By Esther Lauaki
Land around Sanatorium Lake will be revegetated after almost a hectare of trees, some more than 100 years old, were removed earlier this year by Parks Victoria.
Residents were outraged when Parks Victoria removed trees in Macedon Regional Park as part of a rehabilitation program.
The authority has since met with Mt Macedon Horticultural Society president Stephen Ryan to discuss ways to restore the area.
“I don’t think that Parks Victoria realised the cultural heritage and significance of the sight to the local community,” Mr Ryan told
Star Weekly.
“My long-term vision is to get some exotic trees planted in there so that future generations can come through and look up and say, ‘What beautiful exotic trees’.”
Mr Ryan said he was hoping to meet again with Parks Victoria to discuss possible outcomes.
Parks Victoria district manager Tony English said that invasive aspen poplar trees
were “outcompeting” native vegetation and reducing habitat for native fauna and flora.
“Parks Victoria has a responsibility to ensure that weeds and pests do not encroach on the environmental and natural values of our parks,” Mr English said.
“Parks Victoria appreciates the importance of Macedon Regional Park to the community.
“We look forward to working with interested locals to ensure they continue to enjoy the park, and that its vegetation reflects the importance of the area’s heritage and biodiversity values.
“When completed, the visitor area and surrounds will look like other healthy native tall mountain forest within the Macedon Ranges.”
Mt Macedon resident Stanley Ziolkowski last week sent a letter to local MP Amanda Miller stating that the removal of the
trees was “undeniably a negative exercise for all”.
“It would have been better to simply thin out the trees and introduce native species to co-exist on the waterways,” Mr Ziolkowski said.
