Special Areas
The Special Areas comprise about 370,000 hectares of land surrounding the water storages, and the lands containing the SCA's canals and pipelines. The Special Areas protect our water supply by acting as a buffer zone to help stop nutrients and other substances that could affect the quality of water entering the storages.
The SCA and the Department of Environment and Climate Change jointly manage the Special Areas, including the Wingecarribee Swamp and Special Area in accordance with the Special Areas Strategic Plan of Management (SASPoM) and the Wingecarribee Swamp and Special Area Plan of Management.
Public access to parts of the Special Areas is restricted to protect water quality. This benefits the community by:
- protecting water quality
- protecting large areas of bushland and plant and animal habitats
- protecting threatened plants and animal species
- preserving evidence of Aboriginal occupation dating back many thousands of years, and
- preserving evidence of non-Aboriginal exploration, early settlement and phases of development such as forestry, mining and dam building.
Special Areas Strategic Plan of Management Charter of Public Disclosure
The SASPoM requires the establishment of a Charter of Public Disclosure and Accountability. The Wingecarribee Swamp SASPoM requires that the SASPoM Charter of Public Disclosure also cover the Wingecarribee Swamp SASPoM.
This charter includes a notification and consultation policy, public exhibition requirements for major programs, and a range ways for members of the public to information, including research results, and provide comment and feedback on the implementation of the strategic plan.
