KCNP’s current plan of management is over 20 years old and its review is moving at a glacial pace. In August 2019 a series of discussion papers were released for public comment and ideas. It took until January 2022 for a summary of these submissions to be published. Then, finally, a new draft plan of management was open for submissions up until November 2022.

The plan needs to be updated to allow for the large increase in usage of the park and waterways and demand for facilities such as car parks, tracks and trails. Then there is climate change.

Nor does the plan mention the work being undertaken advocating for KCNP to be declared a UNESCO georegion. Success with this project will enhance international recognition and tourism potential of the high quality landscapes of the parks. A detailed plan of management is prerequisite for a successful nomination.

The main issue with the plan of management is that there is no plan; there are suggestions for adaptive reuse, precinct plans to come, proposed strategies, tourism initiatives and memoranda of understandings but few concrete proposals and timeframes on which to comment. It is mostly business as usual.