The long-signalled move to allow camping at a number of riverfront sites on Crown land in Victoria is continuing to spark controversy.
Bryan Meredith – who farms a property near Seymour, north of Melbourne – says he has been given just four days’ notice that the land he is licensed to manage will be accessible to campers and anglers.
And he’s now threatening legal action to try to stop that happening.
While Mr Meredith doesn’t actually own the land on the banks of the Goulburn River which stretches about four kilometres through his farm, he does hold a license with the government to use and manage it.
“I only found out four days ago that they were going to put a gate … at the end of my property so people can access the Crown lease to fish and camp,” he told the ABC.
Mr Meredith currently has 75 cattle grazing in the paddock where the gate is to be installed.
“I am concerned about what’s going to happen to those cattle when people start moving through and then, when we put our sheep down there, we will have a similar problem,” he said.
Mr Meredith told the ABC that while the new gate is too narrow to allow for vehicular access, walk-in access to his property would increase the risk of lamb and calf theft. He is also concerned that his biosecurity qualifications that allow him to sell livestock could be threatened if human faeces, fires and rubbish are left on his property by campers.
“For many, many years we have spent a lot of time and money on looking after the environment on the edges of the river, because the environment is quite important to us,” he said. “We regularly see platypus in the river here, so in that situation, why would you open up areas that are pristine to allow people to fish, when they could be affecting the (habitat) of platypus?”
There was a lengthy Victorian government consultation process over the riverfront camping plan, but Mr Meredith says the Department of Environment, Land, Water and Planning (DELWP) told him eight months ago that his property ‘wasn’t suitable’ for camping.
“It’s too important for us as a family … we’re attempting to take legal action because it looks like our property doesn’t meet their criteria for what they’re doing to it,” he told the ABC.
“What we’re saying is, ‘take us off the list’, and if we have to do it by court, we will attempt to do it.”
The ABC has contacted the Victorian government and DELWP for comment.
Not sure exactly what the problem is – it’s not on their owned land. Enjoy the visitors, who may also bring some prosperity, and fun, to the area
The issues is he does hold a license with the government to use. Did you read the ? Also “””……walk-in access to his property would increase the risk of lamb and calf theft. He is also concerned that his biosecurity qualifications that allow him to sell livestock could be threatened if human faeces, fires and rubbish are left on his property by campers……”
The problem is the farmers are required to clean up. They are not campsite caretakers. Unfortunately there are some who’s flagrant disregard will always sabotage to good intentions of others. But I don’t see why farmers should shoulder this burden. I too love to stop by riverbanks but I’m in camp farmer on this. Don’t forget ~~ ~~ not easily got, but easily lost.
I’m with the farmers, there are plenty of other places to camp than crown land river frontages adjoining farming properties. Would you like people camping in your backyard?
We are grey nomads and love nothing better than camping by a river,but I sure can see Mr Meredith point.But thats just the way it is you think when you buy something you own it. NO you dont the councils and relervent aurthorities still tell you what you can and cant do.
If they want to give access then put a set of steps over the fence that way no livestock can get out and no gates to leave open after all no mortorised access is alowed
A style is the word. Used in Britain