Farmers sidelined by DELWP on river frontage campsite selection

Farmers are being sidelined in the Victorian Government’s selection of camp sites along crown land water frontages adjoining their properties.

Tallandoon farmers Mark Smith and Rick Otto say campers and cattle don’t mix. Picture: Simon Dallinger

Farmers say they are being sidelined in the Victorian Government’s selection of camp sites along 17,000km of crown land water frontages adjoining their properties.

That’s despite the Department of Environment, Land, Water and Planning promising farmers who hold grazing licenses over mostly unfenced neighbouring water frontages they would be consulted as part of a rigorous campsite assessment process.

But many farmers along the Upper Murray, Goulburn, Broken, Ovens, Mitta Mitta, Campaspe and Loddon rivers say the Government has left them in limbo.

DELWP executives sent emails and letters to farmers last month stating “prior to staff visiting the licensed water frontage adjoining your property, an email or text message (where this contact information is available) will be sent to you confirming the date and time of the assessment, should you wish to accompany or speak with staff during the visit”.

Mitta Mitta Valley farmers say about 34 of them received the initial email and letter dated January 5, but then heard nothing until they discovered DELWP had already completed the assessments.

Tallandoon beef producer Mark Smith said he had spent three days trying to contact a DELWP project officer to find out what was going on, “who finally rang me back saying he was apologetic, but the site had already been inspected”.

Landholders say it’s a story that has been repeated across northern Victoria’s river valleys, with DELWP staffers assessing water frontages without sounding out farmers on the risks and hazards campers faced, especially from livestock such as cows with calves or bulls, wandering around tents and camp fires.

Fellow Tallandoon farmer Rick Otto said “license holders knew the land better than anyone”, while most DELWP bureaucrats had never visited the sites before.

Kiewa farmer Belinda Pearce, who has 3km of river frontage, said locals were struggling to get answers out of DELWP.

“If they can’t get this right, what’s the rest of it going to be like?” Ms Pearce said. “We know they’re already under-resourced and we have no confidence in their capacity to police the people (campers) who don’t do the right thing.”

It seems DELWP is already under pressure to rush through the site assessment process to deliver on Premier Daniel Andrews’ 2018 election promise that water frontages would be opened up to campers before this year’s November state election.

A Government spokeswoman said “every effort is being made to contact affected licensees, however this does not mean sites are open to camping immediately”.

“Sites are still being inspected to determine if they are suitable for camping. All suitable sites are referred for cultural heritage assessments which involve a second inspection.

“After both of those assessments, licensees will be contacted again before any site is open for camping.”

To date no camp sites have been selected on crown land water frontages licensed to farmers.

But landholders remain fearful they will be left to police campers, put out escaped campfires and bear the liability of injury or death resulting from campers mixing with cattle.

Mitta Mitta River crown land water frontage. Picture: Simon Dallinger

Browns Plains beef producer Marie Dunn, whose property is about 25km downstream from Wodonga, said she did receive a follow-up call from DELWP last Monday, while she was away.

“They said they were going to inspect the property the next day,” Ms Dunn said. “I just couldn’t make it.”

She said it was critical DEWLP consulted adjoining landholders, who managed the crown land water frontages, which in her case covered 2km of Dunns Creek and the Murray River.

“Right from the word go we’ve been worried about insurance, because there’s no line in the sand between the crown water frontage and private land,” Ms Dunn said.

“It will be an insurance nightmare if someone is injured or dies, which will happen.”

The Government’s spokeswoman said: “campers and visitors should be prepared for any natural hazards or outdoor risks when visiting public land, including livestock.

“Campers are responsible for their own safety and the safety of those in their care. Campers and recreational visitors use the areas at their own risk.”

As for farmers the spokeswoman said “the licensee is responsible for taking all reasonable steps to avoid risk of harm to a person or their property as a result of their use of the land”.

“Licensees are advised to include licensed Crown river frontages in their public liability insurance. Campers will hold the same duty as licensees to not cause harm to a person or property.”