The Victorian National Parks Association (VNPA) and many local community groups have condemned a decision by Parks Victoria to destroy trees at Mount Macedon, despite a prior refusal by Macedon Ranges Shire Council and widespread community opposition.
The killing of trees and shrubs, including locally rare Snow Gums, began this week under a planning pathway approved by the Victorian Planning Minister, Sonya Kilkenny. The move follows sustained lobbying from the Macedon Cross Committee to reinstate viewlines at the Mount Macedon Memorial Cross.
VNPA Nature Campaigner Ben Gill said the decision represents a serious breakdown in transparent planning and nature protection.
"Local council assessed this proposal and refused it because of serious impacts to nature and strong community opposition," Mr Gill said.
"What we're seeing now is a backdoor process where that decision has effectively been overridden, allowing destruction to proceed."
The proposed works would impact a highly localised and vulnerable native plant community, including high-elevation grassy woodland associated with Snow Gums, in a region where many vegetation types are already endangered or vulnerable and survive only in fragmented remnants.
"These Snow Gums are part of a rare plant community that exists in only a handful of places. Clearing them for a better view is completely out of step with nature protection laws and community expectations." Mr Gill said.
Community concern has been building for weeks, with residents, conservation groups and experts questioning both the impacts to plants and animals and the process used to approve the works.
The Victorian National Parks Association says the decision raises serious concerns about the integrity of Victoria's planning system, particularly where public land and nature conservation are involved.
"When a council refusal can be sidestepped like this, it undermines public confidence in the system," Mr Gill said.
The organisation is also questioning whether the works comply with Victoria's nature laws, which require impacts to be avoided and minimised before any removal is considered.
"In this case, the primary driver is aesthetic. That makes it very difficult to justify under the existing framework," Mr Gill said.
The Victorian National Parks Association is calling for an immediate halt to the destruction and the release of all ecological assessments and decision-making documents associated with the project.
"This is public land, and decisions like this should be made transparently, based on evidence, and in the public interest," Mr Gill said.
"Right now, the community is being asked to accept the destruction of rare plants without clear answers as to why."
