The state government has released details of the first riverside camping spots to come online, under a controversial plan to open up Crown land water frontages.
New sites will be open from tomorrow (Friday), with another 50 online by the end of April.
The first of the sites can be accessed by foot from designated parking areas around the townships of Seymour, Tallarook, Murchison and Molesworth.
Fishing and Boating Minister Melissa Horne said the government had promised Victorians and visitors to the state the opportunity to camp at some of Victoria's most picturesque spots, and that was exactly what they had done.
"We've set up a 24-hour hotline staffed by Victorian Fisheries Authority authorised officers to report misconduct around river frontage camping, as well as continuing our work with Victoria Police to ensure everyone treats these sites with respect," Ms Horne said.
She said future sites may be able to be accessed by vehicles, depending on location.
She said the sites were coming online gradually as part of a staged approach, following a comprehensive consultation process.
READ MORE: Farmer liability fears as camping goes ahead
Further sites along the Goulburn, Broken, Ovens, Campaspe, Loddon and Murray Rivers are currently being assessed for inclusion.
However, farmers remain fearful they will be forced to police unfenced licenced river frontages, with Crown land excluded from the new on-the-spot trespassing fines.
The Victorian Parliament's Upper House passed the state government's Livestock Management Amendment (Animal Activism) Bill 2021 last week.
It rejected the opposition's bid to include licenced land, which means animal activists who trespass and breach a property's biosecurity plan face fines of $1272 for an individual or $8178 for an organisation.
Agriculture Minister Mary-Anne Thomas defended the decision to exclude licences from the bill on the Victorian Country Hour, saying licenced land was not for exclusive use by the farmer.
Under the animal activism legislation, penalties can be imposed if a farmer has a biosecurity management plan that requires permission and identification to enter a property.
But the legislation fails to allow farmers to extend their biosecurity management plan to cover Crown land where they hold a grazing licence.
It has farmers like Tallandoon beef producer Rick Otto, Burradoo, fuming over the "ridiculous" inconsistencies, which he said threatened the state's livestock exports because of the European Union Cattle Accreditation Scheme.
"It seems like a double standard saying the government cares about biosecurity when it comes to animal activists but not campers," Mr Otto said.
Mitta North farmer Judy Cardwell said the lack of fences between licensed river frontages and private property meant campers could accidentally trespass.
"We believe this government places a far higher priority on recreation than safe food production," Ms Cardwell said.
"We fear all the inevitable outcomes of biosecurity infringements such as food, rubbish, faeces, weed seeds and disease, not to mention the frightening and disturbance of livestock.
"As campers do not have to register and can stay 14 days, we have no way of tracing those who cause problems.
"Allowing unregulated camping on licensed frontages is putting huge stress on farmers."