Department of Biodiversity, Conservation and Attractions

FORMER LUDLOW FORESTRY SETTLEMENT LEASE OPPORTUNITY FOR HERITAGE, EDUCATIONAL, SCIENTIFIC, RECREATIONAL AND/OR TOURISM

PURPOSES

Call for REGISTRATIONS OF INTEREST

GUIDELINES FOR SUBMISSIONS

ROI Closing Date 2:30pm (WST) Thursday 18 October 2018 ROI 1 243 2018

For more information or a site visit please contact Matthew King on (08) 9219 8499 or matthew.king@dbca.wa.gov.au

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TABLE OF CONTENTS

1. OPPORTUNITY ......................................................................................................... 3

1.1. Department of Biodiversity, Conservation and Attractions .................................. 3

1.2. Park Management ............................................................................................. 4

2. LUDLOW SETTLEMENT ........................................................................................... 4

2.1. Opportunity ........................................................................................................ 4

2.2. Location ............................................................................................................. 5

2.3. Indicative lease area .......................................................................................... 6

3. PUBLIC LIABILITY INSURANCE ............................................................................... 6

4. REGISTRATIONS OF INTEREST .............................................................................. 7

4.1. Point of Contact ................................................................................................. 7

4.2. Site Visits ........................................................................................................... 7

4.3. Respondent Information ..................................................................................... 7

4.4. Response Date ................................................................................................ 10

5. TERMS AND CONDITIONS ..................................................................................... 11

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1. OPPORTUNITY

The State Government is calling for Registrations of Interest (ROI) from suitable individuals and organisations interested in obtaining a lease over the former Ludlow forestry settlement for heritage, educational, scientific, recreational and/ or tourism purposes. The former Ludlow forestry settlement comprises 11 workers cottages, a former office, sawmill and works depot. The site was permanently registered on the State Heritage Register in 2006 and applicants are advised to familiarise themselves with the subsequent requirements under the Heritage of Western Australia Act 1990 (see http://www.stateheritage.wa.gov.au/about-us/importance-of-heritage/heritage-listings-explained). The settlement later became the headquarters for the former Forests Department Busselton District. In the 1970’s the district office was relocated to Busselton. The cottages were rented to private tenants between 1995 and 2016. In early 2018 DBCA removed asbestos from buildings within the old Ludlow forest headquarters yard. There is an opportunity to restore and utilise the buildings for purposes that are consistent with the Tuart Forest National Park Management Plan 2014, which provides management guidance over the area. The plan is available at: www.dpaw.wa.gov.au/parks/management-plans/approved-management-plans. This ROI is being conducted because DBCA has received several enquiries from parties interested in obtaining a lease over the settlement. The objective of the ROI is to identify parties with a genuine interest and capability to manage the area under a proposed lease arrangement pursuant to the Conservation and Land Management Act 1984 (CALM Act) and regulations. Applicants are advised that it will be the responsibility of the successful applicant/ lessee to finance and undertake any restoration and/ or development of the settlement. 1.1. Department of Biodiversity, Conservation and Attractions DBCA was created on 1 July 2017 and brings together the Botanic Gardens and Parks Authority, Rottnest Island Authority, Zoological Parks Authority and the former Department of Parks and Wildlife. DBCA’s Parks and Wildlife Service has lead responsibility for conserving the State’s unique plants and animals, and world-class network of terrestrial and marine parks and reserves on behalf of the people of Western Australia. For information please visit www.dbca.wa.gov.au. Ludlow State Forest No. 2 is vested in the Conservation and Parks Commission and managed on its behalf by the Parks and Wildlife Service of DBCA.

