The Department of Water and Environmental Regulation has announced the creation of a new national park at Mungada Ridge — the eighth created under the current Government.
Minister for the Environment, Reece Whitby said Mungada Ridge, which spanned 1,000 hectares, was located on Yamatji Country and would be jointly vested with the Bundi Yamatji Aboriginal Corporation and the Conservation and Parks Commission.
Mr Whitby said these two partners would work collaboratively with the Department of Biodiversity, Conservation and Attractions on future management.
The Minister said the creation of the Mungada Ridge National Park fulfilled a commitment under the Yamatji Nation Indigenous Land Use Agreement and would ensure that Yamatji people had the opportunity to protect and care for their Country in a genuine partnership with the Government.
“The new national park is a stronghold for an array of species including the threatened flora, acacia woodmaniorum, and threatened fauna, malleefowl, as well as rare and restricted vegetation communities,” he said.
“The area is home to ancient rock formations, known as banded iron formations (BIF).
“These are distinct landforms that are considered some of the oldest rock formations in the world.”
Mr Whitby said Mungada Ridge was the first largely-intact BIF in the Mid-West region to be reserved as a national park and provided with the highest level of protection.
“BIF ranges are of significant biodiversity value as a consequence of their unique geology, soils and relative isolation,” he said.
“Work has been under way for more than a decade to identify and protect the most significant areas within the BIF ranges of the Mid-West and to create this national park,” Mr Whitby said.
