/parks-and-reserves/find-a-park/namadgi-national-park/namadgi-national-park|title=Namadgi National Park|date=23 April 2018|website=Environment.act.gov.au|access-date=16 August 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180816162131/http://www.environment.act.gov.au/parks-conservation/parks-and-reserves/find-a-park/namadgi-national-park/namadgi-national-park|archive-date=16 August 2018|url-status=dead}}</ref>
| established            = 1984<!-- {{start date|yyyy|mm|dd|df=y}} -->
| established_footnotes  = <ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.tams.act.gov.au/parks-recreation/parks_and_reserves/namadgi_national_park |title=Namadgi National Park - Territory and Municipal Services |access-date=2 June 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130502214543/http://www.tams.act.gov.au/parks-recreation/parks_and_reserves/namadgi_national_park |archive-date=2 May 2013 |url-status=dead |df=dmy-all }}</ref>
| visitation_num         = 
| visitation_year        = 
| visitation_footnotes   = 
| managing_authorities   = ACT Parks and Conservation Service
| url                    = https://www.environment.act.gov.au/parks-conservation/parks-and-reserves/find-a-park/namadgi-national-park/namadgi-national-park
}}
'''Namadgi National Park''' is a [[protected area]] in the southwest of the [[Australian Capital Territory]] (ACT), bordering [[Kosciuszko National Park]] in [[New South Wales]]. It lies approximately {{convert|40|km}} southwest of [[Canberra]], and occupies approximately 46 percent of the ACT's land area. 

Created in 1984, the park is on the [[Australian National Heritage List]]. It suffered badly in the [[2019–20 Australian bushfire season]], with around 80% of its vegetation burnt.

==History==
===Aboriginal history and custodianship===
[[File:Yankee Hat art-MJC.jpg|thumb|left|[[Yankee Hat]] Aboriginal [[Australian rock art|rock painting]] featuring a [[kangaroo]], [[dingo]]s, [[emu]]s, [[human]]s and an [[echidna]] or [[turtle]]]]

''Namadgi'' is a local [[Aboriginal Australians|Aboriginal]] name for the mountains situated to the south-west of Canberra. Aboriginal presence in the area has been dated to at least 21,000 years.<ref>{{Cite journal| last1=Watchman| first1=Alan| last2=Sale| first2=Katharine| last3=Hogue| first3=Kate|date=1995-01-01|title=Conservation of the Rendezvous Creek and Nursery Swamp 2 Aboriginal painting sites, Namadgi National Park, ACT| url=https://doi.org/10.1179/135050395793137144|journal=Conservation and Management of Archaeological Sites| volume=1| issue=1| pages=25–34| doi=10.1179/135050395793137144| issn=1350-5033}}</ref> With [[radiocarbon date]]s of cultural deposits dating back to 9000–6000 years.<ref>{{Cite journal|last=Theden-Ringl|first=Fenja|date=2016-01-02|title=Aboriginal presence in the high country: new dates from the Namadgi Ranges in the Australian Capital Territory|url=https://doi.org/10.1080/03122417.2016.1163955|journal=Australian Archaeology|volume=82|issue=1|pages=25–42|doi=10.1080/03122417.2016.1163955|s2cid=147908250|issn=0312-2417}}</ref> There are numerous Aboriginal sites in the national park including [[rock painting]]s at Yankee Hat, dating from at least 800 years ago.<ref>{{cite web|author=Parks and Conservation Service|url=http://www.tams.act.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0015/404601/Yankee_Hat_Rock_Art_Walking_Track_Brochure.pdf| title=Namadgi National Park Map and Guide|access-date=2015-02-25|archive-date=6 March 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170306201708/http://www.tams.act.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0015/404601/Yankee_Hat_Rock_Art_Walking_Track_Brochure.pdf|url-status=dead}}</ref>

