For many years the various organisations that have run Victorian Parks have had an objective of increasing visitor numbers. The most recent incarnation, Parks Victoria, has gained a new objective – a greater proportion of Parks expenditure is to be raised from users and less is to be provided through government budgets. Are the… Continue reading Healthy Parks – Wealthy People
Category: ENVIRONMENT
Healthy Parks, Wealthy People
Victorian National Parks Camping and Accommodation Fees – Regulatory Impact Statement The Department of Environment and Primary Industries (DEPI) has released a proposal for a user-pays approach to charges for camping and roofed accommodation in parks and reserves managed by Parks Victoria. Victorians are invited to provide comment on the regulatory impact statement by 22… Continue reading Healthy Parks, Wealthy People
Mt Donna Buang, 1914; Sawmills and War
I found this really interesting article in The Argus from Friday, March 27th 1914. Reading it made me realise that logging in the Upper Yarra Valley was already of an environmental concern even 98 years ago. Exactly three months after this article appeared in the press, World War 1 broke out and Australia changed forever.… Continue reading Mt Donna Buang, 1914; Sawmills and War
Hunting in our Parks: a Deal with the Devil?
On June 20, 2012, the Feral Animal Control Amendment Bill is to be debated in the NSW Legislative Assembly. This Bill proposes to allow hunters largely unrestricted access to many of the best NSW national parks and reserves. A list of the proposed parks can be found here. If this Bill eventually passes it will… Continue reading Hunting in our Parks: a Deal with the Devil?
Falcons Lookout Trail Improvements
Last December Glenn Tempest wrote a blog (Problems with Falcons Lookout and Ironbark Gorge Carpark) commenting on the awful state of the walkers/climbers trail into Falcons Lookout at Werribee Gorge State Park. This trail is one of the most heavily used in Victoria and can see anything up to 60 people use it a day.… Continue reading Falcons Lookout Trail Improvements
Parks Victoria: Death By a Thousand Cuts.
This Easter weekend some state and national parks are facing industrial action by Parks Victoria rangers belonging to the Community and Public Sector Union. Most likely this will involve the locking of gates to parks which have single points of entry. The union has been in ongoing enterprise bargaining negotiations with the Victorian Government, having… Continue reading Parks Victoria: Death By a Thousand Cuts.
Open Spaces office
We usually write here about our various adventures, about product updates and other helpful things. Today I want to share with you some more personal things about Open Spaces – the space we inhabit and the animals who share it. It is not so common for businesses to give specifics about place or people. This… Continue reading Open Spaces office
Cathedral Range Visitor Updates
With plenty of work going on at the Cathedral Ranges, thought it would be good idea to get the information around. Not only are there major works going on with tracks, the new shelter and toilet facility is being built in the Sugarloaf area along with an Information Board to give visitors a little background… Continue reading Cathedral Range Visitor Updates