Training is back on track, but that’s all

By Kath Gannaway
MORE than 80 Hoddles Creek residents attended a meeting with Parks Victoria on Sunday to voice their opposition to a four-wheel-drive training facility at Hoddles Creek Education Area (HCEA).
Residents were alerted to plans for the facility almost three weeks ago when members of Four Wheel Drive Victoria brought in machinery to push tracks through the bush, which is part of the Bunyip State Forest.
The Shire of Yarra Ranges, at its meeting on 13 February, voted to write to Parks Victoria after residents complained that there had been no consultation.
Councillor Monika Keane said residents should have been made aware of what was happening. Parks Victoria had handled the matter appallingly, she said.
Jennifer Seabrook, spokeswoman for Friends of Hoddles Creek, said residents had discovered too late there had been a recreation framework done for the Bunyip State Park and said 4WD training could be contrary to an earlier recommendation for the HCEA.
She said some of the tracks are within a few metres of neighbouring properties and that neighbouring property owners had not been notified of the proposal.
Ms Seabrook said the meeting, which was attended by Yarra Ranges mayor Tim Heenan and Cr Keane, had provided some reassurances for residents.
“There was no way Parks Victoria would not know now that residents are not interested in this piece of land becoming a free-for-all for four wheel drivers,” she said.
She said residents told of many instances in the past four to six weeks which breached the agreement between Parks Victoria and Four Wheel Drive Victoria and that those complaints had been taken on board.
Ms Seabrook said residents concerns included dust on their orchards, fences being pulled down, new tracks being forged in the bush and a local creek being filled at one spot.
She said Parks Victoria had undertaken to request Four Wheel Drive Victoria to move a container and toilet block on the land and that they publish a retraction of notices stating that the area would be available to all 4WD drivers, and not solely for training.
“Parks Victoria have said the only thing it can be used for is training courses which must be done for registered trainees only,” she said.
Ms Seabrook said the outcome was a compromise which was accepted by residents to different degrees.
“Some would like to see it remain completely closed to four-wheel driving while others are prepared to accept that sharing the park six to 10 times a year for training is acceptable,” she said.