LANDOWNERS between Little River and Mount Cottrell say they are sick of being “duck-shoved” after it was revealed they won’t be bought out until the Commonwealth approves a state government strategy.
Despite more than 100 landowners being told in 2009 their land would be sacrificed to provide the Western Grassland Reserve as an environmental offset for Melbourne’s growth, a date has yet to be set for when they will be bought out.
Less than 7 per cent of the 15,000 hectares required for the reserves has been acquired, while the delay has forced many to put their lives on hold.
Mount Cottrell landowner John Morton said he was fed up with blame-shifting between two levels of government.
Mr Morton, whose family has grown crops on the 280-hectare property for 90 years, said the grassland and acquisition overlay meant he was “trapped” until being bought out. The 82-year-old said he was relying on the land sale to buy a smaller retirement property.
“I just feel the government should make up their minds and either buy it or let us sell it on the open market,” he said.
A federal Environment Dep-artment spokeswoman said progress hinged on a conservation strategy that the state government was required to submit, but it was “only publicly released on May 13”.
“The Australian government is now considering whether to approve the strategy and consequent development in the growth corridor.”
As developer contributions will fund compensation to landowners, the spokeswoman said acquisition depended on the rate of development and was the state government’s responsibility.
A spokesman for the Victorian Department of Environment and Primary Industries said it was committed to buying properties in the Western Grassland Reserve “as quickly as resources allow”.