The area is one of cultural significance to the Aboriginal Australian peoples of the Australian Alps region who inhabited the ACT region before European settlers arrived, and the national park's management plan is exercised with their consultation.{{cn|date=August 2021}} In April 2001, representatives of the [[Ngambri]] communities entered into an agreement with the ACT government which recognised their traditional association with the national park lands, and their role and duty to their ancestors and descendants as [[traditional owners|custodians]] of the area, and established a system of cooperative management.<ref>{{cite web |title=Namadgi National Park Revised Draft Plan of Management |publisher= Department of Territory and Municipal Services| url=http://www.parliament.act.gov.au/downloads/terms-of-reference/Namadgi%20National%20Park%20Final%20Plan%20Oct%202007.pdf |year=2007 |access-date=30 January 2010 |url-status=dead |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20080803081719/http://www.parliament.act.gov.au/downloads/terms-of-reference/Namadgi%20National%20Park%20Final%20Plan%20Oct%202007.pdf |archive-date=3 August 2008 }}</ref> However, {{as of|lc=yes|2023}}, the [[Ngunnawal]] people are recognised as the [[traditional owners]] of the land.<ref>{{cite web | title=Namadgi National Park | website=Parks ACT | date=7 April 2021 | url=https://www.parks.act.gov.au/find-a-park/namadgi-national-park | access-date=5 May 2023}}</ref>

[[File:Namadgi National Park walking trail.jpg|Namadgi National Park walking trail|thumb]]
[[File:Mount Ginini - Namadgi National Park.jpg|View from the top of the [[Mount Ginini]]|thumb]]
[[File:Eucalyptus niphophila - Mount Ginini - Namadgi National Park.jpg|''Eucalyptus pauciflora subsp. niphophila''|thumb]]
[[File:Corin Dam aerial W.jpg|Aerial view of [[Corin Dam]]|thumb]]

===After European settlement===
The area has a European history dating back to the 1830s, when settlers moved into the area and cleared the valleys for farming. The mountains and ridges remain forested.

Namadgi National Park was created in 1984.<ref name=aanp/>

===2020 bushfire===
In January 2020, the Orroral Valley bushfire during the [[2019–20 Australian bushfire season|Black Summer]] season burnt about 80% of the national park ({{convert|82700|hectare}}).<ref>{{cite web |title=Orroral Valley bushfire impact report |url=https://www.environment.act.gov.au/ACT-parks-conservation/bushfire_management/orroral-valley-fire-impact-report |website=Environment, Planning and Sustainable Development Directorate |access-date=14 December 2020 }}{{Dead link|date=March 2025 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}</ref> An army [[NHIndustries NH90#Australia|MRH-90 Taipan]] helicopter, as part of ''[[2019–20 Australian bushfire season#Military|Operation Bushfire Assist]]'' conducting reconnaissance for landing sites for remote area fire-fighting teams, attempted to land for a break when their landing light ignited the fire in dry grass.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Inman |first1=Michael |last2=Allen|first2=Craig|title=A Defence chopper sparked Canberra's Namadgi bushfire, but its crew didn't tell authorities the location for 45 minutes |url=https://www.abc.net.au/news/2020-11-30/defence-caused-orroral-valley-fire-didnt-tell-authorities-where/12933306 |access-date=14 December 2020 |publisher=ABC News |location=Australia|date=30 November 2020}}</ref>

==Description==
Namadgi National Park lies approximately {{convert|40|km}} southwest of [[Canberra]], and makes up approximately 46 percent of the ACT's land area. The Visitor Centre is located {{cvt|2|km}} south of [[Tharwa, Australian Capital Territory|Tharwa]] on the Boboyan-Naas Road.<ref name=aanp>{{cite web | title=Namadgi National Park | website=Australian Alps National Parks  | url=https://theaustralianalpsnationalparks.org/the-alps-partnership/the-parks/namadgi-national-park/ | access-date=3 August 2021}}</ref> 

The [[water catchment]] area of the park supplies approximately 85% of water for the nation's capital city, [[Canberra]].<ref name=aanp/>

The national park is classified as an [[International Union for Conservation of Nature|IUCN]] [[IUCN protected area categories#Category II – National Park|Category II protected area]].<ref name=CAPAD2014SASum>{{cite web|title= Terrestrial Protected Areas in ACT (2014) (see 'DETAIL' tab)|url=http://www.environment.gov.au/system/files/pages/d00ca066-1c8c-412a-9e16-2a37647454a7/files/capad2014act.xlsx|work=CAPAD 2014|publisher=Australian Government - Department of the Environment|access-date=15 September 2015|date=2014}}</ref>

