Melbourne, Geelong's peri-urban agriculture needs protection, says peak group

Peri Urban Councils Victoria (PUCV) chair Cr Moira Berry said the region, on the doorstep of Melbourne and Geelong, covered some of the fastest growing local government areas in the country.

PUCV represents five shires that are immediately adjacent to metropolitan Melbourne and Geelong, an area of more than 11,000 square kilometres and 180,000 residents.

"We understand agriculture is important and that will be factored into all the conversations with governments," she said.

Cr Berry, who is also a Moorabool shire councillor, said the area currently provided approximately 41 percent of Melbourne's food supply.

"Agriculture has to be protected - with $888 million of agricultural products coming out of these areas, it makes sense to include it in the conversation."

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Road infrastructure and digital connectivity were among the key issues facing the five peri-urban councils.

"Despite its new-found influence few pundits really understand the peri-urban region or why it's so important to our state," Cr Berry said.

Since 2007, the population of the peri-urban council areas of Bass Coast, Baw Baw, Golden Plains, Moorabool and Surf Coast had been growing at an annual rate of between 2 and 4 per cent, year on year.

"In contrast, the interface councils (Casey, Melton, Wyndham, Cardinia, Mitchell, Yarra Ranges, Hume, Mornington Peninsula, Nillumbik and Whittlesea) have seen population growth level off over the same 15 year period, proving that the peri-urban region really is the new frontier," Cr Berry said.

Bass Coast Farm, Woolomai, owner Sylvia Collett produces Angus beef and lamb.

Ms Collett, who is in Bass Coast Shire, runs 100 head of cattle and 80 ewes, as well as growing olives, and selling the products direct to Melbourne customers.

"I'm concerned about the farmland around Wonthaggi disappearing, prime dairy country - we are losing dairy farmers, and that pressure on rates for rural people," Ms Collett said.

There had been recent concerns about rules around fencing, she said.

The Department of Land, Water, Environment and Planning was trying to introduce a planning system, requiring a permit for any fence up to 1.8 metres high.

It also specified permits needed to be obtained to clear trees, or shelterbelts, to protect scenic vistas and the coastal landscape.

"You have people sitting in an office saying we want it to be beautiful, for people driving down the Bass Highway

"Well I'm five kilometres away from the highway - tell me what farm fence can you can see from that distance?," she said.

"I feel there is a real disconnect between people making these policies and those living here."

She said she had put in an objection and was told she would be consulted over the issue.

'I haven't heard anything; this is the whole thing, there is no consultation, there is no town hall meeting, there is no information sharing," she said.

Small farms were being bought up for "land banking", and being held to be released for housing, some time in the future.

"It's super productive land and there is a lot of work being doing by a lot of producers down here, with Landcare," she said.

"I am not sure the authorities appreciate the work the landholders are doing."

In Moorabool shire, Louise Abey runs Braelands Beef, Pentland Hills, near Bacchus Marsh.

Braelands runs 145 breeders, 50-80 trade cattle and trained horses were also trained on the property.

Ms Abey said rates were a big issue for farmers - "they doubled one year and just keep going up."

While housing development pressures was not such an issue, as the country was quite steep, Ms Abey said there was pressure from small block holders on the property perimeter.

"They are not farmers, they don't know how to manage weeds, they don't know how to manage stock, so we are always getting rogue Dorper sheep in all the time," she said.

"We've spent years keeping tussock and nasty weeds out of the place."

She'd also like to see planned powerlines be placed underground.

But she said being close to large urban areas was also an advantage.

"It's close to town, our little meat business is paddock-to-plate and so it's low food miles," Ms Abey said.

"It's close to local abattoirs and butchers and a lot of our customers are in Melbourne and Geelong.

"We have good access to different selling methods, we can go through the saleyards or over the hooks."