Thursday, 7 April 2022

Northern Victoria Region

Ms LOVELL (Northern Victoria) (12:53): (1756) My question is for the Minister for Energy, Environment and Climate Change. When the Barmah forest was designated a national park under a joint management agreement with the Yorta Yorta, 22 hectares surrounding the cattle yards was designated for community use that still allowed for camping, public events and horseriding. The information sheet for the draft joint management plan, horseriding proposals, specifically states:

Under the proposals the Barmah Muster—which is held in the Community Use Area outside the National Park—can continue. The proposals allow for horseriding along Sand Ridge Track from Rice’s Bridge to access the Community Use Area for permitted events such as the Muster.

When the muster committee applied for permission to hold this year’s event, they were advised by Parks Victoria that around 15 of the 22 hectares had now been leased and could not be used for the muster. So on behalf of the muster committee, I ask: will the minister explain why the majority of the community use area has been leased without any community consultation whatsoever?