The Victorian Government's announcement that it will invest millions to open up nearly two million hectares of state forests has been welcomed by the Taungurung Land and Waters Council (TLaWC).
On Tuesday, the Labor Government said it would invest $30 million to improve access to 1.8 million hectares of state forests in Gippsland and North East Victoria, upgrading tracks, trails, and amenities to boost regional tourism.
The investment responds to recommendations from the Great Outdoors Taskforce Report, established following the end of native timber harvesting in the state. One of the taskforce's key recommendations called for updating Victoria's public land management framework to support Traditional Owner-led governance, planning, and management across public forests.
In its response, the government said: "We will also pilot a Cultural Reserve with Traditional Owner-led management in Strathbogie Ranges with Taungurung Land and Waters Council, facilitating Traditional Owner-led management of public land for all Victorians."
The TLaWC said the taskforce's recommendations on the future management and use of state forests in eastern Victoria aligned with existing public policy frameworks, including Pupangarli Marnmarnepu, the Victorian Traditional Owner Cultural Landscapes Strategy, and the forthcoming Public Land Bill.
In a statement on Wednesday, the council described the government's announcement as an important step toward establishing a cultural reserve in the Strathbogies, saying it marked the beginning of a pathway for shared decision-making and collaborative management between local communities, key agencies, and the TLaWC.
"TLaWC has been actively engaged in biocultural assessments of the Zoned State Forests since the announcement to cease logging of all native timber in Victoria," TLaWC CEO Matthew Burns said.
The TLaWC said it had recommended establishing a well-resourced cultural landscape program pilot in the Strathbogies. The pilot would include - but not be limited to - developing a vision for cultural landscape management, creating a collaborative governance body and plan, and activating up to two pilot sites within the Stone Country Cultural Landscape to develop a "both worlds" approach.
"Forests are places for people and are important due to their natural, cultural and recreational values," Mr Burns said.
"TLaWC is excited by the opportunity to work closely with the communities of the Strathbogies to care for Country for the benefit of all Victorians."
The government said the new Public Land Act will complement the National Parks Act, creating a modern framework for managing public land, including state forests. It argued the new framework would enable Traditional Owner collaborative governance, planning, and management - including the creation of Cultural Reserves and formal recognition of Cultural Landscapes.
"My focus is to bring more families to the bush and more jobs to the regions - and that's exactly what our plan for Victoria's great outdoors will do," Premier Jacinta Allan said.
"Our forests remain open to every single Victorian and visitor alike - to enjoy hunting, fishing, camping, bushwalking and all the benefits of the bush."
Environment Minister Steve Dimopoulos added: "By ending large-scale native timber harvesting, we've given our forests a future. Now we're making sure every Victorian can share in it."
