Parks Victoria dismisses safety concerns: Shooter stalks Alpine National Park

Parks Victoria has dismissed concerns about a shooter operating in the Alpine National Park during the summer school holidays.

Parks Victoria has refused to detail why a shooter is operating in the Alpine National Park in the midst of the summer school holidays, when hunting is banned.

A group of mountain cattlemen and brumby supporters have captured images of a shooter within the Alpine National Park on the eve of Australia Day.

Yet Parks Victoria’s own rules prohibit all forms of hunting in the park, with the exception of deer stalking, which cannot be undertaken from December 16 to February 14, when campers and walkers flock to the area.

PV’s website states that in regard to the Alpine National Park deer may be stalked, but “only in parts of the Alpine National Park and in the whole of the Avon Wilderness Park from 15 February to 15 December”.

Brumby supporter and photographer Dean Marsland said the image of the hunter was taken by one of the group’s motion sensing cameras at 7:49pm on January 25 this week.

He said the group had already identified the hunter as a contractor working for the Andrews Government on feral animal control, which prioritises culling brumbies.

The Weekly Times has been unable to confirm that the shooter is a contractor, but has previously reported the Andrews Government issued tender documents last year for contractors to take out feral animals with feral horses the “primary target”.

The Weekly Times asked Parks Victoria if it “was aware of hunters or its own contractor operating in the park during the prohibited period and if it was concerned at risk this posed to park visitors.

A Parks Victoria spokesman simply said it was “fulfilling its legal obligation to control invasive species in Victoria’s national parks, including feral horses, pigs, goats and deer.

“All feral horse management operations are planned and implemented under strict protocols and oversight, ensuring that operations are focused on visitor safety, are effective, humane and meet all of Parks Victoria’s obligations in relevant legislation, Codes of Practice and Standard Operating Procedures.

“Parks Victoria maintains a proactive and collaborative approach with Victoria Police.”

The spokesman said operational details, such as timing and location of feral horse control operations would not be released to the public.

A motion sensor camera picks up a shooter scouting the Bogong High Plains on horseback on Wednesday night, with his rifle stored in a gun bucket.

The image is time stamped 7:49pm on January 25 this week.

Mr Marsland said he and local cattleman Charles Connley and brumby supporter Carol Faithfull had installed six motion sensing cameras in the area, which were linked to their mobile phones.

He said the cameras had repeatedly picked up images of shooters since August, with the group discovering at least 40 horse carcasses.

A motion sensing camera picks up a shooter in the southern Bogong High Plains.

A shooter dressed in camouflage gear on the Bogong High Plains.