A bill decades in the making that could result the creation of the first national parks in 14 years currently sits with state Parliament. Georgia Tacey caught up with Wombat Forestcare convenor Gayle Osborne to find out the decades-long journey during which the group has been fighting for Wombat State Forest to receive national park status, protecting hundreds of endangered rare flora and fauna who call the forest home.
Wombat Forestcare has been fighting for decades to see the Wombat State Forest recognised as a national park.
Countless hours spent advocating, protesting and lobbying, all to get to the point the group is at now.
The state government has finally introduced the bill promised in 2021 that will result in the creation of the first national parks in 14 years; The Parks and Public Land Legislation Amendment (Central West and Other Matters).
If it passes, this bill will lead to the creation of Wombat-Lerderderg National Park.
The Wombat State Forest, which sits between Woodend and Daylesford, will be combined with Lerderderg State Park, which sits between Bacchus Marsh and Blackwood, to form one big, protected, national park.
For Wombat Forestcare convenor and founding member Gayle Osborne, this is all her and her fellow forestcarers have been hoping for, since long before the group formed in 2006.
“Our group grew out of forest protesting,” she said.
“We protested the logging (at the) end of the ’90s and into the 2000s, when there was this very big protest movement in the Wombat Forest about the over logging.
“The logging ceased in 2006, because it was shown the forest had been severely over logged … and (that same year) we then incorporated Wombat Forestcare.
“We realised that while the forest was still a state forest, it was going to be managed entirely for its resources … so the logging could come back.”
In 2010, Ms Osborne said the group officially started its campaign to get the Wombat State Forest recognised as a national park, in conjunction with the Victorian National Parks Association (VNPA).
The Wombat State Forest drive formed part of a wider campaign to fight for the Central West Parks.
Wombat Forestcare, Mount Cole-Pyrenees Nature Group and The Bendigo and District Environmental Council joined forces alongside the wider VNPA network to advocate for the protection of rare and threatened plants and animals, and thousands of hectares of forest across the central west.
Throughout the early 2010s, Ms Osborne said they worked towards campaigning for a Victorian Environment Assessment Council (VEAC) investigation into the Wombat-Macedon area, Mount Cole-Pyrenees area and the Wellsford Forest in Bendigo.
The Central West Investigation was finally granted in March 2017 to look into the public land, and provide advice on changes to land tenure, including the creation of national parks.
“It was fantastic because we’re then moving towards where we need to be,” Ms Osborne said.
On 21 June 2019, VEAC’s final report was published, recommending the creation of the Wombat-Lerderderg National Park, as well as national parks for Mount Buangor and Pyrenees.
This was alongside multiple other conservation reserves, regional parks and bushland reserves.
“We were amazed when we saw what they recommended for the Wombat-Lerderderg area,” Ms Osborne said.
Most of the recommendations were accepted in 2021, with the promise that legislation would follow soon.
The legislation is required to create the three new national parks, two new conservation parks – Cobaw Conservation Park and Hepburn Conservation Park – expanded protection including the addition of Wellsford Forest to Bendigo Regional Park and the extension of the Wimmera Heritage River around Mount Cole, as well as the revocation of Mount Cole Game Sanctuary status
“Now we’re here, four years later, and part of the legislation has just gone to parliament, a bill for the national parks and the conservation parks , but not yet for the regional parks and all the reserves,” Ms Osborne said.
“This has been quite the long haul.”
VPNA executive director Matt Ruchel said the legislation is significant.
“This is a major milestone for Victoria’s natural heritage and climate resilience,” he said.
“National parks are the gold standard of protection. After four years of advocacy, we’re thrilled the legislation is finally ready.
“These fragmented forest remnants are vital refuges in a landscape heavily cleared for agriculture.”
The new parks will protect over 380 rare and threatened plants, animals and fungi, including Mount Cole Grevilleas, Brush-tailed Phascogales and Mountain Skinks and Powerful Owls, both of which are found in Wombat State Forest.
It will also legislate the protection of the critically endangered Wombat Leafless Bossiaea, with only five known plants found in the wild, all inside Wombat State Forest.
The final legislation, once passed, brings the forests under the permanent care of Parks Victoria and the community.
“Legislation is just the beginning,” Ms Osborne said.
“Decades of logging and neglect have left these forests vulnerable. We need substantial investment in ecological restoration, weed and feral species control.”
Wombat Forestcare has grown massively throughout the campaign, to now over 200 members who all continue to advocate and fight for the forest that sits on their doorstep.
“One of the great things [about the bill] is that we won’t have to fight to stop a mine or stop logging, that won’t happen anymore,” Ms Osborne said.
“I think we’re just relieved and pleased, very pleased.”
The bill will be further debated in October, before hopefully passing both houses of parliament.
While Ms Osborne is thrilled to see the bill finally tabled, she said she was disappointed to see it permitting seasonal recreational deer hunting by stalking in the new national park areas.
She said she expects this part will be debated in parliament, and hopes it won’t cause too many delays.
Ms Osborne also expects another bill to come soon, which will provide the further recommendations for regional parks, conservation and bushland reserves protected, as part of the VEAC recommendations.
But for now, she and her fellow forestcarers remain hopeful that very soon the Wombat-Lerderderg will soon finally hold national park status.
“We’re getting there,” Ms Osborne said.
“We’re very pleased to be at this point.”
