FOR nearly six months, the natural grasslands of Meredith\u2019s Police Paddocks reserve have been left without an assigned maintenance body.<\/p>\n
When the previous delegated group Ballarat Environment Network walked away from the site late in 2021, ownership reverted to the Department of Environment, Land, Water and Planning, but some residents have said the branch isn\u2019t doing enough.<\/p>\n
The Meredith Police Paddocks Support Group previously worked with BEN to manage the space, but with a team of about 18 volunteers, member Jim Elvey said the group is unequipped to maintain its 20 hectares on their own.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe do what we can right now but it\u2019s beyond our volunteer group. We don\u2019t have any resources or any financial income or anything like that,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe\u2019ve been working with DWELP, local member Michaela Settle, and the mayor and CEO of Golden Plains Shire trying to get someone to assume responsibility for undertaking weed control, and our efforts have not borne fruit.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s very sad, because it\u2019s a place of some substance and it\u2019s got merit in its recreational value, educational value and environmental value.\u201d<\/p>\n
BEN had previously managed the site since 2007, and approached Golden Plains Shire in late 2019 to offer control of the land to them, which was later refused after consideration.<\/p>\n
Mr Elvey said the site is overwhelmed with gorse and blackberry and that a larger, allocated body would be required to perform ongoing work at the site.<\/p>\n
The support group receives legal coverage and consent from DELWP to arrange volunteer activities at the site and perform smaller maintenance tasks like tree planting, lawnmowing, and weeding.<\/p>\n
DELWP maintains the Meredith Police Paddocks by performing routine slashing duties and fire prevention work, and Grampians Region Acting Program Manager, Land and Built Environment, Matthew Lee, said they are still looking to allocate a maintaining body.<\/p>\n
\u201cDELWP has looked to appoint a new committee of management for the Meredith Police Paddocks and we welcome any expressions of interest from groups who may be interested in this role,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe understand this is an important community site in Meredith and we continue to work closely with the Meredith Police Paddocks Support Group to explore ways that DELWP can support their requests for ongoing improvements to the reserve.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
FOR nearly six months, the natural grasslands of Meredith\u2019s Police Paddocks reserve have been left without an assigned maintenance body. When the previous delegated group Ballarat Environment Network walked away from the site late in 2021, ownership reverted to the Department of Environment, Land, Water and Planning, but some residents have said the branch isn\u2019t […]<\/p>\n