SUBMISSION TO - Dandenong Police Paddocks Reserve/Nerre Nerre Warrene Master Plan

The Dandenong Police Paddocks are a pivotal part of the corridor of natural vegetation and green spaces leading from the heavily urbanised suburbs of Dandenong up to the Dandenong Ranges. [...] VNPA supports the retention of the original vision and believes this should be made public on the Engage Victoria website and in future engagement with the public on the process. [...] The use of the map input function on the Engage Victoria website should also be in line with section 2.2, ‘The role of the Reserve’, in the 1999 Plan which states: Groups who have been long term users of the Police Paddocks will be encouraged to undertake complementary management to ensure that the Reserve’s cultural, landscape and habitat values are protected. [...] With changes to public land legislation into a planned Public Land Act and revised National Parks Act, VNPA would encourage a discussion on the change of land tenures for areas of the Reserve to reflect the cultural and ecological values as well as the high density of single user and sport infrastructure. [...] The skew of Parks Victoria in the past, of increased infrastructure over management of pest plants and animals, stormwater mitigation, surveying of natural and cultural values and compliance of management of listed cultural heritage site has been very disappointing.