Farmers have taken to the steps of Parliament House to voice their concerns against new legislation that allows the public to freely camp on Crown land river frontages.
The legislation, which passed through the Victorian Upper House earlier this year and comes into effect on September 1, has angered landholders who have concerns about their personal safety, biosecurity and protection of land.
They are also frustrated as they feel their voices weren't adequately heard in the consultation process.
Victorian Farmers Federation president Emma Germano attended the rally and said she hoped the government would make meaningful changes to the regulations.
"Farmers have so many things that they have to comply with to take care of the environment, so many things in regards to biosecurity [that they] have to deal with," Ms Germano said.
"Now we're just seeing a backflip, because there's no consideration on the impact to the environment."
According to the National Coronial Information System, bovine animals contribute 15.7 per cent of animal related deaths in Australia.
And with unrestricted livestock roaming their grazelands, farmers are concerned that any incidents caused by their stock would hold them entirely accountable.
Kiewa Valley beef farmer and protest organiser Belinda Pierce said the public were at risk of harm, which would leave her financially responsible.
"Cows and campers don't mix; it only takes one person to leave a road gate open and the cows get on the road," Ms Pierce said.
"The thing I'm worried about the most is the legal liability and what is going to happen to our insurance.
"The government indemnifies themselves from anything that happens on Crown land, and we would have to have insurance that covers that - we would probably sell."
Environmental aspects are also infuriating regional farmers - along with the CFA - as faeces, rubbish and stray campfires pose a detrimental risk to regional properties.
Farm owners and the CFA have spoken out about the risks of bushfires and how easily dry grass and surrounding trees can become engulfed by a spark from a campfire.
Wangaratta farmer and local CFA volunteer Greg Mirabella hopes the government carefully revisits the regulations surrounding fire safety, in addition to public safety.
"In north-east Victoria, the most common reason for a call out is for a campfire that got away," Mr Mirabella said.
"There's every likelihood that in the next couple of years, the newspapers will be filled with the latest bushfire holocaust that will have started from a campfire - it's only a question of time."
Shadow Agriculture Minister Peter Walsh said the government had not thought of the farmers who would be impacted by the legislative changes.
Mr Walsh said he was furious that the government had not addressed the needs of farmers.
"Victoria has thousands of kilometres of river frontages, it's wrong that [the government] is making farmers responsible for managing camping on them," he said.
"Does the government really expect our hard-working farmers to issue camping permits, protect livestock and farm biosecurity, rotate campers, clean up waste, protect habitat, perform bank regeneration works and manage their farms?"
