An administrator will be appointed to manage the Belmont Wetland State Park following the collapse of the ministerial appointed board.
An administrator will be appointed to manage the Belmont Wetland State Park following the collapse of the ministerial appointed board.
The volunteer board was disbanded in late March following a bitter power struggle among its membership.
The board oversaw the management of the 514 hectare state park, which includes part of Nine Mile Beach and the park's staff.
A Crown Lands spokesman said the department was finalising the appointment of an interim administrator who would manage the park for 12 months.
"The Department is currently assessing several suitably qualified candidates from the private sector who are being considered for the role," the spokesman said.
The park has six staff as well as volunteers who do environmental rehabilitation work.
The day-to-day operations of the state park will continue as normal.
"The administrator's role will be to undertake the functions of the former board and oversee the management of the state park.
"The park remains open to public access, however there are restrictions in place as a result of COVID-19 preventing camping and overnight stays or large gatherings."
The government is considering several options for the parks's long-term management including the appointment of a new board, the appointment of a commercial operator or handing the park over to be managed by local government or National Parks.
Swansea MP Yasmin Catley said she had concerns about the potential appointment of a commercial operator.
"This is a very important ecosystem that thousands of people visit annually. We need to make sure it is managed responsibly and transparently," she said.
"I would be concerned if a commercial operator limited access to the park or sought to profit by putting up the cost of access."
Belmont Wetlands State Park was founded in March 2006 as Crown Reserve for public recreation, coastal environmental protection and tourist facilities and services. The park stands on the traditional tribal country of the Awabakal people.
The park has become a magnet for large numbers of campers and four-wheel drive enthusiasts from as far away as Sydney in recent years.
But it's popularity has been a double-edged sword for locals who have collected tonnes of rubbish behind by campers on New Year's Eve, Australia Day and Easter.
Car parts, discarded camping equipment, shoes, broken surfboards, ice bags, mattresses, takeaway food containers and broken bottles make up the majority of the waste.
In an effort to reduce the impact of visitors on the environment and improve safety the park's board halved the number of 4WD permits available for this year's Australia Day.
Six park rangers, police and a private security contractor patrolled the beach to ensure compliance.
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