Victorian bush users, hunters, and regional communities can take real confidence from the State Government’s latest announcement: following the passage of the Sustainable Forests (Timber) Reforms Bill 2024, “there will be no further changes to our state forests” (we will have more to say about that bill soon).
This assurance, made as part of the Government’s Our Plan for Victoria’s Great Outdoors statement, confirms once and for all that there will be no Great Forest National Park and no further loss of access to public land.
Building on previous strong statements from the Premier and the Minister for Environment, this puts a clear full stop on more than a decade of uncertainty surrounding the divisive Great Forest National Park proposal.
Had it proceeded, the plan would have locked tens of thousands of Victorians out of hundreds of thousands of hectares of public land, stripping regional communities of vital recreation, tourism, and economic opportunities that come from a healthy, accessible forest estate.
SSAA Victoria has consistently advocated against the creation of the Great Forest National Park, and indeed, against the creation of any new national parks.
For close to seventy-five years, our position has never wavered: public land should remain open to the public. Hunting, camping, four-wheel-driving, prospecting, mountain biking, and other forms of recreation all have a legitimate place in Victoria’s state forests, and those opportunities must be protected.
The Government’s plan rightly recognises that Victoria already has an extensive network of parks and reserves, and that the focus must now be on better management, improved facilities, and enhanced access, not further restrictions.
We also want to acknowledge and congratulate the grassroots community collectives and local residents who stood up for their regions and their way of life. Your efforts – writing, organising, rallying, and engaging constructively – clearly had an impact.
This is a moment for all Victorians who value fair, balanced, and evidence-based management of public land. It’s proof that when regional voices stand together, they can shape outcomes that protect both the bush and the people who live, work, and play in it.