Save Our Strzeleckis

300 people gathered on the Parliament House steps on Wednesday August 27 2003 to voice their support for greater protection of the Strzelecki forests. The Save Our Strzeleckis rally was organized by local groups and individuals frustrated at the State Government¹s failure to act on its promises to protect the Strzelecki forest.

Speakers included Senator Bob Brown, Julie Constable from Save Our Strzeleckis coalition; Ms. Nicky Moffatt, Forest Campaigner for Environment Victoria; Mr. Robbie Thorpe from the Gunnai Nation; Mr. Anthony Amis from Friends of the Earth and Mr. Gavan McFazdean from the Wilderness Society.

Senator Bob Brown , speaking at the rally, supported the community¹s vision for a Strzelecki National Park to protect the forest¹s flora and fauna. ŒIt is the seed of a great tree of an idea¹, he said, Œthe Strzelecki National Park¹. He called on the Bracks Government to act on its promises for greater protection of the Strzelecki forests. ŒIt requires urgent action,¹ he said. ŒA little action from them, a huge difference for centuries to come for the Strzeleckis, for Victoria and for the nation¹. The Senator wished the campaign for a Strzeleckis National Park, Œcomplete success and very soon¹.

Dr. David Bellamy, who visited the Strzelecki forest in 1999 sent this message from the UK. ŒI beg your government to do all in its power to save what is left of the Strzeleckis, one of the most important heritage forests in the world, and work with the real local experts to put the whole of the ranges back into biodiverse working order¹.

Public forest in the Strzeleckis was leased to Hancock Victorian Plantations in 1998 without community consultation or environmental studies. The Strzelecki Ranges is one of the most severely depleted bioregions in Victoria, with only 20% of native vegetation cover remaining. Only 2% of the bioregion is protected in reserves. The tall eucalypt forests, acacia and Cool Temperate Rainforests are home to fauna of national conservation significance including the Spot-tailed Quoll, Powerful Owl, Strzelecki Burrowing Crayfish, and a genetically distinct koala population. The Victorian National Parks Association¹s Nature Conservation Review, 2001 identified the Strzeleckis as one of the four major gaps in Victoria¹s reserve system, recommending a major new park system for the region. The Strzelecki Ranges Biodiversity Study identified high biodiversity ŒCore and Link¹ areas on public forest leased by Hancocks , recommending they be exempt from timber harvesting.

Mr. Amis from Friends of the Earth discussed the problems of intensive plantation forestry in the highly erosive soils in the Strzeleckis and Hancock¹s use of chemicals in the catchments. ŒWe support the proposal to protect the Strzeleckis high biodiversity ŒCore and link¹ areas in secure conservation reserves,¹ said Ms. Moffatt from Environment Victoria. Ms. Moffatt said that Hancocks was eeking certification for its timber operations and that standards for Environment Victoria¹s agreement on certification Œmust Œ include the protection of the core and links.¹ ŒThe rally is a reminder to the Victorian Government they must act on their promise to ensure full protection of all conservation areas in the Strzelecki Ranges¹ said Ms. Constable. ŒIt¹s been four years since the Bracks Government criticized the Kennett Government for privatising the Strzelecki forest and nothing has been achieved¹. Ms Constable said that there was overwhelming public support for a large national park in the Strzeleckis. A 7,000 strong petiton in support of a 30,000 ha. National Park in the Strzelecki State Forest was tabled in Parliament in 1998. Groups supporting a greater reserve system in the Strzeleckis include: Environment Victoria, the Victorian National Parks Association, Friends of the Earth, Wilderness Society, Field Naturalist Club of Victoria, Gippsland Local Government Network, the Strzelecki Hills Branch ALP, Wonthaggi/Bass Branch ALP, Greens Party Society for Growing Australian Plants, Friends of the Gippsland Bush,the South Gippsland Conservation Society, Friends of Tarra-Bulga National Park, the Mt. Best Concerned Residents Association, the Latrobe Valley Field Naturalists and Prom Coast Tourism Ms Constable emphasized that the high biodiversity ŒCores and Links¹ reserve proposed by the Strzelecki Working Group should be implemented by the Government as a matter of urgency to protect highly significant rainforest , protect headwaters in the Eastern Strzeleckis and link the Gunyah Rainforest Reserve with Tarra-Bulga National park. ŒGovernment intervention is critical¹ said Ms Constable. ŒHancocks agreed to a 2 year moratorium on logging in the ŒCores and Links¹ in January 2002, but time is running out. The government knows this and should be acting swiftly to secure this beautiful and significant area for Victoria¹. Ms Constable called on the Victorian Government to investigate the community Œs concerns about the misclassification of fifty years of native forest restoration and regenerated native logging coupes as plantation and to honour its obligations to a Comprehensive, Adequate and Representative reserve system in the Strzelecki Ranges.

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