The state government is set to allow camping on 27 sites with river frontage in northern Victoria this month, which are currently managed by farmers under licence agreements.
The sites are located along the Goulburn, Broken, Ovens, Mitta Mitta, Campaspe, Loddon and Murray Rivers, and will be opened up for camping from February 21.
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Bryan Meredith, Marengo, was given four days notice that the four kilometres of Crown land he holds a licence to manage would be made publicly accessible to anglers and campers.
"It is terrible - I am losing sleep," Mr Meredith said.
"The biggest issue with this is you can possibly lose your accreditation to sell stock and if someone is badly injured on our lease, while we have public liability, if they are hurt badly the insurer can use the farm as compensation."
An access gate was installed on the property on Thursday, which disconnected the electric fence around the boundary of an area currently grazed by 75 cattle.
"I can't imagine how people will camp in a paddock with cattle there, and also the damage the [campers] will do to the river banks," he said.
"We have spent a lot of time and money looking after the environment on the edges of the river.
"We regularly see platypus in the river here so why would you open up areas that are pristine to allow people to fish, when they could be affecting platypus' habitat?"
Mr Meredith said he tried to access the impact report on the agricultural, environmental, Aboriginal cultural heritage values, and public safety and amenity but was told he could only obtain it through Freedom of Information laws.
"We want the site closed as it is too dangerous. There are serious issues of safety and it will ruin our business from a biosecurity perspective."
The state government did not explain how camp bookings and camper behaviour will be managed.
"The only time someone from the police or CFA will come is if shots were fired or someone was seriously hurt - and that could be the farmer," he said.
Mr Meredith said he was preparing both a legal and political case to fight the camping at the site.
Nearby, a Parks Victoria managed campground on Green Slopes Road had three of four access points to the Goulburn River blocked, with reports it was too difficult to manage vandalism, threatening hunting behaviour and littering.
Despite a lengthy Victorian government consultation process that attracted more than 1,100 submissions, the installation of the access gates "blindsided" Mr Meredith after he was told in October the steep embankment on his property was "unsuitable" for camping.
Mr Meredith said the contractor installing the gates had 26 to install.
"All of Victoria will be done over," he said.
A Victorian government spokesperson responded to questions on behalf of Environment Minister Lily D'Ambrosio and Fishing and Boating Minister Melissa Horne, and said consultation on possible sites was ongoing.
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"Sites will be open after being assessed and prepared. We will notify local communities once the process is complete," they said.
"People can already access licensed Crown river frontages for recreation and many of the regulations for camping are similar to those currently in place for these activities."
Member for Euroa and Nationals deputy leader Steph Ryan said the move was a "blatant grab for votes in suburban Melbourne".
"This is being pushed by a small number of people within the Labor Party who like to go fishing and believe the Crown land licences should be open to the public for landholders to manage," she said.
"Those licence holders have a statutory obligation to manage that land for weeds, litter, bushfire risk, and the government isn't changing those obligations, it is introducing a variable that the licence holder can't control - it is completely unfair.
"Labor needs to dump this ill-conceived policy and properly engage with landholders."
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Ms Ryan feared policing and management negligence of the campsites.
"There are not enough fishery officers in the right locations and our local police are already stretched," she said.
"There are serious biosecurity and safety issues the government hasn't taken into consideration, or simply doesn't care about.
"The whole process is a circus because they made an (election) commitment, then passed legislation before knowing what the practical realities are on the ground."
Annabelle Cleeland
Annabelle Cleeland is a Stock & Land journalist. She has worked at Australian Community Media for more than a decade serving in a number of roles including editor, senior journalist and national sheep & wool writer. She runs a fine Merino wool property with her young family in North-East Victoria.
Annabelle Cleeland is a Stock & Land journalist. She has worked at Australian Community Media for more than a decade serving in a number of roles including editor, senior journalist and national sheep & wool writer. She runs a fine Merino wool property with her young family in North-East Victoria.
