Community members divided about horses on beaches

Mr Purcell said Levys was the “perfect” location for beach training.

His comments come after the government on Wednesday released its draft management plan for the Belfast Coastal Reserve, which proposes a five-kilometre stretch of beach and dune from west of Levys for licensed racehorse training.

“It’s a good location because it’s out of the way. I’ve been there a number of times when horses have been worked and haven’t seen a soul there,” Mr Purcell said.

“Levys is going to be the best solution because even though it is used by fisherman and also by surfers, it’s one of the least-used beaches.”

Mr Purcell, whose son is a racehorse trainer, said the draft plan also offered some protection to small-scale trainers and recreational riders to continue to use The Cutting, near Killarney.

While the plan proposes to continue training on Golfies at Port Fairy, something Mr Purcell had previously labelled “stupid”, he said the plan for Levys would solve the issue.

“In my crystal ball I think Levys will take all the pressure off the other beaches and it won’t be an issue,” Mr Purcell said.

“Give it a year and there won’t be any conflict at all.”

Mr Purcell said he was keen to see more detail on how the licensing system would work and when the changes would come into place.

The draft plan separates Belfast Coastal Reserve into two zones – a ‘conservation’ area stretching east from Killarney boat ramp to a spot known as Big Baldy, south of Kellys Swamp, bordered by two ‘conservation and recreation’ areas.

Environmental concerns exist for the threatened hooded plover, which nests along Belfast Coastal Reserve beaches.

Close to 100 shell middens, sites of significant Aboriginal cultural heritage, are recorded along the Belfast Coastal Reserve, and the government report suggests Aboriginal people have used the area for at least the past 40,000 years.

Although the draft plan deals with the area overall, it aims to manage the location, timing and intensity of horse riding in order to “reduce the risk of damage to environmental and cultural sites”.

Racing Victoria states there are 250 thoroughbred racehorses training around Warrnambool, with 140 training daily. Beach training is preferred because of the low-impact surface.

The draft management plan is open to comment at www.engage.vic.gov.au/belfast until March 16 2018.

A lack of detail was highlighted as community groups and leaders reacted to the state government’s newly-released Belfast Coastal Reserve Draft Management Plan.

Moyne Shire councillor Colin Ryan said the draft plan lacked finer details and needed more information about car parking at Golfies but struck “a fair balance”.

He said more information was needed about changes at Killarney Beach, but he agreed small, established trainers should be able to use the spot once again.

Cr Ryan said it would be inappropriate to have horse training at the beach over the summer period, and called for Moyne Shire to administer licenses rather than the Warrnambool Racing Club.

"What's happened to date hasn't worked and it's inappropriate that Warrnambool Racing Club, due to a conflict of interest, administer licences for horse training in our shire," he said.

The Standard asked Environment Minister Lily D’Ambrosio for further clarification about how licensing would work for horse training at locations including Levys Beach, Golfies, the Cutting and Killarney Beach, and what times of year training would be allowed – as well as her reaction to concerns expressed by environmental groups including the Belfast Coastal Reserve Action Group.

However, Ms D’Ambrosio did not provide more details.

“The Belfast Coastal Reserve Draft Management Plan outlines a proposed way forward – that focuses on protecting the environment – but also allows for recreational use that protects those important values,” she said.

“This is a draft plan and we want to hear from the community – because we are determined to get the balance right.”

VICTORIA’S leading trainer Darren Weir says a proposed new area for working horses at Levys Point will reduce numbers on more popular recreational beaches. 

Weir, who used sand dunes at Levys Point to condition galloper Prince of Penzance before the galloper’s famous,Melbourne Cup triumph in 2015, described the state government’s draft Belfast Coastal Reserve management plan as terrific.

He revealed that since the dunes were closed to horses in September 2016, he had scaled back his Warrnambool operation.

“The same amount of horses are not being worked in Warrnambool as there were back in September 2016,” he said. 

“We’ve dropped back from 70 to 50 horses and Mitch Freedman who had more than 30 horses has shifted to Ballarat.

“I think if they open up Levys Point again it will solve a lot of the issues which has put pressure on other beaches in the area.”

Weir, who has stables at Ballarat and a satellite operation in Warrnambool, said he would have a closer read of the 112-page draft masterplan before forwarding a submission.

“It looks positive news,” the Melbourne Cup winning trainer said. 

“It’ll be good if we find common ground for all parties but I’ll be having a good read of the document over the next few days.”

Weir said the existing area for horses west of the Port Fairy Golf Club known as Golfies had issues.

“It’s been a bit hectic down at Golfies as we’re there with surfers and other beach users and that’s fine we respect that but there’s a lack of parking down there,” he said.

“We’ve been taking 22 horses down to Golfies each morning since December 1. 

“Our biggest issue at Golfies is our young female track riders cop terrible abuse from a minority group of people each day. 

“It’s really harassment and they are only doing their jobs.”

The state government’s plan to allow horses on beaches including Killarney, Levys Point and the Cutting received the thumbs up from Warrnambool Racing Club.

Chairman Nick Rule said the beach access plan was a step forward for racing.

“It’s fantastic to see the government has realised racing has a significant impact on the south-west,” he said.

“It looks to be a well thought-out plan which appears to acknowledge all groups.

“The plan also caters for little trainers including Chris Ryan, Patrick McKenna and Jim Madden to train their small amount of horses where they have for years without any concerns.”

Rule said the club would read the 112-page draft Belfast Coastal Reserve masterplan closely before making submissions by the March 16 deadline.

