PARKS Victoria have scheduled repairs to start later this year to platforms for the local Yeddonba Indigenous Rock Art site as well as the Lake Sambell walking track as part of a state–wide works program to improve the safety of parks.
The announcement was made in response to questions raised by the O&M Advertiser with Parks Victoria after stinging criticism from Benambra Liberal MP Bill Tilley this week over the lack of action over a number of popular local tourism and cultural sites.
The close to three–year closure of Yeddonba Indigenous Rock Art site in the Chiltern–Mt Pilot National Park along with the well–used Lake Kerford to Lake Sambell walking track closed for nearly two years has also disappointed local community members.
A Parks Victoria spokesperson said a design team is completing their first inspection of the Yeddonba site in the next two weeks.
"After a review of environmental, heritage, planning and Cultural Heritage requirements of the design, a construction program will be released," the spokesperson said.
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Repair and reopening of the Lake Kerferd to Lake Sambell track is scheduled as part of Parks Victoria's work program for 2022–23.
Design and planning work is ongoing and on the ground works are expected to start in the second half of this year with the Yeddonba platform repaired with new decking as part of the same program.
With the Wallaby and Rechabite mines near Beechworth closed for years, the spokesperson said Wallaby Mine remained a high–risk area due to mine workings and track instability as well as bushfire impacts on wooden structures.
"We know the local community have strong aspirations for preserving and visiting mining heritage, but the site will remain closed for the time being and we encourage visitors to experience mining heritage at the nearby Beechworth Historic Park," the spokesperson said.
Mr Tilley said he had written to the Minister for the Environment Lily D'Ambrosio seeking advice on repairs and opening up in December with a reply in April that works at Yeddonba and the two lakes walking track would be undertaken in early 2022 but movement had not been seen.
"Everyone agrees that safety is important, however, it shouldn't take the better part of two years to work out how these things can be managed or indeed just opened up," he said.
"The indigenous artwork at Yeddonba carries an important message about our culture and the walking tracks are a popular tourist destination and exercise path.
"Similarly, to suggest that the two mine sites that played a significant role in the gold rush will have to wait until opportunities are identified is just another way of saying we are not interested.
"I know the Beechworth History and Heritage Society and Indigo Council would love to see these re–opened, Beechworth is living, breathing gold history.
"This should be a priority for this government but then again it's not inside the tram tracks."
