As a follow-up to post 13736 I have included a couple of grabs some may be interested in. Can't include all due to space but as I see it, these are the important areas:
".......The
Otways region is an important and popular location for a wide range of pursuits from fishing and four wheel driving to walking and birdwatching. VEAC keenly appreciates the need to ensure that opportunities for such activities are maintained under its proposals.
A key objective of the proposed forest park is to provide opportunities for recreational pursuits in enjoyable natural settings. Dog walking, dispersed camping, trial and mountain bike riding and hunting are some of the activities that are specifically catered for within the proposed forest park. More passive indertakings ....... will also be available.
.......... Provision of access for many popular recreational pursuits including four wheel driving will continue on the roads across the
Otways............."
Note from above, 'dispersed camping', has been curtailed. Where once many small, isolated
camp spots existed, now all have been pushed into 5 - 6 large, developed areas.
Bush camping, as it once was, is now almost non-existent.
As for ' pursuits including four wheel driving will continue on roads across the
Otways'. Consider the change in category, and that almost all 4X4 tracks at present are not in current National Parks, but
State Forest and other uncategorised public land.
National Park existing - 11,755ha, proposed - 146,005ha.
State Forest existing - 92,030ha, proposed 0 ha
Uncategorised public land existing - 3595ha, proposed 480ha
So 95,625ha of current open use area will come under control of DSE and the Gov' to open / close as they wish, with 47,800ha of this in proposed Forest Park which, presumably, all recreational will have to share. With the influx of tourists over XMAS etc, it will be like
Bourke St out in the bush. All this extra traffic will of course have a detrimental effect on the track network and hey, guess what, have to close the track on 'environmental grounds'. Remember also, that all of this Forest Park is on the north side of the
Otways, all the south side will be in National Park, closing many of the most scenic tracks in the region and a large part of the track network.
MAKING A SUBMISSION
Written submissions will be received until 26 July 2004. Submissions should be directed to:
Executive Officer
Victorian Environmental Assessment Council
Level 3, 250 Victoria Parade
East
Melbourne, Vic 3002
or E-Mail to veac@dse.vic.gov.au, or FAX (03) 9412 5153
A full copy of the draft proposal is available on
www.veac.vic.gov.au
Interesting also that glossy brochure with all this info makes no attempt to acknowledge printing on recycled paper and was obviously produced with no expense spared!
So, get those fingers typing if you want your say.
Rolande