| On 12 October 1995 the Jervis Bay National Park and Botanic Gardens, covering about 6,300 hectares and including areas of sea, were granted to the Wreck Bay Aboriginal Community Council (the Council), on behalf of the Jervis Bay Aboriginal community, under the Aboriginal Land Grant (Jervis Bay Territory) Act 1986 (Cth) (the Act). The community leased the Park and Gardens back to the Director of National Parks and Wildlife for a 99 year term, under arrangements similar to those at the Kakadu and Uluru National Parks in the Northern Territory.
The Park and Gardens are now jointly managed by the Council and the Department of Environment and Heritage. In 1998 the Park and Gardens were renamed 'Booderee National Park and Gardens', a name chosen by the Wreck Bay Aboriginal Community, which means 'plentiful bay' in the Dhurga language of the region. The Booderee Board of Management, which oversees the management of the Park and Gardens, includes a majority of Aboriginal traditional owners. The Wreck Bay Aboriginal Community is working with the Department of the Environment and Heritage to promote traditional skills and knowledge among park staff and visitors. |
