Politics & Council
1 February, 2026
Government coy on its leaked plans for Lake Boort
THE STATE Government says it is already consulting with the community on its plans for Lake Boort.
A spokesperson on Tuesday said the Government was also consulting with “interested parties to ensure we preserve the rich Aboriginal cultural heritage and natural values of the Lake Boort area”.
However, some in the Boort community have questioned the lack of consultation before officials from the Department of Premier and Cabinet attend Monday night’s tourism and development committee meeting.
Committee president Bradley Haw said the group had been approach before Christmas for the officials make a 15-minute presentation.
The Government has yet to provide details on its plans for Lake Boort with a leaked document asking “Does this cover impacts that you know about? Are there mechanisms you know that might control these impacts?”
Questions on allocation of a $5 million Aboriginal grant announced by the Government on the banks of Lake Boort last June have also been sidestepped.
Neither the community or Loddon Shire was invited to that announcement.
The spokesperson said on Tuesday: “Victoria’s Aboriginal cultural heritage, like other forms of heritage, is a vital part of our history and identity. Ensuring its protection for all Victorians is a priority for us.
“Lake Boort includes one of the most significant collections of scarred trees in Australia, occupation mounds and other cultural material, as well as a strong historical association with Boort Station and early relations between pastoralists and Aboriginal people.”
According to the leaked document, Dja Dja Wurrung traditional owner rights to the Lake Boort landscape were enshrined in legislation, according to the confidential Department of Premier and Cabinet document.
The document claims the lake is covered by the Aboriginal Heritage Act 2006 and through a recognition and settlement agreement under the Traditional Owner Settlement Act 2010
It says extra protections for Lake Boort using provisions under the Aboriginal Heritage Act 2006 were a commitment of the agreement that is “yet to be meaningfully delivered”.
But Murray Plains MP Peter Walsh said that agreements had specifically excluded Lake Boort.
Government officials have not indicated when they started preparing the leaked document Impacts on the Lake Boort Cultural Landscape – consultation on managing harmful activities.
Lake Boort has been a popular destination with duck shooters for generations and remains one of the state’s accessible wetlands for the recreational activity.
There was a temporary closure in 2024 when a colony of grey-headed flying-foxes (bats) landed at the lake but it was re-opened with weeks.