About us: the Australian Alps national parks

The Australian Alps national parks include the ACT's Namadgi National Park, NSW's Kosciuszko and Brindabella national parks and Bimberi and Scabby Range nature reserves and Victoria's Alpine, Mt Buffalo and Snowy River national parks and Avon Wilderness.

The parks and conservation reserves form a chain of alpine and sub-alpine protected areas covering 1.6 million hectares across the State and Territory borders.

But where legislative authority ends, nature does not: native and feral animals cross borders, weeds spread, water flows and wild flowers bloom. Despite the borders, the high plains, mountains, deep valleys and undulating lowlands, the Alps are a linked ecosystem. It is a fragile and unique area of Australia.

The Alps contain around 700 species of plants from tall mountain ash to delicate wildflowers. They are home to some of Australia's rarest animals only found in the Alps such as the mountain pygmy possum and the corroboree frog. It is also home to some of our most loved animals such as lyrebirds, eagles, wombats, koalas, platypuses and several types of wallabies and kangaroos.

Co-operation in the Alps

In 1986 the Australian, ACT, NSW and Victorian governments agreed the national parks in the Australian Alps should be managed co-operatively to protect the area’s special character.

A Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) was signed to protect the landscape, water catchments, plants, animals and cultural heritage of the Australian Alps as a whole ecosystem while providing opportunities for public appreciation and sustainable enjoyment.

Ten years down the track and still the only agreement of its kind in Australia, the MOU has been highly successful. The internationally respected World Conservation Union believes it is one of the best of its kind in the world.

The MOU has streamlined the management of the Australian Alps national parks. Where before there was duplication of research, development and management projects, management is now cooperative and information is shared between agencies.

The MOU is overseen by the Australian Alps Liaison Committee, made up of one senior representative from the ACT Parks and Conservation Service, the NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service, Parks Victoria, and the Department of the Environment, Water, Heritage and the Arts.

Under the Committee four working groups covering natural heritage, cultural heritage, tourism and recreation and community relations put the MOU into action. The Working groups are made up of park staff from each agency and aim to implement the key goals of Committee's three-year strategic plans.