INTERNATIONAL DAY OF PEOPLE WITH A DISABILITY
Members of a small but dedicated working party were moved to tears when they found major damage at the Glen Nayook Flora and Fauna Reserve.
The reserve, affectionately known as ‘The Glen’ to locals, is a small fern gully near Neerim Junction, one of few pieces of remnant vegetation left in the district.
Friends of Glen Nayook co-ordinator Bob Read said members felt shock, horror and disbelief to discover that a bike track had been cleared through the bush.
Vegetation had been removed, ramps built and mature tree ferns cast aside through the most sensitive parts of the reserve.
“Some of the ladies were quite distraught and in tears,” he said. “This used to be covered in growth. “Normally the track continues to the left and through the split rock.
“Ferns have been hacked out, and trees have been felled to make jumps and ramps.
“They’ve done this all the way down to the bottom.”
Mr Read said the group had initially become suspicious when arriving for a working bee and noticing a small amount of digging and felling along the first 100 metres of track.
“Originally we thought it might have been a motorbike, but we’ve since been advised the track has been made too narrow for that and that motorcycles would have created far greater damage,” he said.
While some remedial work has already taken place and signage installed to deter further vandalism, the Friends of Glen Nayook is fearful that the vegetation will not recover.
While prominent in other areas of Gippsland, the Sickle Fern, known of only one clump growing on a boulder, is likely to be lost from the reserve. The Friends group is also concerned for the future of the Mountain Helmet Orchid that grows on soft tree fern trunks.
Fortunately, delicate Hook Sedge that grows close to the established walking track appears to have been spared.
Mr Read said the friends group put in a lot of effort to keep ‘The Glen’ in its original state for future generations to enjoy in awe.
“There’s hours and hours of work that goes into this,” he said.
“We appreciate that people use the bush and do things, but then there is going too far.
“There’s not too much vandalism that’s happened here in the past.
“Hopefully this signage will prevent any further vandalism.”
Mr Read said it had been encouraging to see swift action taken by Parks Victoria, DELWP and local police.
He said the investigation to identify the perpetrators was ongoing, and called for people who notice suspicious activity at the reserve to report it to the police or Parks Victoria immediately.