MEDIA RELEASE 26 November 2024 |

Victorian community and nature conservation groups are furious with the state Labor Government’s inability to legislate new central west national parks in central Victoria.

Despite repeated public statements and letters to constituents committing to protect the areas by the end of 2024, there’s no mention of the Wombat-Lerderderg and Mount Buangor national parks on the final sitting week’s parliamentary schedule.

“As wildlife and habitats continue their rapid decline, our elected leaders are stuck in slow motion. After years of unnecessary delays, this government is once again twiddling their thumbs, defying both environmental experts and the wishes of the Victorian community,” said Matt Ruchel, Executive Director of the Victorian National Parks Association.

The new national parks were agreed to in June 2021 by the Andrews’ Government after a three-year independent process.

“Endangered critters, like Brush-tailed Phascogales, and their dwindling habitats could have been protected years ago. It’s now 41 months since they were agreed to, and still nothing. That’s the longest time it’s taken any Victorian Government to gazette a park in 25 years,”  said Matt Ruchel, Executive Director of Victorian National Parks Association.

The areas slated for enhanced protection are home to a diverse array of wildlife. Among 360 native plants and 180 native animals, there are 25 rare, vulnerable or threatened plant species like the Wombat Bossiaea, and 15 threatened native animals, including Greater Gliders.

“National parks are overwhelmingly popular with Victorians from all walks of life. As well as providing quiet respite and recreation, the community understand and value the key role parks play in protecting the natural places they know and love,” said Matt Ruchel.

Last week the Victorian National Parks Association, in conjunction with the Wilderness Society, released independent polling that reaffirmed the strong support for national parks. The results show that 80% of Victorians back the creation of new national parks, regardless of income, voting preference or location.

“Our community has worked so hard to have the Wombat recognised for its incredible wildlife. For more than the 14 years that Wombat Forestcare has campaigned for ‘Park’ status for our forest. The delays to actually implement the national and other parks are extremely frustrating,” said Gayle Osborne, spokesperson for local group Wombat Forestcare.

“Bendigo locals consistently rate our surrounding forests as a prime delight in living in Bendigo. So the disappointment of yet another delay in protecting our largest and best example of unprotected Box Ironbark woodland – the Wellsford Forest – is profound and puzzling,” said Wendy Radford, spokesperson for Bendigo & District Environment Council (BEDC).

“That our local member, Premier Jacinta Allen will not facilitate this is disappointing as she was a strong supporter of the original parks in 2001. Why not now? What has changed? This needs to be explained to the community.”

VNPA is calling on the Allan Government to deliver on its promises and if it can’t be done in the next few days, immediately bring the central west parks legislation to parliament in the first sitting week of 2025.

The Allan/Andrews Labor Government has repeatedly promised “the largest expansion to our forest reserve system in our state’s history” since 2023, including new national parks.

Despite their role in clean drinking water, climate resilience and community health, national parks receive less than 0.5% of the state budget. VNPA and local nature groups remain concerned about ongoing salvage logging in the future Wombat-Lerderderg National Park, calling for funding for park establishment and ongoing management.