Lawyers acting for the Yorta Yorta Nation say hay dropped within Barmah National Park during last year’s floods caused ecological harm and damage to culturally significant sites.
During the floods and following veterinary advice, a multi-agency Incident Control Centre allowed supplementary feeding, monitoring and animal welfare assessments in the Barmah National Park and adjacent private land.
The agencies said the supplementary feeding was undertaken to protect the welfare of animals, including native animals and feral horses, stranded by floodwater, in line with obligations under the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act 1986.
Environmental Justice Australia lawyer Bruce Lindsay said they were concerned by reports the agencies supported the actions “of pro-feral horse groups without consultation with Traditional Owners, with little assessment, and without regard to risks to internationally recognised wetlands and cultural heritage sites”, including sites registered under the Victorian Aboriginal Heritage Act.
Since 2018 the Yorta Yorta’s traditional ownership and custodial rights have been recognised in joint management of Barmah National Park.
“Controlling feral horses is essential to ecological recovery and cultural health of the Barmah Forest,” Mr Lindsay said.
“It is strongly supported by Traditional Owners, by scientists and by environmental organisations.”
Environmental Justice Australia and other environmental groups are calling on the Victorian Government to review its flood response in the forest and to continue to protect and restore the ecological and cultural health of the park by managing feral species and implementing the joint management plan.
Yorta Yorta Nation Aboriginal Corporation chief executive officer Monica Morgan said the joint management plan protected and recognised the Yorta Yorta people’s “right to care for our Country”.
“We are writing to the minister to seek assurances that the government will actively respect and listen to Traditional Owners as equal partners in the management of the park,’’ she said.
A Parks Victoria spokesperson said since resuming management of the area after the floods “Parks Victoria has continued to implement the joint management plan for the Barmah National Park alongside the Yorta Yorta Nation".