Zoning pursuant to the Planning and Environment Act 1987 has been applied to the Gunbower Forest Ramsar site as part of a review of local planning schemes, to control land use and development. The Public Conservation and Resource Zone (PCRZ) has been applied to the Gunbower Forest Ramsar site in the Gannawarra and Campaspe planning schemes. The PCRZ aims to: protect and conserve the natural environment and natural processes for their historic, scientific, landscape, habitat or cultural values; provide facilities which assist in public education and interpretation of the natural environment with minimal degradation of the natural environment or natural processes; and provide for appropriate resource-based uses. Land adjacent to Gunbower Forest is generally zoned Rural Zone with some zoned Environmental Rural Zone. Furthermore, as part of the local planning scheme review, a number of overlays have been applied to the site. Overlays operate in addition to zone requirements and generally concern environmental, landscape, heritage, built form and land and site management issues. The overlays applied to the Gunbower Forest Ramsar site in the Gannawarra Planning Scheme are: ESO 1 – Environmental Significance Overlay – Watercourse Environs; LSIO – Land Subject to Inundation; and HO22 – Heritage Overlay. The overlays applied in the Campaspe Planning Scheme are: LSIO – Land Subject to Inundation; FO – Floodway Overlay; SMO – Salinity Management Overlay; and HO – Heritage Overlay.
Management Objective 1 Increase the scientific understanding of wetland ecosystems and their management requirements Management Objective 2 Maintain or seek to restore appropriate water regimes Site Management Strategy Lead agency Priority Complete the flood enhancement study for Gunbower Forest Ramsar site and implement priority actions. NCCMA Higher Develop a formal management process for the surplus flows identified for environmental purposes and for rain rejection flows. Ensure environmental assessments are carried out for licensed drainage systems and DSE, GMW, NCCMA NCCMA, Shires, Higher that they are designed, constructed and managed to protect Ramsar values, in line with the Loddon-Murray Surface Water Management Strategy. GMW Higher Management Objective 3 Address adverse processes and activities
Management Objective 8 Promote community awareness and understanding and provide opportunities for involvement in management Management Objective 9 Ensure recreational use is consistent with the protection of natural and cultural values Management Objective 10 Develop ongoing consistent programs to monitor ecological character Lead agency key: DSE Department of Sustainability and Environment DPI Department of Primary Industries GMW Goulburn-Murray Water MDBC Murray-Darling Basin Commission NCCMA North Central Catchment Management Authority PV Parks Victoria Shires Shire of Gannawarra and Shire of Campaspe STRATEGIC MANAGEMENT PLAN FOR THE GUNBOWER FOREST RAMSAR SITE PAGE 22
Appendix 1 List of Contributors Multi-disciplinary Project Team Members Kate Maltby Conservation Strategy Officer, Parks Victoria, National Parks Policy & Strategy Division Roy Speechley Project Manager, Environment, Parks Victoria, Central Region Tony Long Chief Ranger Environment, Parks Victoria, Central Region Neville Byrne Chief Ranger Murray Central District, Parks Victoria, Mark Tscharke Ranger In Charge, Parks Victoria, Kerang Bruce Wehner Wetland Planner, Parks Victoria, Central Region Janet Holmes Senior Policy Officer, DSE Local Reference Group Murray Rohde Flora & Fauna Officer, Department of Sustainability and Environment, Swan Hill Greg Wood Program Leader, Pest Plants & Animals, Department of Primary Industries, Kerang Murray Thorson Forester in Charge, Department of Sustainability and Environment, Cohuna Paul Turnbull Forest Management, Department of Sustainability and Environment, Bendigo Noel Muller Ranger, Parks Victoria, Kerang Andrea Joyce Program Leader, Wetlands and Environmental Flows, Department of Sustainability and Environment, Bendigo John Ginnivan Manager, Natural Resources, Goulburn-Murray Water, Kerang Public Submissions Australasian Wader Study Group Bird Observers Club of Australia Bird Observers Club of Australia (Echuca and District Branch) Birds Australia VicGroup Conservation Committee Coalition Against Duck Shooting Cohuna and District Progress Association Inc. Department of Defence Department of Sustainability and Environment North West Region Environment Australia - Wetlands Section Field & Game Australia Inc. Koop, P. Murray-Darling Basin Commission North Central Catchment Management Authority Out of the Woods Parks Victoria Victorian Farmers Federation
Current recreation and tourism: The Forest with its many wetlands, creeks and effluents provides excellent recreation opportunities, and is popular for fishing, camping, and hunting. The convoluted course of the Murray River provides many fishing spots. Wildlife, particularly waterfowl are plentiful. The most popular spots for recreation are along the Murray and at Torrumbarry Weir, where a formal caravan park is located. The Department of Conservation and Environment maintains an extensive system of fireplaces and picnic tables. Cohuna Scout Group has a camp within the Forest. Access within the forest is good and includes the River Track, which provides a scenic drive from Koondrook to Torrumberry Weir. Jurisdiction: Government of Victoria. Management authority: Managed under the Department of Natural Resources and Environment Parks Program by Parks Victoria -2,184 Ha (11%) Natural Resources and Environment - 17,747 Ha (89%). Bibliographical references: Atkins, B., L. Lloyd and Nikolaou, N. (1991). The Hydrological Characteristics of Gunbower Forest – A background paper for the Integrated Watering Strategy - Draft 7 Feb 1991. Horricks, G.F.B., Brown, G.W., Earl, C.E., Griffiths, R.C. and Wlliams, L.M. (1989). Flora and Fauna of Gunbower Island - Northern Victoria, Ecological Survey Report No.28. Department of Conservation and Environment. Lands and Forests Division, Melbourne. Land Conservation Council. (1983). Report on the Murray Valley Area. Government Printer, Melbourne. Personal communications: Bowen, J. Forest Overseer (retired), Cohuna. STRATEGIC MANAGEMENT PLAN FOR THE GUNBOWER FOREST RAMSAR SITE PAGE 35