Management plans

Estate managed by the Parks and Wildlife Commission of the Northern Territory includes 85 parks and reserves, with 33 joint management parks.

The estate is a vast area of land around 50,600 km2 and is made up of tenure declared under the following Acts:

Statutory requirements

There is a statutory requirement to develop a management instrument for declared parks and reserves such as a:

  • plan of management or
  • joint management plan.

This requirement must be consistent with the relevant Act’s management principles, including the following values:

  • biological
  • natural
  • cultural
  • recreational
  • tourism.

Below are all management plans developed for the parks estate.

The list includes non-statutory management plans for lands managed by the Parks and Wildlife Commission but not declared under section 12 of the Territory Parks and Wildlife Conservation Act 1976.

Have your say

Read more about plans open for public comment, including:

  • plans in development
  • draft documents that have been released for public consultation
  • instructions for making a submission.

Management plans

Choose from the below regions.

Name of park/reserveType of planGazette date
Black Jungle/Lambells Lagoon Conservation Reserve PDF (1.9 MB)Joint management plan2014 (no expiry date)
Charles Darwin National Park PDF (866.8 KB)Plan of management1999 (expired, new plan to be advised)
Fogg Dam Conservation Reserve  PDF (1.9 MB)Joint management plan2014 (no expiry date)
Garig Gunak Barlu National Park (Cobourg Marine Park)  PDF (5.8 MB)Plan of management
Declared under the Cobourg Peninsula Aboriginal Land, Sanctuary and Marine Park Act 1981
2011 (expired, new plan to be advised)
Harrison Dam Conservation Reserve  PDF (1.9 MB)Plan of management2014 (no expiry date)
Howard Springs Hunting Reserve  PDF (1.8 MB)Plan of management2016 (no expiry date)
Howard Springs Nature Park  PDF (1.8 MB)Plan of management2016 (no expiry date)
Litchfield National Park  PDF (2.9 MB)Plan of management2017 (no expiry date)
Mary River National Park  PDF (2.3 MB)Joint management plan2015 (no expiry date)
Melacca Swamp Conservation Area  PDF (1.9 MB)Joint management plan2014 (no expiry date)

Non statutory management plans

Casuarina Coastal Reserve - Management Plan PDF (2.2 MB)
Released April 2016

Name of park/reserveType of planGazette date
Bullwaddy Conservation Reserve PDF (1.3 MB)Plan of management2005 (no expiry date)
Caranbirini Conservation Reserve PDF (288.4 KB)Plan of management2000 (expired, new plan to be advised)
Cutta Cutta Caves Nature Park PDF (576.4 KB)Plan of management2000 (expired, new plan to be advised)
Elsey National Park PDF (1.4 MB)Plan of management2012 (no expiry date)
Giwining / Flora River Nature Park PDF (3.5 MB)Joint management plan2011 (no expiry date)
Gregory’s Tree Historical Reserve PDF (7.1 MB)Joint management plan2011 (no expiry date)
Judbarra / Gregory National Park PDF (7.1 MB)Joint management plan2011 (no expiry date)
Kintore Caves Conservation Reserve PDF (2.6 MB)Plan of management2000 (expired, new plan to be advised)
Limmen Bight Marine Park PDF (6.7 MB)Plan of management2019 (no expiry date)
Nitmiluk National Park PDF (4.9 MB)Plan of management
Declared under the Nitmiluk (Katherine Gorge) National Park Act 1989.
2014 (expires 2024)

Name of park/reserveType of planGazette date
Iytwelepenty / Davenport Ranges National Park PDF (2.7 MB)Joint management plan2016 (no expiry date)
Karlu Karlu / Devils Marbles Conservation Reserve PDF (3.8 MB)Joint management plan2009 (no expiry date)

Name of park/reserveType of planGazette date
Arltunga Historical Reserve PDF (7.1 MB)Joint management plan2021 (no expiry date)
Chamber’s Pillar Historical Reserve PDF (4.5 MB)Joint management planOctober 2010 (no expiry date)
Corroboree Rock Conservation Reserve PDF (1.5 MB)Joint management plan2011 (no expiry date)
Finke Gorge National Park PDF (1.9 MB)Joint management plan2011 (no expiry date)
Napwerte / Ewaninga Rock Carvings Conservation Reserve PDF (2.3 MB) Joint management plan2016 (no expiry date)
N'Dhala Gorge Nature Park PDF (3.8 MB)Joint management plan2011 (no expiry date)
Rainbow Valley Conservation Reserve PDF (8.0 MB)Joint management plan2008 (no expiry date)
Ruby Gap Nature Park PDF (14.5 MB)Joint management plan2021 (no expiry date)
Ryan Well Historical Reserve PDF (358.9 KB)Plan of management1999 (expired, new plan to be advised)
Tjoritja / West MacDonnell National Park PDF (6.4 MB)Joint management plan2018 (no expiry date)
Tnorala (Gosse Bluff) Conservation Reserve PDF (1.2 MB)Plan of management1997 (expired, new plan to be advised)
Trephina Gorge Nature Park  PDF (2.3 MB)Joint management plan2011 (no expiry date)
Watarrka National Park PDF (10.6 MB)Joint management plan2018 (no end date)

Non-statutory management plans

Larapinta Trail Management Strategy PDF (1.5 MB)
Released December 2014

Name of park/reserveType of planGazette date

Alice Springs Telegraph Station Historical Reserve PDF (1.7 MB)

Includes proposed Alice Springs Nature Reserve extension

Plan of management2001 (expired, new plan to be advised)
Heavitree Gap Police Station Historical Reserve  PDF (2.7 MB)Plan of management1999 (expired, new plan to be advised)
John Flynn's Grave Historical Reserve PDF (317.0 KB)Plan of management2000 (expired, new plan to be advised)
Yeperenye / Emily and Jessie Gaps Nature Park PDF (3.2 MB)Joint management plan2016 (no expiry date)

Last updated: 28 February 2023

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