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1.2. Park Management The Tuart Forest National Park Management Plan 2014, guides management decisions within the Ludlow State Forest. A copy of the management plan can be found at https://www.dpaw.wa.gov.au/images/documents/parks/management-plans/2_Tuart_Forest_National_Park_Management_Plan_2014_web.pdf. Ludlow State Forest No. 2 is a proposed addition to Tuart Forest National Park. In 1976, the Environmental Protection Authority (EPA) recommended that State Forest No. 2 be managed “for multiple use with priority given to recreation and conservation of the tuart forest”, and that “existing pine plantations within the defined tuart forest be progressively phased out and replaced by tuart”. In 1987, part of State Forest No. 2 was excised to form Tuart Forest National Park, as suggested in the Central Forest Region Management Plan 1987 (see www.dpaw.wa.gov.au). In 1993 the EPA stated that following harvest, pine plantations in State forest would be rehabilitated to tuart and added to the national park (EPA 1993a). On 14 August 2001 the then Minister for the Environment and Heritage announced that pine harvesting by the Forest Products Commission (FPC) at Ludlow was “part of the Government’s long-term goal of converting the area from State forest to a national park” (see www.mediastatements. wa.gov.au). The proposed addition of Ludlow State Forest (FMP ID 123 and 124) to the national

park reflects tenure recommendations in the Forest Management Plan 2014–2023

(FMP) (Conservation Commission 2013). The long-term intention is to transfer all of

Ludlow State Forest No. 2 to Tuart Forest National Park and rehabilitate the area with

tuart following harvesting of plantation timber. Given the large areas involved, costs

associated with rehabilitation and other constraints, this will be an ongoing program

during the life of the management plan and beyond.

2. LUDLOW SETTLEMENT 2.1. Opportunity DBCA is seeking ROI for obtaining a lease over the former settlement including buildings and surrounding grounds but excluding the training school building and adjacent oval. An indicative lease area is shown in the map under 2.3 below. Any proposal for the area must be consistent with the Tuart Forest National Park Management Plan 2014. Proposals that involve restoration and/ or development of the buildings for heritage, educational, scientific, recreational and/or tourism purposes are invited. Applicants are advised that it will be the responsibility of the successful applicant/ lessee to finance and undertake any restoration and/ or development of the settlement.

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2.2. Location

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2.3. Indicative lease area

The final lease area will be negotiated with the successful applicant.

3. PUBLIC LIABILITY INSURANCE It is a standard DBCA lease condition that lessees on CALM Act land are covered with a minimum AU$10 million public liability insurance. It will be a requirement of the successful applicant to obtain a minimum coverage of $10 million public liability insurance for the operations before a lease is issued. This will need to include cover for all activities allowed by the lease.

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4. REGISTRATIONS OF INTEREST 4.1. Point of Contact All communications, requests for information or clarification of matters associated with the process should be addressed to the Commercial Business Coordinator, Matthew King, using the contact details listed below. Matthew King Tourism and Concessions Branch Parks and Visitor Services Division Department of Biodiversity, Conservation and Attractions 17 Dick Perry Avenue KENSINGTON WA 6151 Telephone (08) 9219 8499 Email: matthew.king@dbca.wa.gov.au 4.2. Site Visits Site visits are welcome and may be requested through the Point of Contact. 4.3. Respondent Information Organisations or individuals are invited to register their interest in pursuing discussions with DBCA for this lease opportunity. This process will be undertaken in 2 stages as outlined below.

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Stage 1 – Registration of Interest This will allow applicants to register their interest and provide information on their background, experience and capacity to progress a proposal for the former Ludlow forestry settlement for restoration and/or development. If you wish to register your interest at Stage 1, please provide your contact details and a brief outline of your background; describing the skills, qualifications and experience of key personnel, as well as a brief outline of your proposal and your capacity to meet the requirements of a lease. Your application should address the headings below. These will be used to assess applications to this ROI.

Organisation Name.

Contact Person.

Postal Address.

Street Address.

Position Title.

Telephone.

E-Mail.

Date.

Signature.

Name of person signing.

Brief outline of the proposal.

Please include details of your heritage, educational, scientific, recreational and/ or tourism proposal.

