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Background
The Australian Alps, a mountainous biogeographical region in a predominantly dry and flat continent, contain Australia’s highest peaks and unique alpine and subalpine ecosystems; they stretch southwards from Canberra through the Brindabella Range in the Australian Capital Territory (ACT), the Snowy Mountains of New South Wales (NSW) and along the Great Dividing Range through Victoria.
The Australian Alps contain plants and animals found nowhere else in the world, significant landscapes, and Aboriginal and historic places. They are a highly valued recreational and tourism resource for many Australians, and are the headwaters of some of Australia’s most important rivers and streams, supplying snowmelt waters for the maintenance of ecological processes and communities, domestic use, industry, irrigation and hydro-electric production in NSW, Victoria, ACT and South Australia.
The co-ordinated management, protection and conservation of the Australian Alps national parks for all Australians, present and future, is the subject of an agreement (a Memorandum of Understanding) between the Commonwealth, New South Wales, Australian Capital Territory and Victorian Governments. Heads of the park agencies of NSW, ACT, Victoria and the Commonwealths Director of National Parks act as the Alps Program executive council.
On behalf of the Heads of Agencies the Australian Alps Liaison Committee (AALC) co-ordinates projects that encourage the consistent and co-operative management of the Australian Alps national parks. The Program enhances the ability of member agencies to meet their roles and responsibilities in managing the parks and reserves in alpine and sub-alpine regions of mainland Australia.