Wednesday, 30 August 2023

Tower Hill Wildlife Reserve

Georgie PURCELL (Northern Victoria) presented a petition bearing 95 signatures:

The Petition of certain citizens of the State of Victoria draws to the attention of the Legislative Council that Tower Hill Wildlife Reserve (Tower Hill) is currently designated as a State Game Reserve, a status that conflicts with the cultural, natural, and social values of the land. Tower Hill was declared a State Game Reserve in 1961 due to the collaborative efforts of the Field Naturalists Club of Victoria and the Victorian Field and Game Association who feared for the future of this special place. Decades before Landcare Australia existed, thousands of local school children revegetated Tower Hill under the guidance of the Fisheries and Wildlife Service, and later Parks Victoria. The community is deservedly proud of what has been achieved with Tower Hill, now a premiere ecotourism and family destination in the region. Tower Hill is a wildlife refuge, a place to bush walk, observe, study and appreciate nature. The Indigenous community are leaders within Tower Hill and it is an important place for visitors to learn about Indigenous culture. It is also a place to shoot native ducks. Tower Hill is a significant cultural icon in Victoria and the most valuable habitat we have. It is unacceptable that the native wildlife which call Tower Hill ‘home’ should be considered ‘game’. It is time to take the next step in recognising and protecting the values of Tower Hill by reviewing its status as a State Game Reserve and removing the word ‘game’ from the reserve’s signage.

The petitioners therefore request that the Legislative Council call on the Government to review Tower Hill Wildlife Reserve’s status as a State Game Reserve given the values and cultural story of this location and remove the word ‘Game’ from the Tower Hill State Game Reserve signage, as it conflicts with the cultural, natural and social values of the reserve.