Suitable qualifications and experience.

Please outline your (or your organisation’s) qualifications and experience to undertake your proposal.

Capability to meet the requirements of a lease including financial.

Please briefly outline your (or your organisation’s) capability to implement your proposal. This may include access to finance, grants, partnerships or philanthropic contributions.

Closing date for Stage 1: 2.30pm WST on Thursday 18 October 2018.

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Stage 2 – Detailed Proposal If there is more than one suitable applicant from Stage 1, a competitive process will be applied under Stage 2 to select the most suitable and to determine which would deliver the best outcome for the community. Under Stage 2, DBCA will hold discussions with suitable applicants and will provide guidance on the requirements that will need to be met. Stage 2 will require applicants to develop more detailed proposals that will be assessed by DBCA. DBCA may, at its discretion, enter into direct negotiation for a lease opportunity with an applicant found suitable under Stage 1 of the ROI should it consider this appropriate. In this instance, DBCA may not require the applicant to complete Stage 2.

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4.4. Response Date

RESPONSES CLOSE AND MUST BE RECEIVED BY

2:30 pm WST, Thursday 18 October 2018

Late responses will not be accepted. For clarification get in touch with Matthew King

if you are concerned your application will not be received in time.

Please forward your registration of interest for Stage 1 by the due date to: Attn: Matthew King

Department of Biodiversity, Conservation and Attractions

E-mail: matthew.king@dbca.wa.gov.au Address: 17 Dick Perry Avenue

KENSINGTON WA 6151

Important Note: Late Submissions

DBCA may, at its discretion, elect to accept a late submission where DBCA considers it appropriate in the circumstances and is satisfied that no applicant has been materially advantaged or disadvantaged. No legal promise or contract This document contains information about the Registration of Interest evaluation

process. None of the information in this document, nor the result of the Registration

of Interest process, shall give rise to any promise or contract, and no legal relationship

shall be created between the State and an applicant at any stage prior to the grant of

a lease.

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5. TERMS AND CONDITIONS Disclaimer Applicants must make and rely upon their own investigations and satisfy themselves in relation to all aspects of the project. DBCA will not be liable for any incorrect or misleading information or omission to disclose information in relation to any part of this document and reference documents thereto. Costs borne by applicant All costs and expenses incurred by applicants in any way associated with the project, preparation and submission of applications, including but not limited to attendance at meetings, discussions etc., and through provision of any additional information required by DBCA, will be borne entirely and exclusively by the applicants. Addendum/General Advice Addendums and notices of General Advice may be issued during the ROI process if required. These will be advertised via the DBCA’s website or email broadcast system. Rights to amend process DBCA reserves the right to amend the process set out in this document by notice in writing to applicants who have not withdrawn or been excluded from the process. Such amendments may include cancellation, variation or supplementation of the process. Absence of obligation No legal or other obligation other than those associated with this section shall rise between the applicant and DBCA unless and until formal project documentation has been signed and all necessary Ministerial approvals and consents have been obtained. DBCA is not obliged to proceed with any application or applicant. DBCA has no contractual or other legal obligation to the applicants with respect to the consideration, the evaluation, the acceptance or the rejection of any submission or the failure to consider, evaluate or accept any submission. Cultural/heritage/environmental and planning issues DBCA takes no responsibility with respect to any site impediments including but not restricted to encumbrances on title, heritage status, native title claims and environmental, planning and other approvals. Applicants must satisfy themselves in regard to the implications of heritage status, native title claims and the requirements of any other relevant legislation.

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Confidentiality All information submitted by applicants will be examined and assessed by a panel appointed by DBCA, its specialist consultant advisers and any other party from whom DBCA may seek advice. The confidentiality of any information submitted by applicants, which is not available to the public, will be respected except where disclosure is permitted or required by law. All applicants will be required to maintain confidentiality with respect to their own bids and should not seek details of competing bids.