===Flora and fauna===

The national park protects part of the northern end of the [[Australian Alps]]. Its habitat ranges from grassy plains over [[snow gum]] forests to [[alpine tundra|alpine meadow]]s and [[wetlands]].<ref name=aanp/>

The fauna is also varied: [[eastern grey kangaroo]]s, [[wallaby|wallabies]], [[wombat]]s, [[Australian magpie|magpie]]s, [[rosella]]s and [[Australian raven|ravens]] are commonly seen.{{cn|date=August 2021}} The park includes [[fen]]s with [[sedge]]s, and [[sphagnum]] moss [[bog]]s that provide habitat for the [[northern corroboree frog]] (''Pseudophryne pengilleyi''), an [[endangered species]].<ref name=aanp/>

A single specimen of a new species of [[spider wasp]] in the [[Epipompilus]] genus was found in the park in 2018 and identified in 2020.<ref name=yuan2020>{{cite journal | last1=Yuan | first1=David | last2=Rodriguez | first2=Juanita | title=Three new species of Epipompilus Kohl (Hymenoptera, Pompilidae, Pepsinae) from Australia| journal=[[Zootaxa]] | publisher=Magnolia Press | volume=4743 | issue=4 | date=27 February 2020 | issn=1175-5334 | doi=10.11646/zootaxa.4743.4.7 | pages=575–584}}</ref> The species has been named  ''[[Epipompilus namadji]]''. {{as of|2021}} efforts are ongoing by teams from the [[Australian National Insect Collection]] at the [[CSIRO]] to find more of the wasps, as the bushfire has destroyed 80% of the park since the sighting.<ref>{{cite web | last=Jones | first=Ann | title=The quest to catalogue Australia's insect biodiversity using AI technology|website=ABC News| publisher= [[Australian Broadcasting Corporation]]|series= [[Catalyst (TV program)|Catalyst]] | date=3 August 2021 | url=https://www.abc.net.au/news/science/2021-08-03/namadgi-spider-wasp-insect-biodiversity-artificial-intelligence/100201232 | access-date=3 August 2021}}</ref>

==Australian National Heritage List==
<!---perhaps this belongs in History?--->
On 7 November 2008, the national park was one of eleven protected areas added to the [[Australian National Heritage List]] under the title of the [[Australian Alps National Parks and Reserves]].<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.environment.gov.au/heritage/places/national/australian-alps/index.html |title=Australian Alps National Parks information |access-date=2010-06-10 |work=Department of the Environment, Water, Heritage and the Arts }}</ref><ref>{{cite web|title=INCLUSION OF A PLACE IN THE NATIONAL HERITAGE LIST|url=http://www.environment.gov.au/system/files/pages/5049d4dd-060e-40fb-8dbf-eaa5496cd18d/files/10589104.pdf|publisher=Commonwealth of Australia|access-date=30 June 2015}}</ref>

==Climate==
In this [[sub-alpine]] region, the weather ranges from cold winter nights to warm summer days, and it can change very quickly. Snow normally falls on the [[Bimberi Nature Reserve|Bimberi]] and [[Brindabella Ranges]] during winter, and is not uncommon throughout most of the park. The highest mountain is [[Bimberi Peak]] at {{convert|1911|m}}, the highest peak in the Australian Capital Territory.

==Winter sports==
{{Main|Skiing in the Australian Capital Territory}}

The Namadgi National Park Draft Management Plan (September 2005) downplayed the future development of skiing as a sport in the Park,
noting that no facilities existed for alpine or downhill skiing within Namadgi, despite a history of downhill skiing associated with the Canberra Alpine Ski Club and the [[Mount Franklin, Australian Capital Territory|Mt Franklin Chalet]] (destroyed in the 2003 bushfires). The report predicted that it would be "unlikely that Namadgi will be suitable for this activity in the future as [[climate change]] is causing conditions to become less favourable".<ref>[http://www.tams.act.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0016/13426/namadginationalparkmanagementplanpdf.pdf] {{dead link|date=August 2018}}</ref> However, since the report was written, limited downhill ski facilities have returned at nearby [[Corin Forest]], and cross country skiing takes place within the Park at various locations when conditions allow.

