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More than 65,000 hectares of new national park secured: D’Ambrosio

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Australian Rural & Regional News asked some questions of the Minister, responded to by a Victorian Government spokesperson, below the release.

The Hon. Lily D’Ambrosio, Minister for Energy, Environment and Climate Change (Vic), Media Release, 26 May 2022

The Andrews Labor Government is creating permanent protections for Victoria’s three new national parks to help conserve our native flora and fauna and enhance recreation and tourism opportunities.

Lerderberg State Park
Lerderberg State Park, Victoria.Photo: Alexander Cimbal.

Minister for Energy, Environment and Climate Change Lily D’Ambrosio today announced $4 million to establish the new boundaries for the parks, as well as two new conservation parks and expansion of other regional parks in Victoria’s Central West.

Critical surveying and mapping work by the Surveyor-General Victoria is now underway, this is the first step towards permanent protection of the new parks through legislation. 

The new national parks will be created by linking existing state forests, parks and reserves. The largest, combining Lerderderg State Park and Wombat State Forest to create the Wombat-Lerderderg National Park covering more than 44,000 hectares between Daylesford and Bacchus Marsh.

A 15,000-hectare Pyrenees National Park will be created west of Avoca, and a 5,282-hectare Mount Buangor National Park will double the size of the existing state park north of Buangor.

The parks will significantly increase Victoria’s protections of native flora like Mount Cole Grevilliea, Pyrenees Gum and rare and threatened species including the Powerful Owl, Barking Owl, Swift Parrot,Southern Greater Glider and Brush-tailed Phascogale.

There will be seven new and expanded regional parks near Bendigo, Daylesford and Avoca. These will provide a range of activities including horse-riding, dog-walking and recreational prospecting.

Since 2019 we have added more than 250,000 hectares of protected forests in Victoria – including 96,000 hectares of Immediate Protection Areas, 65,106 hectares for the new Central West National Parks and 90,000 hectares of old growth.

The Labor Government announced the new parks in 2021 as part of its response to the Victorian Environmental Assessment Council’s Central West Investigation Final Report. 

Quotes attributable to Minister for Energy, Environment and Climate Change Lily D’Ambrosio

“This is an important step to help protect our incredible range of native plants and wildlife.’’ 

“These parks will be a drawcard for nature-based tourism and recreation and an important destination for the community to learn from nature and experience the great outdoors.”

“These new national parks and all of the parks being created or expanded will enhance the opportunities for Victorians to experience our state’s unique landscape now and into the future.”

Questions

Australian Rural & Regional News asked Minister D’Ambrosio the following questions. A Victorian Government spokesperson responded.

  • How does the Victorian Government balance the need for land which produces food and products essential for human survival and agricultural production with the reservation of land for conservation purposes?
  • Does the Victorian Government have a current analysis and/or mapping of the amount, nature, location and quality of productive land needed to support Victorians and for economic growth?
  • What is the impact on the domestic and export market of agricultural (including forestry) produce of the Victorian Government’s conversion of agricultural land, to date and from this latest and future conversions?
  • What is the ultimate amount of productive land that the Victorian Government intends to convert to use as a national park?

Response:

The new parks will provide greater protection of our native forests and wildlife while delivering an economic boost to regional communities through nature-based tourism and recreation opportunities.

Background

In June 2021 the Andrews Labor Government announced more than 65,000 hectares of new national parks plus new regional parks and conservation reserves in the central west. The creating of these parks was in response to the Victorian Environment Assessment Council’s investigation and final report on the future of public land management in the region.

Recommendations in the VEAC report were based on a 2 year investigation which included extensive consultation with all land users and the community.

The impact on productive uses was considered throughout the VEAC investigation and in the government response. 

The key productive uses in the investigation areas were forestry, bee keeping and grazing.

There is no impact on bee keeping and only minimal impact on grazing, with 94% of grazing licences unaffected and a suitable phase out period to be provided for those impacted.

The response aligns with the Victorian Forestry Plan to phase out native timber harvesting by 2030.

The Victorian Government will continue to protect our unique natural environment while supporting the timber industry to transition to a plantation based timber supply.

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