COMMUNITY groups and conservationists have welcomed recognition of the Western Port Woodlands in the Victorian Government’s long-awaited land use blueprint for the Bass Coast, becoming just the fourth area in Victoria to go through the process.
While the blueprint acknowledges the national ecological significance of the Western Port Woodlands, it stops short of implementing robust planning controls to prevent further habitat destruction.
“Recognition is a good first step. But the plan falls short of giving remnant coastal woodlands and their rare wildlife lasting protections,” said Jordan Crook from the Victorian National Parks Association.
The Western Port Woodlands, stretching from Lang Lang to Grantville, is the largest remnant of intact coastal woodlands in the region.
Home to threatened wildlife like Southern Brown Bandicoots and Powerful Owls, alongside the Strzelecki gum, tea-tree fingers and thick-lip spider orchid this corridor significant challenges from sand mining operations and other development pressures.
The recently released Statement of Planning Policy (SPP), part of the Distinctive Areas and Landscapes (DAL) program initiated in 2019, outlines a 50-year vision for the Bass Coast.
Catherine Watson from Save Western Port Woodlands said the final SPP recognised the long-standing community concerns about the potential impacts of expanded extractive industry activity on the biodiversity values of the woodlands.
“We’ve made real progress from the initial draft SPP which did not even mention the woodlands or the land use conflict. Now we need urgent action to ensure conservation of this area for all time.”
The SPP states that further investigative work is needed to understand the intrinsic values of the woodlands and the efficacy of protections under existing planning and extractive industry regulations.
“We already have a large body of evidence relating to the values of the Western Port Woodlands,” Catherine said.
“Given the recent identification of massive sand resources on cleared farmland in Cardinia and Baw Baw shires, there is no longer a rationale or excuse to clear areas of high biodiversity to extract sand.
“Let’s get on with including the necessary protections in our planning scheme.”
Jordan Crook from the Victorian National Parks Association echoed Ms Watson’s comments.
"It's fantastic to see the Western Port Woodlands recognised as the living gem it is, but we can’t stop now. More work needs to be done to halt the raft of threats that risk these amazing woodlands. They managed to survive this long, let’s make sure we keep these habitats safe forever”.
Despite the designation of new Strategic Extractive Resource Areas on cleared farmland, existing sand mining operations continue in the Western Port Woodlands with new applications posing ongoing threats, according to the groups.
Conservationists are urging the State Government and Bass Coast Shire Council to adequately fund ecology and citizen science survey work in the woodlands to help local communities collect vital information.
VNPA and the Save Western Port Woodlands Alliance will press for a joint working party with the council and Department of Energy, Environment and Climate Action representatives to scope what remains to be done, and a deadline for the work.
