`

GBWHA ADVISORY COMMITTEEGBWH

GREATER BLUE MOUNTAINS WORLD HERITAGE AREA
ADVISORY COMMITTEE
INFORMATION

The following notes provide a brief overview of the responsibilities of the Greater
Blue Mountains World Heritage Area (GBMWHA) Advisory Committee.

The Terms of Reference for the Advisory Committee specifies the following
membership:

• The Chairman, being an independent, non-government person with no current

direct financial or political vested interest in the way in which the GBMWHA is
managed;
• Two local Indigenous/traditional owners;
• Two local government (with terms rotating amongst jurisdictions);
• One tourism;
• One non-government conservation/heritage organisation;
• One out-door self-reliant nature-based recreation;
• One water quality/aquatic environment;
• One botanical/ecological;
• One zoological/ecological; and
• One archaeological/cultural heritage

Advisory Committee membership is honorary. Appointees are entitled to

reimbursement of out-of-pocket expenses incurred in attending meetings or
conducting Advisory Committee business. Sitting fees are available for
Indigenous members.

The Advisory Committee may make recommendations on matters relating to the

protection, conservation, presentation and management of the Greater Blue
Mountains World Heritage Area, including strategic policies in relation to
Australia's obligations under the World Heritage Convention.

The Committee may also be requested to consider and comment on issues that
are likely to have some impact on the GBMWHA under the National Parks and
Wildlife Act (NSW) or the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation
Act (Cth) or on natural and cultural heritage conservation generally.

1
The Committee reports directly to the GBMWHA Management Committee.

The Advisory Committee shall:

• Consider and advise on the views of community interests;
• Consider and advise on technical and scientific matters including scientific
research priorities, relevant new information or developments in science,
the scientific basis of management principles and practices, the
appropriateness of current and proposed research, and the maintenance
of the values and integrity of the GBMWHA; and
• Provide advice to the Management Committee or the relevant Ministers on
issues referred to it for consideration.

TERMS OF APPOINTMENT

Members will be appointed for a three-year term.

Members of the Committee shall be appointed in their own right and not as
representatives of any particular organisations, institutions, disciplines or interest
sectors.

MEETINGS

The GBMWHA Advisory Committee meets quarterly in locations around the

Greater Blue Mountains area with an agenda and associated papers being
distributed in advance.

Observers will be present at these meetings:

• Up to two from each of the National Parks & Wildlife Service, the Jenolan
Caves Reserve Trust and the Department of the Environment, Water, Heritage
and the Arts;
• One from each of the three Regional National Parks Advisory Committees
relevant to the GBMWHA.

In applying for membership of the Advisory Committee, applicants should be

prepared to make a commitment to attend meetings regularly and to participate
in Advisory Committee activities.