The Victorian Government has ordered a comprehensive review of Parks Victoria, to advise how the organisation can better serve the needs of Victorians and help them enjoy the great outdoors.
Minister for Environment, Steve Dimopoulos, said Parks Victoria managed more than four million hectares of parks and reserves which attract more than 100 million visits every year.
“These assets must meet the needs of Victorians for generations to come,” he said. “It’s clear that Parks Victoria’s current operations need to be improved to meet community expectations.”
The Government said that, as part of this process, Matthew Jackson, the CEO of Parks Victoria, had departed his position by mutual consent.
Parks Victoria has made national park camping free this summer, but the organisation has still come in for heavy criticism. PIC: Parks Victoria
“The review will focus on Parks Victoria’s priorities, the delivery of its objectives under the Parks Victoria Act 2018, the organisation’s administration, finances, functions and delivery model – to identify ways for the organisation to reduce red-tape, improve customer service, and deliver better outcomes for Victorians,” said Mr Dimopoulos. “The review will be completed by March 2025, and will be overseen by the Victorian Government.”
In a move designed to make the state’s parks more accessible to more people, the Victorian Government recently decided to make camping free in every national park and state forest in the state this summer.
There is no charge to stay at all 131 of Parks Victoria’s paid campgrounds from the start of this month until June 30, 2025 – saving families $7.3 million in booking fees.
However, there has been widespread criticism from climbing groups in recent months over Parks Victoria’s moves to close many of the climbs in the popular Mount Arapiles-Tooan State Park (Dyurrite Cultural Landscape) amid concerns about cultural heritage being damaged.
The Age newspaper reports that Parks Victoria has also been vocally criticised by recreational groups and the Murdoch press for ‘locking up’ state forests and public land.
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National Parks should be kept low key.
They’re there to protect the environment & wildlife.
They’re not caravan parks for the masses.
They’re for people interested in undertaking nature based activities such as bush walking, bird watching & nature photography.
Metal detecting
Digging holes shouldn’t be allowed in NP’s.
There are plenty of other areas when it can be done.
Fossicking isn’t a nature based activity.
It should be an independent review, not in house. I mean everything that’s wrong with Parks Victoria started with the government in the first place. With all the budget and staff cuts, yet the government has had pay rises and increased public servants go figure.
This review is going to be yet another waist of tax payers money.
The Departments are now run by pen pushing uni greenies on big money. Rarely do you see anyone in the bush doing hands on stuff. They can’t afford manual labourers now because of the ridiculous amounts they pay theorists.
We are often disappointed when we visit national parks that people leave rubbish & toilet paper. It’s a special place for nature & it will be spolt even further if people are given an open run. It is a privilege to visit these beautiful places not a place to party & hoon around in. We need to respect them more than ever – so think it’s better to keep people out as much as possible. Free permits & registration would be a good idea. Keep track if who is is there.
The bush if for all people to enjoy, nature is beautiful, therapeutic and awe inspiring. I think it is wrong to not allow people access at all times and for free.
The Victorian Parks (and NSW Parks) are a disgrace. They are slaughtering all our beautiful heritage brumbies by shooting them from helicopters and leaving the carcasses to rot for all the visitors to enjoy. Can’t wait for the state labor parties to be gone.
Free camping (no fees) encourages ‘ghost’ bookings. Update the camp booking system to allow people to easily book and receive an immediate refund or credit if a cancellation is required.
Anything a government working group is involved in is doomed before it starts. 🙁
Whatever happened to “Healthy Parks Healthy People”. Locking up the parks to any legitimate group of recreational users is both short sighted and counter productive from a mental and physical health perspective. The community has the ability, as it does today, to partner with the Land Managers, to assist with the parks care. As history has shown leaving them unattended, and locked up, with see them destroyed for decades by wild fire, causing not just loss of important habitat and mass destruction of the wild life, but loss of human life as well.
National Park’s were established so all people could visit our bush. They were free, giving access to the less well off and to those who were better off. And that’s the way it should still be……
Using pricing to restrict access numbers runs counter to the very reason and ethos behind National Parks’ establishment.
Sometimes those who need the benefits of ” time in our bush ” are simply priced out of it! A person’s ability to pay is not fair and is Un-Australian!
We need a system that does not discriminate against the battlers and families of our country!
If you put University educated people in charge of anything you’ll end up with a mess on your hands. Get back to the system of people in the department climbing their way up the ladder gaining valuable experience along the way. Not some fruitloop with a piece of paper and a lot of theories giving blind orders. Department of Sustainability has been infiltrated by the same morons. Everything that drops on the ground is “Habitat”. End result is extremely dangerous come bush fire season.
Locking them up for what? Is a future generation more entitled to access the parks than I am? I was born here and and claim access to my Commonwealth and State land. I own it along with the rest.
Get rid of the booking system to start with and open the parks back up properly and no fees, we pay enough taxes but current gov spend it on things that are not needed and they all blow out, the review is doomed before it starts and will not achieve anything as the government are policing themselves like having Dracula in charge of the blood bank.