THERE have been no signs of progress but anglers at Lake Bullen Merri are telling land authorities they will give up on the popular fishing spot if efforts to reverse its road closure are ignored.
The Department of Sustainability and Environment last indicated it had no intention of negotiating settlements with landholders who blocked public access to their lake-adjacent properties last year.
The tourist attraction may have survived a summer without access to Lake Bullen Merri Road, but the Bellarine Fly Fishing Association Inc said the closure would be felt by the Camperdown community if not resolved.
The fishing association’s president Wayne Linguey said anglers loved using the lake and had enjoyed holding events there for years.
“But with the closure of this lake, the club will be taking its trips and its business to other areas,” he said. “We always stop in at Camperdown, for food and supplies, as do many other fishermen.
“This business will be lost to the area.
“I can assure you that the closure of the road, and particularly closure of the lake to fishing on the western shore, is a great inconvenience and disappointment to literally hundreds of anglers … who travel great distances within the state to fish this prime trout lake.”
Mr Linguey said angling clubs across western Victoria would miss out if the DSE could not find a way to reopen full access to the lake.
“I’m involved with angling clubs in the Geelong area and the rumblings among local club members about this situation are increasing daily.
“We’ll go to the Goulburn and other places because we can’t get access where we want to fish. I can understand there’s junk left around farmer’s property, but the only thing we leave are footprints and the only thing we take are photographs and memories.
“I’m advocating to my membership to contact DSE and we will give them another push now.”
The DSE was unable to comment on the issue.
j.pech@standard.fairfax.com.au