The club administers an existing permit system that gives trainers access to beaches at Warrnambool and near Port Fairy.

Racing Minister Martin Pakula has revealed he has worked “tirelessly” to find an outcome that secured the racing industry’s future in the region.

Mr Pakula, who has been outspoken at times since the horses on beaches issue surfaced in September 2016, said the $100 million racing was vital. 

"The Warrnambool Racing Club, the Office of Racing, Racing Victoria and I have all been working tirelessly to deliver an outcome which will ensure the future of training in the south-west, while also protecting the environment and cultural heritage,” he said.

"The racing industry is a huge contributor to the local economy. It creates thousands of jobs and attracts valuable tourism to the region.

“We’re encouraging people to put forward their views so we can deliver a plan that ensures racing remains a vital part of the south-west, while also protecting the environment and cultural heritage.”

Warrnambool mayor Robert Anderson said the council believed the plan proposed a responsible approach to managing an area with considerable environmental, economic and cultural values and encouraged the community to comment on the plan.

Moyne Shire councillor Jim Doukas is reserving his judgement on a draft plan from the state government for the use of the Belfast Coastal Reserve.

This draft plan puts forward recommendations regarding horse training on beaches in the reserve.

In October, Cr Doukas, who was then Moyne Shire mayor, put forward a motion to allow South West Owners, Trainers and Riders Association (SWOTRA) to have restricted, regulated and controlled access to Killarney Beach. The motion was passed, reversing a decision made by councillors in April to not allow any horse training on the beach.

While the draft plan appears to back the council’s decision to let horses back on Killarney Beach, Cr Doukas remains cautious.

“To be honest, I am still getting my head around it all,” Cr Doukas said.

“As a council, we will have a good look at the plan and get ourselves fully informed.

“Personally, I would like to see the small local trainers have access to the beach.”

The draft plan does not stipulate the times horse training would be allowed on Killarney Beach.

The Moyne Shire Council’s October motion for local trainers to bring their horses back to the beach provided some more detail. 

This stated that training would be permitted on Killarney Beach from February 1 to December 15, excluding the Easter weekend and Folk Festival long weekend holiday.

Another condition was that horses would only be allowed to walk, trot and/or canter on the beach between dawn and 10am daily.

The racing industry is the only winner in a draft management plan that will return horses to south-west beaches, those against the proposal say.

Belfast Coastal Reserve Action Group (BCRAG) and the state’s peak conservation group, the Victorian National Parks Association, say the plan will lead to industrial-scale horse training on beaches, to the detriment of the environment and other beach users.

BCRAG spokesman Bill Yates said the plan favoured the racing industry and "pretty much gave them everything they wanted".

"It's not a management plan, its a Trojan horse and it will have a devastating effect on the future of beaches in the Belfast Coastal Reserve," he said.

“The proposal will allow industrial-scale racehorse training, monopolising public car parks and popular beaches between Warrnambool and Port Fairy.”

Victorian National Parks Association executive director Matt Ruchel said the plan would increase the commercial racehorse beach training area from two kilometres to five kilometres. 

“Taxpayers will be funding more car parks to be filled by more horse floats. More access tracks will be built to allow more horses onto the reserve’s fragile dunes and beaches,” he said.

Mr Ruchel said the current interim licensing arrangements at Golfies were not well managed.

“Documents received by the VNPA under Freedom of Information show that under current license conditions, commercial horse trainers pay as little as $2 per horse per day to train on public beaches, even though a taxpayer-funded, purpose-built sand track has been built at the Warrnambool Racing Club,” he said.

“That is where racehorse training should occur so that mum, dad and the kids, anglers, surfers – and threatened hooded plovers – can have their beaches back.”

Musician and Killarney local Shane Howard, who has been lobbying to keep horses off Killarney Beach said at first glance the plan appeared to be a disappointment.

”I must say I am a bit stunned by it,” he said. “It looks like something from the 1960s.”

THE Greens say the state government’s draft plan for the Belfast Coastal Reserve will double the number of beaches where “racehorses can run rampant”.

Greens MP Ellen Sandell said the draft management plan was further proof the government would “always favour the racing and gambling industry over threatened species”.

"This plan will double the number of beaches where racehorses can run rampant, putting threatened animals and people at risk,” Ms Sandell said.

“This reserve is a vital breeding spot for the threatened hooded plover and was set up to protect wildlife and allow people to enjoy nature - not for the racing industry to take over and use for free.”

Ms Sandell said the decision showed the government only cared about its mates in the racing industry.’

A WARRNAMBOOL fisherman says allowing horses access to Levys Point will ruin the landscape.

Alan Primmer was fishing at the beach on Thursday morning and said he had been disgusted by the Belfast Coastal Reserve draft management plan.

He said the beauty of the area was the solitude.

“It’s a place where you come to be by yourself,” he said.

“They can’t have it here.

“Why destroy this?”

Mr Primmer was born and raised in Warrnambool and had recently moved back.

He said he’d lived in Western Australia and had seen the damage done to beaches there.

“They’ve done it in Western Australia and it just wrecks it,” he said.

“Where are they going to park cars?

“The plovers have got no where to go.

“It’s so nice here.”

Mr Primmer said giving the green light for race horses on the beach would destroy the sand dunes.

“The sand dunes are too precious,” he said.

“They’re such high sand dunes. 

“But if you take the top off, it will just blow away with a good south westerly.

“If they had of been out here first thing this morning I would have been able to do it with horses.

“I would have had to wait for the horses to leave.”

"I was out there first thing this morning and you wouldn't be able to do it with horses here.”