Despite being two months into the new financial year the Araluen botanic park foundation had received no funding and entered no formal management contract to operate the park, casting concerns over its future.
The WA planning commission (WAPC) owned the park and in turn they have a management agreement with the department of parks and wildlife (DPAW).
DPAW then contract the operation of the park to the foundation and provide them with funding from the state government.
Over the past two years the foundation had received $850,000 per year to manage the park but this financial year they had not received any money.
The management agreement had also expired on June 2015 and no new agreement between the WAPC, DPAW or the foundation had been made.
Foundation general manager Grant Nixon said the funding delay meant they had to dip into their own funds to run the park and a lack of management agreement meant the park’s future was uncertain.
“Being a not-for-profit everything we make is ploughed back into the park so the more we make the better the park looks, therefore the better it is not only for us but also the government because in the end it’s their property,” he said.
“A long term lease or agreement for us to run the park would be great, the last agreement we had three plus three plus three years but 10 plus 10 years would be better,” he said.
“At the moment it’s very hard to be able to go to a sponsor and say to them ‘we’d like you to sponsor the park’.
“They ask us what the long term prognosis is and I can only say we’re good until 1 July next year. We’re told unofficially everything’s good but it’s always more positive to have something in your hand.”
A WAPC spokeswoman said it was currently consulting with relevant stakeholders to ensure the continued management of Araluen under a new agreement.
A DPAW spokeswoman said it was liaising with the foundation in relation to the day to day management of the park and had reached an in principle agreement with the WAPC on funding and management arrangements for 2015-16.
“$850,000 will be provided to the Araluen botanic park foundation to manage the park with up to an additional $100,000 for capital improvements,” she said.
Last week the park celebrated its 25th birthday and officially opened its spring festival.
Visit araluenbotanicpark.com.au for more information.
