Several new national parks will be established around Ballarat in an effort to protect the environment, though there are "strings attached".
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After years of debate, the state government announced on Thursday that 65,106 hectares of new national parks would be established across central and western Victoria.
The national parks will be established by linking existing state forests, parklands and reserves.
The largest will join the Lerderderg State Park with much of the existing Wombat State Forest to establish 44,000 hectares of national park between Daylesford and Bacchus Marsh.
Additionally, a 15,000-hectare Pyrenees National Park will be established north-west of Avoca and a 5282-hectare Mount Buangor National Park, near Beaufort, will double the size of the existing State Park north of Buangor.
Conservation parks, covering 5246-hectares in areas of high biodiversity values, will also be established to protect flora and fauna, while 7560 hectares will be added to expand existing nature and bushland reserves.
Regional parks, to accommodate activities such as horse riding and four-wheel driving, will be expanded by 27,735 hectares.
The national parks, along with new reserves, aim to balance the protection of habitat for rare and threatened species while ensuring the region remains a drawcard for recreation and tourism.
Executive Director for the Victorian National Parks Association, Matt Ruchel, was "thrilled" with the decision.
The announcement comes after the Victorian Environmental Assessment Authority's final report from the two-year long Central West Investigation, tabled in August 2019, which recommended the swathe of changes to the parks.
The government had six months to respond, though the response was delayed for more than a year. The government has previously attributed the delays to the summer bushfires in 2019-20 and then the coronavirus pandemic.
Mr Ruchel said the parks would create "critical habitat connectivity over a fragmented landscape and be good for both the environment and local economies".
"As Victoria fronts up to alarming rates of ecosystem decline and the real-time impacts of climate change, this news could not come at a better time," he said.
Gayle Osborne, convener of Wombat Forestcare, was one of many who has campaigned for the decision for many years. She said it was a positive step forward.
As Victoria fronts up to alarming rates of ecosystem decline and the real-time impacts of climate change, this news could not come at a better time
- Matt Ruchel, VNPA
"I am thrilled the forests and threatened species will get the permanent protection they deserve," she said.
Mr Ruchel said that while the VNPA was pleased the government had made the commitment to "permanently protect these incredible natural places for current and future generations, the decision has come with strings attached".
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While he welcomed the national parks, he was "deeply worried" about some concerning elements - particularly the staged implementation plan which could allow logging to continue in the areas of the proposed Pyrenees National Park and Mount Buangor National Park until 2030.
The government's report reads:
"VEAC's Central West Investigation Final Report was released before the Victorian Forestry Plan, which commits the government to phasing out native forest timber harvesting in Victoria by 2030.
"To align the government response with the plan and allow businesses time to transition from the native forest timber industry with support and certainty, implementing the government response will be staged.
"VicForests will continue to have access to some areas proposed to become national parks for timber harvesting until 2030 at the latest. These areas will remain state forest until timber harvesting ceases, at which time they will be added to the parks.
"Most regional parks within the Wombat-Macedon block will also be available for commercial thinning and selective harvesting operations until native forest timber harvesting is phased out.
"Creating the Mount Buangor, Pyrenees and Wombat-Lerderderg national parks will be staged to allow timber harvesting and regeneration (where required) to occur in some areas prior to incorporating those areas in the parks."
Mr Ruchel was also disappointed with the rejection of the National Park in Greater Bendigo.
"The proposed regional park designation will protect the area from the worst sort of logging, though mining access may be an issue that will need to be closely monitored," he said.
The government will continue to allow recreational deer hunting in the Pyrenees and Wombat-Lerderderg national parks, in the areas where it is currently permitted.
Prospecting will also be allowed to continue in regional parks, bushland reserves, state forest and historic reserves "where these activities will not impact on environmental and cultural heritage values," the report adds.
Meanwhile, other recreational activities including four-wheel driving, trail-bike riding, mountain biking, bushwalking, picnicking and nature observation will not be impacted, according to the report.
Stephen Smitham, from the Bush User Group United, has been fighting the decision since 2017.
While he expressed disappointment at the way the report was released, he said the group would work as one to thoroughly read through it and provide a response during the next few days.
Environment Minister, Lily D'Ambrosio, said the government had listened to the communities that use and care for the areas and was balancing the protection of the environment with the needs of public land users and industry.
"Our parks, reserves and forests help safeguard our unique flora and fauna and provide Victorians with space to enjoy the great outdoors and connect with nature.
"These changes will improve how we manage and care for our precious natural environment, and will ensure these areas can be used for recreation for generations to come."
While the government response has been tabled, it has not yet been legislated.
Mr Ruchel and Ms Osborne urged the government to legislate the parks as quickly as possible so the legislation could be implemented in this term of government.
