Tuesday, 7 February 2023

 Cindy McLEISH (Eildon) (19:08): (11) My adjournment matter is for the Minister for Environment. The action I seek is for the minister to work with the Mansfield Shire Council and invest in sealing part of Walshs Road in Goughs Bay. The investment to complete the required work is around $1 million. The government is a key stakeholder in this project, as Walshs Road leads to a number of very popular camping grounds. Walshs Road runs 26 kilometres from the Goughs Bay township to the pristine camping facilities on the Delatite Arm of Lake Eildon, referred to as The Pines. The Pines is frequented by thousands of campers at all major holiday breaks and many weekends. This is a huge increase from the 261 residents living in Goughs Bay. There are 19 listed free camping ground locations along Walshs Road, with approximately 350 camp sites. It is very popular for camping, water access, fishing, four-wheel driving, mountain bike riding, horseriding and bushwalking. In 2017–18 the Mansfield shire documented 760 cars per day using the road between 22 December and 7 January. This is why the government has a key role in making this road safe and helping to deliver the funding, because it is beyond that of Mansfield shire alone.

Obviously since COVID and with people being desperate to get out after lockdown, people are holidaying in Victoria rather than interstate or overseas, because of the restrictions, so it is still very busy. Sixteen thousand campers were displaced from the Murray River this year due to floods. Not all went to Goughs Bay, but the visitor volume increased absolutely. Walshs Road is sealed from Goughs Bay for about 1 kilometre, then becomes a dirt road. The unsealed section of the road is heavily corrugated and potholed. Dust is kicked up when vehicles pass, covering residences on Walshs Road. The length that needs to be sealed is 1.9 kilometres, which passes a number of properties before entering the reserve. The road-sealing project has been an ongoing matter for over 20 years, but it has really taken a kick since 2017. The project to seal a section of the road has strong community and council support and certainly support from the Goughs Bay Area Progress Association, who are to be congratulated for their work and advocacy as they strive to drive and implement changes in this area. The government is responsible for the campgrounds, and the government needs to take action to ensure that the key section is sealed for the benefit of everybody in the area and those visiting the campgrounds.