Hansard debates

Mrs McARTHUR (Western Victoria) (20:23): My adjournment matter is for the Minister for Energy, Environment and Climate Change and concerns the future of Serendip Sanctuary at Lara. The sanctuary has been well known and used over decades by naturalists, bird lovers, tourism operators, schools, children, their parents and carers and indeed the whole local community. It has significant ecological pedigree through its captive breeding programs and has played an important role in the protection of endangered native species, including eastern barred bandicoots, Cape Barren geese, bush stone-curlew and bustards. The educational tourism value is substantial too. Visitors come to see the animals in these programs, as well as kangaroos and emus, living in their natural habitat. Importantly, it is free and accessible to all. The sanctuary is used by school groups and junior rangers, and the many local volunteers who give their time to work there clearly show the value of the facility and the affection the community has for it.

Those who love the sanctuary have noted its neglect in recent years and have welcomed renewed interest from Parks Victoria, but they question why the master plan proposes such significant change to a popular and successful site. Removing ground-level bird hides, dismantling all existing fencing and enclosures and ending captive breeding programs will fundamentally alter the sanctuary. The wildlife will leave and the educational value will disappear—and with them the visitors and volunteers. It will become little more than an urban park on the outskirts of a growing town and perhaps one day destined for housing expansion. Parks Victoria is seeking to create a spontaneous wildlife viewing experience and ignoring the reality that without predator fencing there will be very little wildlife left to see. The minister must understand how sincerely this is opposed by those who know Serendip. Nearly 14 000 people have signed a petition to preserve its character, and the community engagement response was huge. These are not local objectors, nimbys opposing any development or progress, but people from across the region who have no self-interest but instead value Serendip.

The action I seek from the minister is for the department to work closely with Parks Victoria to preserve this much-loved site and to avoid change for change’s sake. The consultation must be given genuine weight, for the opposition is not designed to frustrate management of the site but rather is in support of what has been achieved over so many years. I urge the minister to instruct Parks Victoria and local management to work with those who have contributed to the consultation and harness their goodwill and energy to make the sanctuary an attraction and resource for years to come.