Mission Statement
“To bring together sensible land management and broad-based nature conservation with the major drivers of our economy, being all forms of agriculture ( farming ), tourism and recreation. We supply policy which protects and develops these industries for the benefit of all”
Goals
- To have the North-East of the Upper Yarra Region removed from the Yellingbo Conservation Area.
- To re-negotiate new crown river frontage agreements that are acceptable to our members
- To form policies that do not increase the fire risk to our region, as well as to reduce existing fire risk
- To stand up for a person’s right to manage their own land and any adjoining Crown River Reserve in a balanced and practical way.
FIRE RISK – Yarra Valley
Play the video and see what’s at stake!
Yellingbo Conservation Area
10 year Plan submission – Great Concerns !!
As a landowner adjacent to the Little Yarra River and the Britannia Creek I would like to add these further comments.
You are trying to convince the communities of the Upper Yarra DELWP/MW/PV/ are prepared to maintain the waterways and forestry areas of the Upper Yarra. You have not even begun to convince us this can or will happen.
I take a look around my area – and you need to also – Crown land, State Forest land maintained by Government bodies -I see waterways choking on weed infestation, I see ivy growing up tree trunks, I see dead trees in danger of falling on roadways, I see overgrown vegetation along the highways and roadways, I see fallen trees in the waterways just waiting for major rains so they can block the waters and flood the lands, I see the huge growth in our bush fire risk.
What I don’t see is the Government bodies clearing the absolute mess on their lands, I don’t see the clearing of the kilometres of blackberries, ragwort, thistles, holly, and all the other noxious weeds increasing in volumes on your Crown lands, I don’t see any decrease in deer, foxes and vermin in your areas, I don’t see any work done along the waterways under your control.
However, I did see a contractor – Australian Ecosystems – spraying a small area of Crown land – not under licence – along the Britannia Creek next to Tarrango Road earlier in the year. I did see them spraying along the creek, I did see them spraying in the rain?, I did see that they only sprayed ¾ of a blackberry infestation, I did ask the question why only that much, they did say the rest was not in their scope, they did say they were contracted by DELWP, they did say Green Australia was funding the works. They did not spray the rest of the blackberry, I now see the same part of the plant thriving!!!, I now see the massive spread of white lilies along the same area??.
While you try to make us believe DELWP/MW/Parks Vic. will do as good a job of looking after the waterways Crown lands as the adjacent landowners do now?
Is there anyone who has enough common sense and the strength of character to stand up and admit it is not achievable by funding strapped Government Departments? Is there anyone who will look at the complete mess of the YCA thus far and admit their pot of gold is running out. Is there anyone who is willing to admit the landowners have done and would maintain the waterways in a resoundingly better and safer way than any
I am frightened to see a bushfire in this area, I am terrified to experience a major wild fire in this area, I am overwhelmed when I think of the ones who could lose their life in such a tragedy, and I am completely devastated when I think one of those lost lives could be one of my children, my grandchildren, my husband, my mother or father, my sister or my brother, my friend.
You can turn this nonsense – the massive increase in vegetation in our waterways corridors – the unjustifiable increase in fire risk loading – the increasing numbers of vermin and noxious weeds, the depleting funds all Government departments are experiencing, the lack of manpower to perform maintenance programs, the ability to do as good a job as the landowners – why would you continue pushing an unattainable barrow??
I will only support a Riparian Licence if the above conditions are met. There is nothing in your conditions that benefit me, whilst you want the lot – no costs, no maintenance?
Stop playing us for fools – stop convincing yourselves we can be tricked – start thinking this can be a win/win outcome for all.
Yarra Waterways Group – committee member
