WOMBAT State Forest residents are outraged that exploration for gold and other minerals has commenced at Blackwood, amid delays to a government decision which could secure the protection of the forest's biodiversity into the future.
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Wombat Forestcare convenor Gayle Osborne is particularly alarmed at the commencement of mining in the vicinity of the proposed Wombat-Lerderderg National Park.
"It is now a year since the Victorian Environmental Assessment Council (VEAC) recommended a park structure for the Wombat State Forest to protect its environmental values, including many threatened species and the headwaters of six rivers," she said.
The final report for VEAC's central west investigation was released in June 2019. The state government was supposed to provide a response to the recommendations in February this year, but has yet to do so.
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The exploration on the edge of the township is being undertaken by Currawong Resources, which holds a mining exploration licence for the area - from Blackwood almost across to Macedon and north past Malmsbury.
Last week residents spied large drilling rigs taking samples from the side of a gully above Yankee Creek, which forms a part of the headwaters into the heritage-listed Lerderderg River. On Monday, they staged a protest.
On Thursday, officers from the state government's Earth Resources Victoria inspected the site.
Earth Resources Regulation's executive director Anthony Hurst said in a statement inspectors would continue monitoring exploration activities.
"Currawong Resources is permitted to conduct low impact exploration activities in the Blackwood-Gisborne area," he said.
"Typically, explorers look for evidence of minerals over a large area and depending on what they find, they may then choose to focus their activities on a smaller area."
Currawong Resources engaged with local people during their licence application process and have a duty to continue to keep the community informed during the period of their licences.
Following the commencement of the exploration, a group called No Wombat Gold was formed. There are already about 50 members.
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According to modelling from The Department of Jobs, Precincts and Regions' Earth Resources division, there are two major as well as some minor gold deposits in the area proposed to become the Wombat-Lerderderg National Park.
If exploration is successful in discovering a commercial resource, any future proposal to develop a mine would be subject to rigorous environmental assessment, including public comment and stringent regulatory conditions.
Even if VEAC's recommendations are adopted, already approved exploratory, mining and extractive licenses at the time of the establishment of the proposed national park would be allowed to continue, as per provisions in the Mineral Resources (Sustainable Development) Act 1990 and the National Parks Act 1975.
However, new licences - which would be the next step for the company if it finds gold in the area - would not be available.
The residents want the government to adopt the VEAC recommendations as soon as possible to prevent a return to mining and logging in their beloved forest.
VEAC's recommendations - which include the creation of a swathe of national, state, regional and conservation parks throughout the western region - focus on the protection of threatened species, under-represented Ecological Vegetation Classes (EVCs) and headwaters of rivers while balancing these protections with recreational activities.
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The No Wombat Gold group was established by Barrys Reef resident Phaedra Morris, who "loves living in the bush" but is concerned that a new gold mine would affect not only the tranquility that many residents moved to the area for, but also its environmental values.
While the area was mined in the past, the group are alarmed that the exploration could lead to a new, industrial-scale gold mining operation in their "spectacular forest", destroying the reason they live there.
There are also concerns it would destroy the reason tourists visit the area - to explore the forests - which would see a decline in support for the town's businesses.
Ms Osborne said the impact of a mine and its associated infrastructure, including heavy trucks travelling through the township, would not only affect residents but that it would also significantly affect local flora and fauna as well as potentially the water supply for surrounding areas.
The Wombat Forest is abundant with biodiversity. While it has been mined and logged in the past, there are pockets of high habitat value for threatened species. Around Blackwood, these include Greater Gliders, Powerful Owls, the Common Wombat and Brushtail Phascogales .
Earlier this year, a report collated by the Victorian National Parks Association and Wombat Forestcare Inc highlighted that with its specialised diet, low production rate and specific habitat requirements coupled with significant habitat destruction as a result of the summer fires, Greater Glider are vulnerable to extinction - so preserving habitat in the Wombat is vital to ensuring this does not happen.
Within the VEAC Report, VicForests states that: "the Wombat State Forest could sustain an ongoing sawlog yield of over 10,000 cubic metres per annum."
This would equate to approximately 3,500 large trees a year.
This has led Ms Osborne to question if the government's delay in responding to VEAC's recommendations is intentional.
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"Is the real reason for the delay that the State Government intends to mine and log the Wombat forest?" Ms Osborne said.
"Without the protection of a park structure, we will see a return to exploitation of the forest. We call on the Andrews government to accept the VEAC recommendations and protect the Wombat State Forest for its biodiversity, water supply and recreational values."
A government spokesperson said it would respond to the report later in the year and delays had been caused by the summer bushfires and coronavirus.
- with Alex Ford
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