Fight to save Serendip

6000 sign petition to retain conservation status

A PETITION to save Serendip Sanctuary’s wildlife and conservation program has garnered more than 6000 signatures in less than a week.

Residents fear the Lara sanctuary will lose its conservation status and instead become an urban park under a controversial draft master plan put forward by Parks Victoria.

Under the plan the 250ha sanctuary would be transformed into an open wildlife park with all existing fencing and enclosures — including captive breeding holding areas — removed.

Lara vet Julia Ferguson launched the petition to show Parks Victoria how important the breeding program and existing wildlife features of the park were to locals and the broader community.

“The master plan has several proposals which mean that Serendip Sanctuary would no longer have any worthwhile contribution to wildlife conservation,” Dr Ferguson said.

She described Parks Victoria’s claims that the new set-up would promote a “spontaneous viewing experience” as misguided and said the park’s proximity to the urban sprawl and increasing development would stop wildlife from staying at the park.

“Serendip was established as a captive breeding program, as a wildlife conservation area and the reason it has had success is that they have set up to what was best practice at the time,” she said.

Dr Ferguson said there were also concerns among locals that the plan would be detrimental to domestic and international tourism — with close wildlife encounters among the biggest drawcard for visitors.

“They are looking to commercialise it at the expense of the wildlife,” she said.

“People are coming there for close wildlife encounters — their proposal would negate that, therefore the drawcards to international tourists … won’t exist.”

The proposed master plan is currently open for community feedback.

To view the petition, visit change. org/ p/ parks- victoriasave-serendip-sanctuary

To find out more about Parks Victoria’s community engagement regarding the project, visit engage.vic.gov.au/ future-investment-you-yangsand-serendip-sanctuary