AS the fire season approaches and temperatures continue to rise, the overgrown state of the World Heritage listed Budj Bim National Park has been slammed.
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Access has also not been restored to a popular walking path since devastating bushfires tore through the park near Macarthur almost a year ago.
One south-west resident who camped at Budj Bim last weekend said the national park was a "disgrace".
"There are weeds and thistles up to my shoulders," he said.
"If a fire burns through there again it will be devastating. The region is calling out for tourists to revive the economy, but why would anyone want to go there and spend time and money in the Macarthur district when it's such a fire hazard?"
The December to January fires were caused by a lightning strike on December 28.
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Member for South West Coast Roma Britnell said she had several calls from concerned residents.
"It was revealed earlier this year no planned burns had been done at Budj Bim for the previous five years," Ms Britnell said.
"There was of course a fire there over last summer, but the situation hasn't improved and from what I've seen undergrowth is at a dangerous level."
The overgrowth has prompted Ms Britnell to call on the Environment Minister to confirm vegetation management will be conducted for the region as the summer fire season begins.
"There seems to be a problem with vegetation management right across the state; not just in national parks. Roadsides are completely overgrown and pose a significant fire risk," she said.
"I've asked the Minister every year since I've been in Parliament to sort out the red tape which is stopping farmers from maintaining roadsides like they have done for generations."
Parks Victoria area chief ranger Daniel Sullivan said the heavy spring rainfall resulted in rapidly growing vegetation and more time was required for the terrain around Lake Surprise to naturally settle following the bushfire.
"Fire impacts can be long lasting and we will continue to prioritise the health of the park and the safety of visitors when reopening damaged areas," he said.
"Tunnel Cave remains closed due to fire damage, however the crater rim and lava canal walking tracks have been opened to the public, along with many other walks in the park."
"With the exception of the Lake Surprise walk, all the tracks in Budj Bim National Park have been brush-cut this season."
Mr Sullivan said Parks Victoria staff would continue to mow and brush-cut the picnic and campground areas and along walking tracks.
Forest Fire Management Victoria Far South West District Manager Mark Mellington said during 2019 and 2020, 7.5 kilometres of roads within the Budj Bim National Park were re-sheeted, with plans for a further 8.3 kilometres of upgrades to be completed in 2020/21 to provide access and egress for firefighting personnel and equipment.
"Fuel management in the Budj Bim landscape requires a different approach to typical activities in other types of vegetation due to the rocky landscape and the park's cultural values," he said.
"We undertake annual activities such as hazardous tree removal and road surfacing works that, in the event of a bushfire, play an important role in firefighting efforts.
"Roads and access tracks create breaks in the landscape that help contain bushfires to sections of the park and reduce the fire's spread."
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