Protect Victorian nature

Tell the Environment Minister to shut and reveg illegal tracks at Chiltern-Mt Pilot National Park.

Tell the Environment Minister to shut and reveg illegal tracks at Chiltern-Mt Pilot National Park.

Shut and reveg illegal tracks at Chiltern

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Dear Environment Minister Steve Dimopoulos

Re: Shut illegal tracks at Chiltern

I’m writing to you about your decision to reopen a network of illegally created 4WD and walking tracks in the Chiltern Mount-Pilot National Park around Reedy Creek.

Park Rangers started the closure and revegetation of illegal tracks around October 2024 with the aim of protecting park values, reduce soil erosion, improve water quality and reinstate a more structured and less damaging approach to camping areas.

Chiltern-Mt Pilot National Park is a truly special place, home to the highest number of mammals, birds and reptiles of any Box-Ironbark sites in Victoria. These include Tuan (Brush-tailed Phascogales), Squirrel Gliders, Lace Monitors and Regent Honeyeaters. It’s also home to the largest protected population of Black Cypress-pine in Victoria and many other wildflowers, including orchids endemic to the park.

Reedy Creek is a hot spot for large old trees (rare in Box-Ironbark ecosystems) and a refuge for wildlife. It’s also an important site of Aboriginal heritage values.

It’s a truly remarkable place and cared for by the park rangers and Friends of Chiltern-Mt Pilot National Park. It’s an absolute living treasure of our national parks estate.

Chiltern Mount-Pilot National Park in managed under the National Parks Act 1975 (Vic) which requires each park to have a management plan based off in-depth consultation with local people, Traditional Owners and park visitors. Implementing plans requires clear goals and learning from evidence, experience and shared knowledge to institute effective management of the park.

Management plans empower land managers to align with state and federal legislation to protect threatened species and their habitats, cultural heritage sites, water quality, and park visitor safety. All while balancing protections with appropriate recreation that doesn’t degrade the park.

The Chiltern Mount-Pilot National Park Management Plan October 2008 is very clear about illegal off-road tracks and their impact on the park. It states ‘Motor vehicles are permitted only on open roads and vehicle tracks as shown in table 4. Trail bike riding is a popular activity in the park. Registered trail bikes are permitted on all open roads within the park. Off-road riding is illegal and will not be permitted. Impacts of off-road riding include noise disturbance to wildlife and visitors, soil disturbance and loss of native vegetation.’

The Road Management Act 2004 (Vic) determines the specific powers and duties of a road authority (Parks Victoria) in relation to public roads within a park, and outlines the statutory duties to inspect, maintain and repair these roads. This requirement is fulfilled by Parks Victoria through an ongoing road maintenance program within the park.

Your decision to reverse the closure of illegal tracks around Reedy Creek within the national park via social media undermines the very basis of Victorias protected areas estate. It undermines recovery of threatened plants and animals, cultural heritage values, visitor safety. And you did this without a formal consultation and assessment process.

Our state and national parks are deeply loved by Victorians and visited by over 50 million people a year and growing. How we care for and manage them now will dictate what condition the water ways, ecosystems and landscapes are in when they are handed to future generations.

We must protect these areas, so future generations can watch Platypus swimming in Reedy Creek, marvel at beautiful orchids blooming and meander through the amazing forests of Chiltern Mount Pilot National Park.

I am call on you as the minister responsible for our national parks to reverse your decision to reopen the damaging and illegal track network around Reedy Creek in the Chiltern Mount Pilot National Park.

And to fund and initiate an assessment of the whole illegal track network within the Chiltern Mount Pilot National Park, which is leading to the destruction of native vegetation and habitat across the park and surrounding reserves.

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