Victorian Government Response to Victorian Environmental Assessment Councils (VEAC) Investigation into additional prospecting areas in parks

[RottenRon]

The new anti association laws in qld have been addressed in some low budget high impact social media campaigns that sort to swell the ranks that led to some great turnouts in public. In the age we live in i suspect that shouldn't be so hard for concerned members here aswell. I apologise for straying into political territory i its generally something I'd avoid, but with a short lead up time (and we ought be thankful we have had warning) the sooner action is taken the more effective the end result. An online petition could also cutout alot of the physical legwork normally associated with such things.getting interstate members on board shouldn't be to difficult, but any approach on a national level should be directed in a national way. Submitting to the federal level may give a little more leverage. I believe any suggestion is a good one, once your rights are lost they won't come back. Standing up and being counted won't ensure a victory, but passively letting the restrictions come to play will ensure a defeat. And thanks Ron for reminding us of our general responsibilities and for this thread.

Thanks for the support mate. We'll see how things progress. I've just download the PMAV membership form which G0lddigg@ provided in his post, and urge anyone who hasn't joined, to get off their arse and do the same. It's a start.

Cheers, Ron.

 

[Teemore]

Almost a member of the PMAV ...... people have to remember that bans on sluicing/highbankers etc etc WILL apply to locations where they can currently be used (if the legislation is passed).
No good just slinging mud at the environmentalists ..... need to do something and the simplest is to join the PMAV.
Cheers Tom

 

[casper]

Almost a member of the PMAV ...... people have to remember that bans on sluicing/highbankers etc etc WILL apply to locations where they can currently be used (if the legislation is passed).
No good just slinging mud at the environmentalists ..... need to do something and the simplest is to join the PMAV.
Cheers Tom

Hi Teemore, re ".....people have to remember that bans on sluicing/highbankers etc etc WILL apply to locations where they can currently be used ....." Well on my reading of the Government Response document i gotta say Yes and NO. Here is a snippet of the relevant section ....

Currently they're allowed in specified areas of Victorian National Parks but after the legislation is passed they will be banned in those areas as well as the eight new areas. They propose to make it an offence just to carry prospecting equipment in certain areas of National Parks. Changes to our rights in State Forests, unreserved Crown Land, and on private land are not discussed in the document.

casper

 

[Goldtarget]

Two of which i currently spend alot of time and effort in but thanks for clearing that up Casper. All I'll say is if starts there and they hear only a whimper from the prospecting crowd it will only get worse. Did you notice the repIorts they are thinking of bringing in you will have to submit prior? Let the wolves not pass in sheeps clothing.

 

[Teemore]

Hi Casper ..... extract below is from the PMAV website

Sluicing is not going to be permitted in these areas and this prohibition of sluicing is to be extended to those parks where it is permitted now. This is a very disappointing result. BUT! Nothing has changed yet. The legislation to make these changes has to pass through the Victorian Parliament.

To me that indicates potential bans on areas currently allowed,
whatever ...... my lazy approach is to join the PMAV and hope they know what they're doing and support them in any requests for approaches to local members/ministers.
They're the experts, let them lead us.
Regards Tom

 

[casper]

for sure! - the potential is there that the proposed restrictions peculiar to National Parks might in time become state wide......

casper

 

[EternalChase]

Hey Guys,

Just thought I would open an area to discuss the recent VEAC report and looming change in prospecting regulations and ultimately state legislation in what we can and cannot do and with what equipment...

 

[EternalChase]

Firstly I want to make reference to a PMAV Publication, The Eureke Echo, where I first read the news and give thanks to this organisation for it's continued fight to keep us out there prospecting!

