QUALIFYING AUSTRALIAN PARKS
Number of parks per State/Territory.
Current as of 9th April 2020.
What parks qualify in Australia?
When the WWFF program commenced in Australia in March 2013, qualifying parks in the WWFF Directory were predominantly National Parks. A significant number of Australian National Parks were not contained within the Directory. These were subsequently added after significant work was undertaken by the VKFF co-ordinator and liaison with the WWFF Reference Managers.
Today in 2017, qualifying parks in Australia include National Parks, Conservation Parks, Marine Parks, Conservation Reserves, Nature Reserves, Wilderness Areas, State Parks, Coastal Parks, & Conservation Areas. The program has significantly expanded since its inception in 2013.
Today in 2017, qualifying parks in Australia include National Parks, Conservation Parks, Marine Parks, Conservation Reserves, Nature Reserves, Wilderness Areas, State Parks, Coastal Parks, & Conservation Areas. The program has significantly expanded since its inception in 2013.
Adding new parks and the IUCN Category system

Rule 15.1 in the VKFF rules (Version 0.6) dated 5th July 2017 states:
"The VKFF program can be expanded and new VKFF reference areas added".
It further states:
"Proposals for new VKFF reference areas should first be referred to the relevant National co-ordinator".
"The VKFF program can be expanded and new VKFF reference areas added".
It further states:
"Proposals for new VKFF reference areas should first be referred to the relevant National co-ordinator".
Rule 15.3 of the VKFF rules states:
"when giving consideration to adding new WWFF reference areas, please ensure that the proposed area falls within the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Protected Areas Categories System found in the World Database on Protected Areas (WDPA)".
The database can be found at Protected Planet.
Protected Planet is the most up to date and complete source of information on protected areas, updated monthly with submissions from governments, non-governmental organizations, landowners and communities. It is managed by the United Nations Environment World Conservation Monitoring Centre (UNEP-WCMC) with support from IUCN and its World Commission on Protected Areas (WCPA).
The IUCN categories are as follows:-
"when giving consideration to adding new WWFF reference areas, please ensure that the proposed area falls within the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Protected Areas Categories System found in the World Database on Protected Areas (WDPA)".
The database can be found at Protected Planet.
Protected Planet is the most up to date and complete source of information on protected areas, updated monthly with submissions from governments, non-governmental organizations, landowners and communities. It is managed by the United Nations Environment World Conservation Monitoring Centre (UNEP-WCMC) with support from IUCN and its World Commission on Protected Areas (WCPA).
The IUCN categories are as follows:-
- Ia Strict Nature Reserve
- Ib Wilderness Area
- II National Park
- III Natural Monument or Feature
- IV Habitat/Species Management Area
- V Protected Landscape/Seascape
- VI Protected area with sustainable use of natural reources
More information on the IUCN Category system can be found at......
https://www.iucn.org/theme/protected-areas/about/protected-area-categories
https://www.iucn.org/theme/protected-areas/about/protected-area-categories
I want a park added to the program, who do I contact?
Proposals for new VKFF references shall be referred to the VKFF National co-ordinator, Paul VK5PAS.
vk5pas@wia.org.au
vk5pas@wia.org.au
How many new Australian parks can be added each year?
Rule 15.4 states:
"Per calendar year (1st January - 31st December) the VKFF National co-ordinator can add up to a maximum of 500 new refererences".
"Per calendar year (1st January - 31st December) the VKFF National co-ordinator can add up to a maximum of 500 new refererences".
When do new parks become valid?

New references will be valid from the date of approval by the WWFF References Managers.
Logs for references prior to the validation date are not valid for VKFF and will not be uploaded into Logsearch.
Logs for references prior to the validation date are not valid for VKFF and will not be uploaded into Logsearch.