Tuesday, May 23, 2006
The 2006 Mountain Cattlemen Protest Drive
Back in 1988 the Wonnangatta Station property was purchased by the Victorian government with plans to lock up this area for ‘posterity’. This became the Alpine National Park. Now, instead of this area earning Victorian taxpayers an income, whilst being successfully managed for some 150 plus years, Victorian taxpayers now pay a small fortune every year, with the net result of thousands of acres of blackberries, thistles, St. John’s Wart, and other noxious weeds covering this beautiful land.
One hundred and seventy years of mountain cattlemen traditions are being lost on top of the destruction of this once beautiful and productive station. A protest rally has just been accomplished, driving a couple of dozen cattle from Dargo, from Mansfield, and Heyfield areas to bring attention to every Australian, the catastrophic results of DSE and Parks land care policies. This protest included such luminaries as Doug Treasure, the Mountain Cattlemen’s Association president, Charlie Lovick, a very well known high plains cattleman, and Graeme Stoney, another cattleman and esteemed member of the Victorian Upper House. Doug’s sisters, sons, nieces, and family, along with numerous Lovicks, plus many more supporters helped make up over 100 cattlemen and women, essentially breaking the law, to bring this disaster to the public attention. The state of this park is a total disgrace, plus the 15 to 30 times extreme fire danger from the uncontrolled undergrowth means this area could easily be the catalyst to another black Friday.
When the Parks people were asked why they were harassing this group, instead of doing something about the terrible weed problem, or fuel reduction, their answer was simply ’no comment’ When the Parks vehicle got bogged on the terrible tracks, and Stoney’s vehicle pulled them out, they still continued pursuit of our cattle. When asked why they had not interviewed us when we were all together, and waited until the TV cameras had left, they again said ’no comment’. And then they wondered why we stated ’no comment’ when they asked us who owned the cattle. Again I ask them, why did they have at least three vehicles, including the police, checking our protest group out, when the real damage has been done by their departments and respective governments. Who are the criminals here?
One hundred and seventy years of mountain cattlemen traditions are being lost on top of the destruction of this once beautiful and productive station. A protest rally has just been accomplished, driving a couple of dozen cattle from Dargo, from Mansfield, and Heyfield areas to bring attention to every Australian, the catastrophic results of DSE and Parks land care policies. This protest included such luminaries as Doug Treasure, the Mountain Cattlemen’s Association president, Charlie Lovick, a very well known high plains cattleman, and Graeme Stoney, another cattleman and esteemed member of the Victorian Upper House. Doug’s sisters, sons, nieces, and family, along with numerous Lovicks, plus many more supporters helped make up over 100 cattlemen and women, essentially breaking the law, to bring this disaster to the public attention. The state of this park is a total disgrace, plus the 15 to 30 times extreme fire danger from the uncontrolled undergrowth means this area could easily be the catalyst to another black Friday.
When the Parks people were asked why they were harassing this group, instead of doing something about the terrible weed problem, or fuel reduction, their answer was simply ’no comment’ When the Parks vehicle got bogged on the terrible tracks, and Stoney’s vehicle pulled them out, they still continued pursuit of our cattle. When asked why they had not interviewed us when we were all together, and waited until the TV cameras had left, they again said ’no comment’. And then they wondered why we stated ’no comment’ when they asked us who owned the cattle. Again I ask them, why did they have at least three vehicles, including the police, checking our protest group out, when the real damage has been done by their departments and respective governments. Who are the criminals here?
Our honest, taxpaying, cattlemen and cattle women continued our protest drive on to the huge Mountain Cattlemen's’ Get Together at Rose Creek, successfully completing a very satisfying heritage trip. Not being a cattleman myself, but believing that all Australians should benefit from our vast beautiful continent, I was very impressed with the way these fine Australians conducted themselves. The horsemanship, the ease of cattle control, the care for others, and the sympathy with the environment are all the traits that have made this country the best place in the world to live. I was proud to be with them and support our true Australian heritage.
