Clean up your act this long weekend

Labour Day long weekend travellers heading for Victoria’s great outdoors have been urged to stay safe and keep public land clean.

The Conservation Regulator, Forest Fire Management Victoria (FFMVic) and Parks Victoria are urging visitors to spend their time on public land responsibly, particularly when extinguishing their campfires and cleaning up at the end of their stay.

Authorised Officers from all three agencies will be patrolling forests, parks and reserves targeting littering and unsafe campfires.

Road closures in the Grampians region over the long weekend include Mt Lonarch Road, Mt Lonarch and Chettle Road, Lerderderg.

Planned burning will be conducted across the region if weather conditions are suitable – to find out when and where planned burns are happening, go to or sign up at www.vic.gov.au/plannedburns or call 1800 226 226.

Planned burns may also mean the closure of some domestic collection firewood areas at short notice – to find out current open firewood collection areas, go to www.ffm.vic.gov.au/firewood/find-a-firewoodcollection-area.

Remember with recent hot weather, many parts of the region are dry – take care, remain on tracks, and ensure campfire regulations are followed.

Whether staying for a day or the whole weekend, visitors to Victoria’s parks and forests are reminded not to leave rubbish behind at the end of their stay. Disappointingly, Authorised Officers have detected 219 cases of illegal rubbish dumping on Victorian public land over the recent summer period. Dumping of rubbish on public land is illegal and can have significant impacts on the environment and human health. All rubbish must be taken home, not dumped or burned.

On a positive note, there was a reduction in the number of unattended campfires reported over the summer period. However, with many of our parks and forests dry, it is important that campers continue to build and keep safe campfires. This means considering where and how to build a campfire and never leaving it unattended, even for a short time. Campfires should be put out with water, not soil, and be cool to the touch before leaving.

Campers also are reminded that wood for fires can only be collected from designated firewood collection areas or brought from home. Wood cannot be collected from the camp site or surrounds.

Anyone who witnesses illegal vehicle use or rubbish dumping on public land is encouraged to report it on 136 186.

For more information about rules in state forests, including campfires and vehicle use, visit www.vic.gov.au/rules-in-state-forests.