The Eureka Echo
Volume 33, No. 1 - Summer 2014

EXTRACT OF Front Page Article:

"Coalition Abandons Prospectors"
Sadly all the hard-work, passion and resources we put into the Investigation of extending recreational prospecting into more parks has been wasted.
We have been sacrificed by the Napthine/Ryan Government in an attempt to stop any controversy and keep the green movement quiet in an election this year.
They have accepted the Victorian Environment Assessment Council's recommendations to permit prospecting in only 8 additional areas - almost all of which are not in goldfields and many are in areas where tracks are closed for much of the year and only the most skilled four-wheel drivers would tackle.
In addition Government has accepted that the use of sluices will not be permitted in these parks or any parks areas where we are currently permitted. This includes river sluices that just use the river flow to wash gravel. They have also changed the ban on 'non-motorised' to 'non-mechanical' tools; again in all parks. The Government also announced many other negative changes to the prospecting regulation.
Written by Rita Bentley, PMAV President

The remainder of the article goes onto explain how the government decision is tainted by "green agenda"......

The following is the actual Government Response to the VEAC Report, and the disappointing results am highlighting in bold;

http://www.veac.vic.gov.au/document...o-VEAC-Prospecting-Investigation-Feb-2014.pdf

"Accordingly, in line with VEACs recommendations there will be eight new areas opened to recreational prospecting.
The Victorian Government has also taken a decision, based on VEACs advice, to no longer allow any mechanical equipment
to be used for recreational prospecting, or the processing of materials, anywhere in Victorias national parks (this does not
include metal detectors).
There will also be a review of compliance with new regulations one year from the implementation
of the new prospecting areas. These areas remaining open to recreational prospecting will be subject to the outcome of
the review.

See Pages 4, 5 and 6 for the actual regulations that will soon be enforced.

 

[RottenRon]

Well done mark.

Thanks for going to the trouble to post all this.
Read it carefully guys. I'm hoping someone can find some light at the end on this bloody long tunnel, but it's not looking good.
I feel as though I've been bent over.
Join the PMAV guys. Strength in numbers may not mean we win the battles, but strength and enthusiasm sure helps. As I see it, the PMAV is the only voice us Victorians have at the moment.
Sticking our heads in the sand and not speaking up hasn't helped so far.

Cheers, Ron.

 

[lee panhead]

G'day E/C do all these changes mean there is no point in building a high banker or is that just for the new areas ?

 

[G0lddigg@]

look guys its not great news but surely not a surprise. were talking about national parks not state parks this just brings us in line with every other state in australia. the very definition of a national park is a park reserved for conservation.

most prospectors I know work on crown land not in national parks, im not even allowed to drive into a national park with my dog in the car whats the chances of them letting us dig it up. mind u my 4wd does a fair bit digging in national parks.

seriously thought there's so many places to prospect that wont be effected by this legislation. for example creswick state park there's years worth of prospecting out there

 

[dwt]

I for one think its over the top,open up new area's for prospecting and knock it down to metal dectors only!!!! This country was born on the back bone of DIGGERS and there is no other variation of the fact,preserve that history, but let us enjoy a time old tradition of digging a hole,panning in a creek, and now days using a river sluice,a high banker or throwing dirt through a trommel,I invite someone from any enviromental impact group to come out for a day with me and see how much enviromental damage is NOT done from prospecting,and i'll even shout them lunch (2xmarie biscuits.....Arnotts of course).We as victorian prospectors need to jump on this ASAP,because once this thing spreads, it can get out of control............"WHAT CAN WE DO".....that is the main question,as Rotten Ron stated in an above post, "join the PMAV" strength in numbers,and also email or call YOUR local MP,you might not be in the same area as these new sites,but by making yourself heard it can make a difference, one day this type of Legislation might come knocking on your back door.......... 8)

 

[casper]

G'day E/C do all these changes mean there is no point in building a high banker or is that just for the new areas ?

here it is again... "the use of sluices will not be permitted in these parks or any parks areas where we are currently permitted"

It specifically refers to National Parks in Victoria (but it's fair to expect it will include Victorian State Parks on the National register as well). So far State Forests and unreserved Crown Land are not mentioned but we should not be complacent...

casper

 

[G0lddigg@]

I think everone needs to take a breath and have a look at what's actually happened here.

