General News
17 September, 2022
CWA wants camp halt
COUNTRY Women’s Association is taking up the fight against river camping after Dingee branch won the support of other northern group branches. Dingee members took a motion to the weekend’s group conference calling for a halt in the State...
COUNTRY Women’s Association is taking up the fight against river camping after Dingee branch won the support of other northern group branches.
Dingee members took a motion to the weekend’s group conference calling for a halt in the State Government rollout until “management, biosecurity, risks and insurance issues are addressed”.
Loddon farmers have raised concern of biosecurity risks after Government assessors wandered through a Serpentine vineyard and Fernihurst’s Jude Hannah received an assessment letter for land infested with the noxious weed silver nightshade.,
Dingee CWA branch president Robyn Brown said the group conference attended by delegates representing branches in Bendigo and other districts agreed to progress a motion to the annual state conference later this year.
“Discussion took place at the last CWA Dingee meeting where they are requesting the Victorian Government, in consultation with licensees, to revisit issues in relation to camping on licenced crown land water frontage and address concerns including responsibilities, biosecurity, security and other concerns,” Robyn said.
“It is intended to advocate on behalf of all involved and affected by this new river camping law for the opportunity to have the rules associated with management of the rules re-examined.”
Robyn will be part of a three-member group sub-committee with Marilyn Tangey (Bendigo branch) and Pam Kendrick (Old Church on The Hill) to also lobby members of Parliament.
She said: “The meeting agreed to seek to halt further river camp openings until the management, biosecurity, risks and insurance issues are addressed. There will also be a request that the Victorian Government, in consultation with Crown Land licensees, identify how and who are to monitor and enforce the river access rules and issues in relation to camping on licenced Crown land water frontages,”
“Primary concerns that were considered as needing to be addressed include, but not restricted to responsibilities for the management (enforcement) of camper rules, the biosecurity risk of foot and mouth disease or similar and control of noxious weed migration, the personal security of farmers, others and livestock and farmer property including fencing, machinery and equipment.”
Robyn said the motion being prepared for state conference would also call for concerns on insurance of campers for injuries or damages to be addressed and education of campers.
CWA also wants a camper booking and registration system explored that restricts camper numbers and declares camper contact details and any recent overseas travel history.