Friends say buy land to expand state park

The State Government has been asked to buy 123 hectares to “complete” the Mount Worth State Park to the south-west of Warragul.

The property includes the landmark Mount Worth, a feature of the Strzelecki Ranges visible from large parts of west, south and central Gippsland.

It was placed on the open market earlier this year and the Friends of Mount Worth State Park has been quick to put the suggestion to the government that it buy the land for inclusion in the park. The asking price is $1.4 million. Friends president Merrin Butler said the State Government created Mount Worth park in the late 1970s and early 1980s when it bought sections to the east and west of the property now offered for sale.

That was retained by the Hayes family that had owned the property for four generations.

Ms Butler said she believed there was a “special case” for the land to be in public hands.

The landscape provides an iconic view of the area and the opportunity to incorporate it in the State park may never happen again, she said.

The office of Member for East Gippsland Harriet Shing confirmed an approach from the Friends group and has referred it to the relevant Minister for “clarification”.

Initial inquiries from Ms Shing indicate the site may have been overdeveloped to what is needed to meet the guidelines for land acquisition.

Ms Butler said “in principle support” had been given by Baw Baw Shire Council.

“The property is significant for the State park because it would link the east and west sections and includes the Mount Worth peak after which the park is named”.

The greatest benefit would be improved access for visitors to move from one section of the current park to the other without encountering any barriers, she said.

“It would increase the tourist potential of the park and make it easier for Parks Victoria to protect significant species such as the Strzelecki koala and control pest animals, particularly deer”.

John Rowe of Harcourts Warragul said there was one current private inquiry about buying the property.

Improvements include two houses, a main homestead and a two-bedroom cottage with attached work studio and additional bedroom; shedding, silos and stockyards.