weve been granted new areas to prospect in Victoria those areas that were granted were done so on a 12 month trial basis which will be reviewed once an inspection and report on environmental impact has been completed.

we havent lost anything we won some new ground common guys lets look after it and hope they open some more.
http://m.smh.com.au/environment/con...-search-in-national-parks-20140204-31ziq.html

 

[Beagleboy]

Hmmmm. Miners den shop will be like a bong shop one day. :lol:

 

[dwt]

look guys its not great news but surely not a surprise. were talking about national parks not state parks this just brings us in line with every other state in australia. the very definition of a national park is a park reserved for conservation.

most prospectors I know work on crown land not in national parks, im not even allowed to drive into a national park with my dog in the car whats the chances of them letting us dig it up. mind u my 4wd does a fair bit digging in national parks.

seriously thought there's so many places to prospect that wont be effected by this legislation. for example creswick state park there's years worth of prospecting out there

Only 6 months ago i was prospecting in a state forest thats within 2km of my house,i noticed some water jerries on the side of the road,what caught my attention was a young man sitting in a chair no more than 50mt of the edge of the dirt road,being of an inquisitive nature i stopped and asked him what he was up to."i am conducting an enviromental study" fair enough...well what you looking for i asked "i am keeping an eye out for rare birds or animals".......have you seen any yet mate "no not yet" so what does that mean "nothing really i guess".....its kinda got to make you wonder, what his report back is,"no there are no endangerd birds or wildlife in this area" OR "there are no endangerd birds and wildlife in this area BECAUSE "............... how much longer will it be before state forests start heading down the same path as national parks.............. 8)

 

[RottenRon]

look guys its not great news but surely not a surprise. were talking about national parks not state parks this just brings us in line with every other state in australia. the very definition of a national park is a park reserved for conservation.

most prospectors I know work on crown land not in national parks, im not even allowed to drive into a national park with my dog in the car whats the chances of them letting us dig it up. mind u my 4wd does a fair bit digging in national parks.

seriously thought there's so many places to prospect that wont be effected by this legislation. for example creswick state park there's years worth of prospecting out there

G'day mate.

Look I hope you right, and I acknowledge the reference to "National Parks" in Marks post.
I also note the comment in the Victorian Government Response to
Victorian Environmental Assessment Councils
Report, (Link in Marks post)
where the Gov states on page 7,

"RESEARCH INTO THE IMPACTS OF
RECREATIONAL PROSPECTING
Recommendation 5
That further research into the potential effects of
recreational prospecting in national and state parks
should be undertaken and supported, with a priority
on impacts on waterways in parks, impacts on ground
flora, and impacts on Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal
cultural heritage."

The VAEC report is obviously the basis for the proposed new legislation, so when we finally get a copy of that legislation, I guess we don't know for sure if State Parks are included.
I had a conversation with the PMAV president about 1 month ago, and the comments and sentiment I received did not auger well for the future.
I don't want to be seen as scare mongering but the quote above is the one that really got me worried, and caused me to start that thread about cleaning up after ourselves. You'll note the reference to State Parks in there.

Other articles I've seen also just said Parks or State Parks, hence my concern.

I guess we'll see soon enough.

Cheers, Ron.

 

[Diggerdom]

One of the affected streams will be Reedy Creek from Woolshed to Eldorado. When this area changed from being state forest to national park, there was a great deal of lobbying and consultation with local communities and users of the area. As a consequence, when the national park was declared, it contained exclusions from normal National Park regulations in that it allowed for a range of activities to be permitted due to their existing use. This included prospecting - including with a sluice box. Now this popular usage of this area, a use that has been continuous for 160 years, is being taken away, making a nonsense of the prior consultative process.

Fellow prospectors, this is the thin end of the wedge and a sign of worse to come. I urge you to voice your discontent.

Chris Baker

 

[thebeans]

just post the link diggerdom I for one will sign

 

[RottenRon]

A good place to start.
Link to the PMAV sign up page.
http://www.pmav.org.au/join-the-pmav-mainmenu-37