By David Hill
Contrary to what some say, national parks don’t preclude activities like four-wheel driving, horse-riding, mountain biking, prospecting, and camping; all those activities are allowed in national parks. What isn’t allowed is hunting and logging.
Accordingly, the State Government is to be commended on its announcement, in September this year, to create the 24,000 hectare Wombat-Lerderderg National Park near Daylesford, the Mt Buangor and Pyrenees National Parks in the State’s west, as well as two conservation parks in the Hepburn/Macedon area. These national parks and conservation areas will protect endangered flora and fauna, and provide economic benefits from nature-based tourism.
New national parks are consistent with Victoria’s long history of creating national parks, starting with the 31,000ha Mt Buffalo National Park in 1898. Subsequent national parks include the creation of the 132,000ha Little Desert National Park in Victoria’s north-west in 1968, the Grampians National Park (167,000ha) in 1984, the Errinundra National Park (27,000ha) in 1988, the Alpine National Park (646,000ha) in 1989, the Murray-Sunset National Park (633,000ha) in 1991, and the Great Otway National Park (103,185ha) in 2004.
While the Government is to be congratulated on creating these new national parks and conservation areas, it was disappointing earlier this year when it abandoned plans to create the Great Forest National Park (GFNP) in Victoria’s central highlands. The GFNP, just 90 minutes from Melbourne, would add 355,000 hectares of protected forests to the 170,000 hectares of parks and protected areas in Victoria’s Central Highlands region.
The GFNP would protect Victoria’s mountain ash forests, the tallest flowering plants in the world, growing over 100 metres high, and protect endangered wildlife, like the Leadbeater’s Possum and Greater Glider. It would also protect the purity of Melbourne’s water supply, amongst the cleanest drinking water in the world. The park would generate $71 million in annual economic benefits including 700 tourism jobs.
The cessation of logging Victoria’s old-growth forests in January 2024 provides the ideal opportunity to create the GFNP. The protection of these forests would prevent future logging of those areas. The State Coalition has already indicated it would reintroduce industrial-scale logging of Victoria’s old-growth forests if it is elected next year.
Research undertaken for the Victoria National Parks Association shows there is strong support for new national parks, with 80% of Victorians supporting their creation. This support is consistent across the political spectrum, with 89% of ALP voters, 72% of Coalition supporters, and 94% of Greens voters in favour of new national parks (Redbridge Consulting 2024).
Campaigning for the creation of the GFNP will continue by organisations like The Wilderness Society, the Victorian National Parks Association, and local community groups to ensure these forests are given the protection they deserve.
National parks play a major role in supporting ecologically friendly tourism, and protecting nature and wildlife from inappropriate development and exploitation, such as logging. The creation of new national parks ensures that future generations can continue to appreciate the diverse and unique flora and fauna of our natural environment.
David Hill is a member of the Westside Wilderness Group. For more information about the Group, or The Wilderness Society, contact: info@wilderness.org.au
