The meeting called for the 1st May 2004 of the Wombat Forest Assembly was billed as a do or die effort to preserve access to all users of the forest from picnickers timber workers to green groups and four wheel drive enthusiasts who would all like access to the forest for their purposes.
The state government set up a consultative process last year and it began very quietly with a small group of interested people with more than a green tinge seeming to get control. The Interim Stewardship Council called the meeting today and allowed for interested people to the number of approximately 200 to attend the largest inside facility in Daylesford at the Secondary College. The college seats adequately 500 people but the interested crowd of approaching 1300 people made a nightmare of any facility provided. State laws and sensibility mad a maximum in the hall of 650 and many tried to crowd exits and all surrounding areas. Best voting intentions were abandoned after registrations past 1000 allowed for with the coloured voting slips!
The independent chairman of the meeting laid down the requirements of the meeting and eventually the crowd decided to meet in the quadrangle outside where a PA system had to be set up. There were just a couple of speakers and a lot of too-ing and fro-ing by the organisers in regard to the organization of the meeting before that happened however.
Outside it was discovered that an inadequate PA system combined with low levels of microphone skill quickly killed off any productivity at that sector of the meeting. Usage of UHF radios was not effective and many of the crowd found them a distraction too where battery life and transmit capacity of hand held units quickly added to the problem. A speaker from NSW community forest management was there too but my comment above in regard to microphone skills and the lack of a good program denies you and me knowledge of who she was.
After some consternation it was decided that all who had registered prior to the start of the meeting would be sent postal ballot information and the votes would be taken on the return of the ballot
It was particularly interesting the number of people that had travelled from as far as the La Trobe Valley and South Western Victoria with 4by groups showing major interest.
Some may see the day being unworkable being a positive outcome, but the day could be seen as a bit of a milestone in the requirement for better consultative process by the state government following the inadequacies of the previous one.
I would welcome the impressions of Forumites who may have been there as
well. I know GOB and Joe from Geelong were, just two I spoke to. GOB you may like to elaborate on the loud voice from someone near you on their mobile phone. Good on you mate!
I will post information as to the motions as they are sent when they arrive. Some of the interested groups distributed agendas that mentioned a start time of 1.30and a 1 pm registration joining the feel of fiasco.
Ballarat weather held off most of the best of the time but sleet greeted us as we were heading
home. The best day for a long time for the Daylesford School Canteen..
Attendees were given yellow sheets to offer suggestions on:
“Our Vision for Community Management of the Wombat Forest”
“Respect for our Inheritance”
“Our Long Term Goals for the Forest”
“Management Objectives”
“Guiding Principles for Ecologically Sustainable Forest Management”
With each of the suggestions there were suggestions as to removal and substitution of differing objectives.
Channel 7 arrived after the meeting was aborted and queues were heading
home or off to the sausages and onions