; Mt Franklin

In the 1930s, with construction of the new capital city of Canberra under way, Canberrans explored the possibilities for developing skiing and snow sports in the Brindabellas.  On 30 June 1936, the ''[[Canberra Times]]'' newspaper reported:<ref>[http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article17247068?searchTerm=%22canberra%20alpine%20club%22&searchLimits=] {{dead link|date=August 2018}}</ref>

{{cquote|Regularly-conducted Alpine Sports on the mountain range which forms the western boundary between the Federal Capital Territory and New South Wales are to be added to the attractions of Canberra. The Canberra Alpine Club, an enthusiastic body, which has a membership of about 80, has plans in hand which, its members consider, will in the future make Canberra's ranges rival [[Mount Kosciuszko]] in popularity.
}}

The Mount Franklin chalet was constructed at Mount Franklin in 1938 to service the Canberra Alpine Club.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.australianalps.environment.gov.au/parks/bimberi.html|title=Australian Alps National Parks - Parks in the alps - Bimberi Nature Reserve|website=Australianalps.environment.gov.au|access-date=16 August 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180328132956/http://www.australianalps.environment.gov.au/parks/bimberi.html|archive-date=28 March 2018|url-status=dead}}</ref> Ski runs were cleared and ski tows were improvised.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://cac.org.au/wotzon.htm|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140125020249/http://cac.org.au/wotzon.htm|url-status=dead|archive-date=25 January 2014|title=What's On|date=25 January 2014|access-date=16 August 2018}}</ref> The club also cleared runs elsewhere, completing a new ski run and jump on nearby [[Mount Ginini]] in 1951 - then judged to be the superior slope.<ref>[http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article2828016?searchTerm=%22canberra%20alpine%20club%22&searchLimits=] {{dead link|date=August 2018}}</ref> Built on leased land, the Mount Franklin Chalet reverted to the Government when Namadgi National Park was created in 1984 and later operated as a museum before being destroyed in the [[2003 Canberra bushfires|2003 bushfires]].<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.cac.org.au/history.htm |title=Canberra Alpine Club |access-date=2014-04-05 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140125015838/http://cac.org.au/history.htm |archive-date=25 January 2014 }}</ref> A new shelter designed and built by University of Adelaide students opened in 2008. Today, [[cross-country skiing]] is possible in the area when conditions allow.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.australianalps.environment.gov.au/parks/namadgi.html|title=Australian Alps National Parks - Parks in the alps - Namadgi National Park|website=Australianalps.environment.gov.au|access-date=16 August 2018}}</ref>

{{wide image|Namadgi Panoramic.jpg|800px|Panoramic view from the top of [[Mount Ginini]], Namadgi National Park.}}

==See also==
* [[Bendora Arboretum]], located within the park
* [[Booroomba Rocks]]
* [[Ginini Flats Wetlands Ramsar Site]]
* [[List of national parks of Australia]]
* [[Protected areas of the Australian Capital Territory]]

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==Further reading==
*''Nationale Parken in Australië'' (2000) (Dutch translation of ''Discover Australia National Parks'' by Ron and Viv Moon)

==External links==
* {{Wikivoyage-inline|Canberra/Namadgi National Park}}
* {{Commons category-inline}}
*[https://web.archive.org/web/20160510023156/http://www.tams.act.gov.au/parks-conservation/parks-and-reserves/find-a-park/namadgi-national-park/namadgi-national-park Namadgi National Park official webpage]
*[https://web.archive.org/web/20160304081609/http://www.protectedplanet.net/namadgi-national-park Entry for Namadgi National Park on protected planet]

{{Authority control}}

[[Category:Protected areas of the Australian Capital Territory]]
[[Category:Geography of the Australian Capital Territory]]
[[Category:Protected areas established in 1979]]
[[Category:1979 establishments in Australia]]
[[Category:Brindabella Ranges]]
[[Category:Australian Alps National Parks and Reserves]]
[[Category:Australian National Heritage List]]
[[Category:Ski areas and resorts in the Australian Capital Territory]]
[[Category:Rock art]]