VEAC recommendations National parks VEAC recommends five new and two significantly • Gadsen Bend Park expanded national parks, primarily to protect threatened Changes since the • Kerang Regional Park riverine forests and wetlands and provide a long-term VEAC has recommended co-management of Draft Proposals Paper future for recreation and tourism, based on the • Shepparton Regional Park the Barmah National Park and Nyah–Vinifera Park natural environment. • Murray-Kulkyne Park through Boards of Management, and Aboriginal Timber harvesting Advisory Committees for a number of other park State forests along the River Murray and tributaries have These parks are: VEAC also recommends 21 expanded or retained and VEAC has responded to the views and information received in almost and reserve areas. been a major source of River Red Gum wood products 29 substantially new nature conservation reserves to 9000 written submissions and hundreds of face-to-face discussions • Barmah National Park since the region was settled and are also used for grazing and this is reflected in the major recommendations of the River Red improve the protection of depleted and fragmented Domestic firewood – the largest and most important River Red Gum forest Recreation and tourism of stock, and a wide range of recreation pursuits. State Gum Forests Investigation Final Report. and wetland in the world ecosystems. • Providing firewood zones in Shepparton Regional Park and in The maintenance of sustainable recreation and tourism forests also protect riverine ecosystems, threatened flora Environmental water the Murray River Park – near Boundary Bend, Swan Hill, Cobram • Gunbower National Park The new parks and reserves represent a substantial and Rutherglen – in addition to those previously proposed near was an important consideration for the River Red Gum and fauna and have great significance to Aboriginal • Rather than specifying the volume of environmental water Mildura, Robinvale and Nathalia. Additional areas are provided by – extensive Black Box and River Red Gum forests increase in the size of the parks and conservation Forests Investigation. VEAC believes the implementation communities. that the ecosystem may require for overbank flows, VEAC reducing some areas of adjacent recommended national parks. and wetlands reserve system from 5.7 percent (69,640 hectares) of its recommendations will result in increased recreation has focussed on identification and mapping of natural values VEAC has recommended that the timber industry that need flooding to be sustained, thereby enabling strategic to 14.2 percent (173,240 hectares) of the original and tourism. • Recommending a coordinated approach to managing firewood • Lower Goulburn River National Park continue in Gunbower, Benwell and Guttram state decisions to be made in accordance with the availability of water. supply and demand, and ensuring delivery to local towns that extent of native vegetation. – key river corridor and Kanyapella Basin VEAC has recommended that: forests. Timber harvesting is recommended to cease in do not have natural gas – modelled on the successful approach Recreation implemented in Bendigo and north-east Victoria. • Warby Range-Ovens River National Park Environmental water other state forests, for example, Barmah state forest to • the region’s traditional camping, fishing, • Ensuring that access for ‘dispersed camping’ (camping at – most ecologically intact natural river system enable creation of the Barmah National Park. Timber VEAC has recommended that environmental watering of horseriding and vehicle access uses continue self-selected bush campsites) can continue as the predominant • Leaghur-Koorangie National Park form of camping in all riverine parks and forests. • Timber industry to continue in Gunbower, Benwell and Guttram the floodplain through relevant existing and new state across all public land categories VEAC has recommended that the government examine state forests, but cease in other state forests to enable creation of – significant wetland complexes near Kerang • Allowing campfires and associated collection of firewood in all and national water programs take into account newly a restructure of the timber industry that could include parks such as the Barmah National Park. • enjoyment of campfires and associated collection riverine parks and forests, outside the fire danger period (replaces • Murray-Sunset National Park compiled information on water requirements – including assistance for affected businesses, as previously provided winter campfire ban and firewood collection in parks). This aligns of firewood continues in all riverine parks (including Grazing – extensive and robust corridor and biolink the approximate frequency and extent of flooding – to in the Otways, East Gippsland and Bendigo state forests. Victoria with fire policies along the River Murray in New South national parks) and forests, except in the high fire sustain the flood-dependent ecosystems of the region. Wales and South Australia. • New incentives and priority-setting for removal of grazing from • Terrick Terrick National Park danger period (from approx November to March). public land, and a recommended new licence category to enable Domestic firewood • Adding areas to the Murray River Park and Shepparton Regional – additions to existing park The recommendations provide flexibility to take into This brings Victoria into alignment with fire restrictions licensees to maintain a conservation stewardship role along public River Red Gum forests are an important source of Park (through reduction in adjacent recommended national land water frontages, should they wish to do so. account the impacts of climate change and are in along the River Murray in New South Wales and parks) to provide additional areas for camping with dogs. domestic firewood for many local communities, Camping with dogs will now be permitted along over 80 percent Murray River Park and other parks keeping with State and Commonwealth Government South Australia Indigenous involvement particularly those without access to mains gas. of the currently available River Murray frontage. VEAC recommends seven new and expanded parks along programs – regarding water savings, and water to be • Addition of Aboriginal Advisory Committees for Hattah-Kulkyne • recreational hunting continue on 23 wildlife areas, VEAC is recommending zones in eight areas in the • Adding two further duck hunting areas – Reedy Swamp and the River Murray, and near major towns to provide for purchased – for allocation to the environment. National Park and Murray-Kulkyne Park and for Gunbower as well as state forest, water frontage areas and McNab Bend, through reduction in area of adjacent national Murray River Park and Shepparton Regional Park where National Park, to enhance the role of Indigenous people in the recreation and tourism in natural bush settings. parks. Hunting now continues to be allowed in 23 of the 35 Increased Indigenous involvement certain water storages. domestic firewood collection under permit can continue. management of parks. These parks are: current wildlife areas (state game reserves), as well as state forest in public land management Domestic firewood collection would also continue in the Domestic stock grazing wetlands, water frontages and some water storages. • Murray River Park – extending from Wodonga to recommended Benwell, Guttram and Gunbower Shared land management is a means of reconciling Mildura, covering more than 1000 kilometres of the VEAC has recommended grazing of stock cease on state forests. Parks and nature conservation Aboriginal interests in public land and in retaining the River Murray frontage public land to give long-term protection to waterways • There have been some reductions to recommended national spiritual relationship of Aboriginal people with their parks to provide for firewood zones, camping with dogs and • Kings Billabong Park and associated ecosystems. Grazing is recommended traditional Country. duck hunting. Gemmill Swamp has been reinstated as a nature • Nyah-Vinifera Park to stop immediately across most public land and be conservation reserve, with provision for dogwalking. phased-out over five years on public land water frontages. Council Assessment Environmental Victorian the results of its investigation. investigation. its of results the of the final report. final the of on Report Final a submit and Paper, Proposals Draft a summary a provides brochure This Paper, Discussion a release to required is Council The public land on its floodplains. floodplains. its on land public Change. Climate and Environment for and River Murray the for Government Wales South New Investigation Final Report to the Minister Minister the to Report Final Investigation the with regime management joint a for Opportunities • representative reserve system, and; and; system, reserve representative and provided its River Red Gum Forests Forests Gum Red River its provided and www.veac.vic.gov.au Website: and adequate comprehensive, a for criteria agreed Nationally • Council Assessment Environmental Victorian and agencies, such as water authorities. authorities. water as such agencies, and VEAC has completed its investigation investigation its completed has VEAC [email protected] email or 803 134 1800 recreation activities, and for community values and uses; and values community for and activities, recreation and other reserves and land owned by certain government departments departments government certain by owned land and reserves other