The Nationals Member for Murray Plains Peter Walsh is appealing to the Department of Energy, Environment and Climate Action to repeat its public firewood collection from Barmah Forest in September last year.

Mr Walsh said that day saw thousands of tonnes of flood-damaged timber made available to hundreds of locals for heating and, in some cases, cooking.

And he said there would again be plenty of usable timber from fallen trees and branches which could again be gathered into key locations and made available.

“The Barmah project was a picture book example of how desperate people are for timber to offset the soaring price of electricity and gas; and in too many cases it is often the only heating people can afford, and now, because of logging bans, it is becoming way too pricy for Victorians,” Mr Walsh said.

“It particularly affects the elderly and low-income families who simply cannot keep up with the cost of power and see using gas and electricity for heating as a luxury, not a viable option,” he said.

“In 2024 I was part of a widespread outcry when DEECA announced it was going to burn masses of surplus wood because it was against the law to remove wood from state and national parks.

“We showed what a disgraceful travesty that was at the time and if DEECA is conducting any more burns to clear parks anywhere in the state, that wood must be offered to the people first.

“And that’s a win-win, DEECA won’t need to supervise burns because I guarantee every skerrick of wood will be taken away.”

Mr Walsh said DEECA staff saw how orderly the Barmah collection was, how well cleaned the area was after the collection and how responsibly everyone behaved while collecting that firewood.

He said there were also many elderly couples there collecting wood who did not have a chainsaw, who were grabbing offcuts because they desperately needed firewood.

“I watched those with chainsaws actually go and help them, and cut more wood for them, and then loaded their trailers so they could take it home,” Mr Walsh explained.

“The locals were outstanding in how they supported each other in making sure all that wood was put to good use to keep people warm in what was then – and has been now – a very cold, long winter for those without access to firewood,” he said.

“The current firewood collection strategy is a joke, people have to make round trips of hundreds of kilometres to access what little might be available, which is why I am urging the government and DEECA to do it again this year.

“And not just at Barmah, but also at other sites such as Murrabit and Swan Hill – and that’s just in my electorate. You could mirror that across the state.”

This article appeared in The Koondrook and Barham Bridge Newspaper, 21 August 2025.