By Meg Kennedy<\/p>\n
A proposed national park has caused a fiery rift in the community, following the recent public release of the Victorian Environmental Assessment Council\u2019s (VEAC) Central West Investigation Final Report.
\nThe report, released to the public on Friday 21 June, detailed VEAC\u2019s recommendations for a new Wombat-Lerderderg National Park, which would combine the current Wombat State Forest and the Lerderderg State Park into a new national park.
\nVEAC recommended a new 49,553ha area in a bid to protect water catchments, headwaters, and high value habitats for rare and threatened species.
\nOther recommendations for Moorabool Shire include two new regional parks in Spargo Creek and Blackwood.
\nFirewood collection would continue in proposed regional parks at designated areas, but a ten-year phase-out will be in place.
\nThe recommendation has seen popular lobby groups in the area continue to butt-heads on whether a national park is the best option for the area.
\nEnvironmental lobby group Wombat Forestcare shared their excitement from the recommendations, noting the positive outcome for threatened and protected species in the area.
\nConvenor Gayle Osborne said the group is \u201cexceptionally pleased with the VEAC recommendations,\u201d and that the \u201cprotection of the [species] habitat is critical for their survival in the Wombat Forest.\u201d
\nThe recommendation follows a recent ABC Four Corners report that investigated Australia\u2019s rapidly increasing rate of mammal extinctions, which is now the highest in the world.
\n\u201cIn the Wombat Forest, we consider that the combination of parks provides a balance between nature conservation, recreation and the access to firewood,\u201d said Ms Osborne.
\n\u201cWe should be proud to have a National Park, to have all these wonderful creatures on our doorstep\u2026we should also be proud that the Wombat-Lerderderg area is “amongst the most important for Victoria’s biodiversity.\u201d
\nAlthough Wombat Forestcare welcomed the recommendations, another popular group has shared their deep concern and disappointment with the report.
\nA Wombat-Lerderderg National Park would mean that the activities of prospecting, hunting and domestic firewood collection would be banned entirely; with dog-walking, car rallies, horse-riding strictly limited to designated areas.
\nBush Users Group United (BUGU) is comprised of regular bush users \u2013 majority from the Ballarat and Bendigo areas \u2013 and has seen a myriad of Facebook posts from angered members in the wake of the report.
\nIn November 2018 the group \u2018gate-crashed\u2019 a dinner event in Buninyong that hosted Greens Federal leader Richard di Natale in protest of the draft proposal.
\nBUGU founder Bill Schultz passionately told the Moorabool News that it is a \u201chuman\u2019s right\u201d to be able to access the bush for use, and he believes VEAC hasn\u2019t listened to many of the submissions put forward to the committee throughout 2018.
\n\u201cIt is public land for public use, and I mean all [the] public, not selected few or restricted. It\u2019s open there for all,\u201d said Mr Schultz.
\n \u201cWe can all work together and create a very good, healthy environment within the bush, without trying to turn it into a state or national park.\u201d
\nMr Schultz shared his anger that the park could become a significant bushfire hazard, comparing its danger to the recent bushfires in eastern Victoria earlier this year.
\n\u201cIf that gets turned into a national park\u2026this is a bushfire waiting to happen,\u201d he said.
\nOn whether BUGU are as passionate about the conservation of the park as using its facilities, Mr Schultz said, simply, \u201cwe are conservation.\u201d
\n\u201cWe are the eyes and ears of the bush,\u201d he said, believing that risks and hazards in these areas \u2013 such as rubbish, fire hazards and wire \u2013 could be missed if these activities are banned.
\n \u201cIt is not just a concern for the group, it should be a concern for everybody.\u201d
\nLocal MPs have shared their thoughts on the new recommendations, with Member for Melton Steve McGhie telling the Moorabool he has, \u201chad one member of the community contact me about their concern\u201d, and that he will \u201cwork within the process\u201d when the government considers the recommendations \u201cto finalise a view\u201d.
\nMember for Macedon Mary-Anne Thomas said she knows \u201cthese areas are well loved and important to our community – which is why I will continue to work closely with Minister [Lily] D\u2019Ambrosio as these recommendations are considered over the next six months.\u201d
\n\u201cA number of constituents have been in touch with my office since the report was released,\u201d she said.
\n\u201cI encourage anyone who is interested to read the report, and to get along to one of the VEAC Community Information Sessions that will be taking place in July.\u201d
\nThe State Government has until late-February 2020 to consider the recommendations of the Central West Investigation Final Report.
\nMore information on the Central West Investigation Report, including a list of public submissions, can be found at http:\/\/www.veac.vic.gov.au\/news\/r\/central-west-investigation-final-report-released.
\nWhat are your thoughts on the proposed Wombat-Lerderderg National Park and new regional parks? Send a \u2018Letter to the Editor\u2019 to news@themooraboolnews.com.au or find us on Facebook at \u2018The Moorabool News\u2019.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
By Meg Kennedy A proposed national park has caused a fiery rift in the community, following the recent public release of the Victorian Environmental Assessment Council\u2019s (VEAC) Central West Investigation Final Report. The report, released to the public on Friday 21 June, detailed VEAC\u2019s recommendations for a new Wombat-Lerderderg National Park, which would combine the […]<\/p>\n