Norfolk Island upgrades
Norfolk Island National Park has been the recipient of significant capital works funding to undertake crucial projects.
Funding allowed for the completion of a shade house complex used to propagate endemic and threatened plant species. The new nursery allows for an increased capacity to raise the target species of threatened plants by the nursery contractor through funding provided by the Threatened Species Commissioner.
Additionally funding was provided to upgrade the water supply to the Norfolk Island National Park Native Plant Nursery. The nursery was traditionally reliant upon bore water but decreasing rainfall has made bores less reliable. When full, the new tanks will provide 70,000 gallons (320,000 litres) of rainwater which will reduce the reliance on the existing bore. The increased water supply will also provide a readily available supply of water for fire-fighting purposes if required, specifically in the adjacent eucalypt plantation.
As a means of improving visitor experience and safety, the Norfolk Island National Park Summit Track was also upgraded. The newly installed stairs (260 steps over 200 metres of track) replace a steep slippery slope that was unsafe for walkers after wet weather and was also used by parks vehicles and contractors to access the Mt Bates summit for maintenance works.
