Bundarrah Days

PARKS Victoria called today with a complaint about cattle in the Alpine National Park. They didn't get any satisfaction.

They were told that in view of their part in the tragedy of Black Saturday, now was not a good time to make veiled threats about impounding cattle or taking people to court.

Of course, it wasn't the ranger's fault. He's really not a bad bloke. It's the bureacracy that directs him that we have a problem with.

Parks Victoria needs to know that there is nothing mountain cattlemen would like right now more than to issue sunpoenas to senior parks and DSE bureacrats already have dates organised with the Teague Royal Commission.

Don't forget how our fences got burned gentlemen.

I'll be very surprised if these dictatorial green bureacrats have to guts to try and impound a few cows or issue charges. But if they do, I'll be delighted.

We've met them in court before and they would do well to remember the results. Meanwhile, they should forget their obsession with a few cows wandering around the Alpine National Park and do something to make the country safe for the sake of the environment and the people who live there. The truth is that these blokes have nothing better to do with their time than annoy the locals.

Parks Vic at Omeo have responsibilty for the country right through to the NSW border but it seems they spend the majority of their time in the Bundarrah Valley. At least the cattle are doing something useful - reducing the fire hazard - which is more than Parks Victoria has ever done.

I heard yesterday from an impeccable source that the man in the fire tower on Mt Gordon near Marysville provided his superiors with a good hour's warning of the approaching holocaust. It seems they didn't act on it nor pass the warning on to residents. Make of that what you will.