The Mooroopna sand hills will be permanently closed to vehicles, as the Greater Shepparton City Council with the Yorta Yorta Nation Aboriginal Corporation land management team ‘Woka Walla’ and the Goulburn Broken Catchment Management Authority work to protect the culturally significant site.
Fences, gates and bollards have previously been installed to prevent vehicles from accessing the area, but large sections of these are now damaged. Works will now commence to repair these areas to prevent unauthorised vehicles from entering the site again.
Located near Gemmill Swamp Wildlife Reserve, the sand hills hold significant cultural importance and are the last remaining relatively intact sand hills in the Greater Shepparton region. The site has previously been used for illegal tree removal, illegal dumping of rubbish and 4WD activity, which have all contributed to the deterioration of the land.
Council environment manager Sharon Terry said the site would have boundary fences repaired and gates with locks installed to prevent unauthorised vehicles to the site.
“It is important that Greater Shepparton City Council protect and work with the Traditional Owners to rejuvenate this land back to its original state,” she said.
“The sand hills hold very significant cultural values for the local Aboriginal community and significant biodiversity value for the area, providing a habitat for many bird species and fauna.
“Closing the area off to vehicles will improve the revegetation and weed management in this incredible landscape.”
The Goulburn Broken Catchment Management Authority has provided Woka Walla with funding to regenerate native vegetation at the sand hills.