LANDOWNERS affected by the expansion of the Yellingbo Conservation Area are rallying to ensure other landowners are not caught out by unintended consequences they say have ‘slipped under their radar’.
Owners of land with river frontage in areas including Yarra Junction and Don Valley who contacted the Mail last week say there are implications also for landowners as far afield as Healesville and Upper Yarra.
They say they have been caught by surprise by notification from the Department of Environment, Land, Water and Planning, that licences over Crown land will end on 30 June.
The expansion of the conservation area which is home to the Helmeted Honeyeater came as a recommendation of the Victorian Environmental Assessment Council investigation which was put in place last year.
Landowners who received notices say there are implications however not only for landowners in Yellingbo, but other areas as well.
A meeting called by a handful of concerned landowners on Tuesday, 14 June, was attended by more than 60 people, and another meeting will be held this week at Yarra Junction Primary School, on Thursday, 23 June at 7.30pm.
Yarra Junction landowner, Daryl Cochrane said the implications were huge with affected Crown land coming under management of Parks Victoria and the potential for some landowners to lose access to farming land and water.
Other issues include concerns about added bushfire risk, loss of amenity for activities such as horse riding and walking dogs and a lack of representation on the Yellingbo Conservation Area Committee of farmers and local businesspeople.
For meeting details contact Rick Houlihan on 0429 489 187 or Jenny Barber on 0408 344 503.
