Victoria’s central west gains 65,000 hectares off new National Parks and Reserves

The Victorian Government has created three new national parks in the state's central west in an attempt to protect and preserve some of the region's most precious natural areas. 

Announcing the addition of 65,106 hectares of new national and reserves that aim to protect habitat for rare and threatened species and ensure the region remains a drawcard for recreation and tourism, Victorian Minister for Energy, Environment and Climate Change, Lily D’Ambrosio stated “our parks, reserves and forests help safeguard our unique flora and fauna and provide Victorians with space to enjoy the great outdoors and connect with nature.

“These changes will improve how we manage and care for our precious natural environment, and will ensure these areas can be used for recreation for generations to come.

“We’re listening to the communities that use and care for these areas and balancing the needs of public land users, industry and the environment.”

The new national parks will be created by linking existing state forests, parks and reserves with the  largest of the new designations to bring together Lerderderg State Park and much of the existing Wombat State Forest to create a new national park covering more than 44,000 hectares between Daylesford and Bacchus Marsh.

A 15,000-hectare Pyrenees National Park will be created north-west of Avoca, and a 5282-hectare Mount Buangor National Park will double the size of the existing State Park north of Buangor.

New conservation parks covering 5246 hectares in areas with a high biodiversity value have also been created to protect precious flora and fauna. A further 7560 hectares are being added to expand existing nature and bushland reserves. Regional parks will be expanded by 27,735 hectares.

The Victorian Government is also investing in facility upgrades throughout the region, including upgrading campgrounds and new and upgraded walking trails and facilities, will continue through the $105.6 million Victoria’s Great Outdoors program.

The new national parks and reserves announced today builds on the 186,000 hectares already protected from timber harvesting announced in November 2019. When logging of native forests ends in 2030 a further 1.8 million hectares of forest will be protected.

This week’s announcement follows years of lobbying by conservation groups and the release of the Victorian Government’s response to the Victorian Environmental Assessment Council’s Central West Investigation Final Report.

Local communities and stakeholders including Traditional Owners were consulted extensively during the investigation.

However, the Bush Users Group United has objected to the move, with co-founder Bill Shulz telling the ABC “there is absolute massive number of people who were against this altogether.”

Claiming activities like recreational shooting, domestic firewood collecting, and prospecting, which were previously permitted in state forests, will be banned in the new national parks, Shulz criticised Minister D’Ambrosio, stating “she does not realise that this is going to be devastating for regional Victorians who suffered enough as it is through bushfires and COVID-19.

"As soon as you bring in a national park, anything that's in the national park is protected - including cats, dogs, pigs, and anything else.”

The Bush Users Group United’s Facebook page has 15,000 member.

Images: Lerderderg State Park (top) and the Mount Buangor National Park (below). Credit: Parks Victoria.