To be National Park or not National Park?: That was the question.
Val Hastings, local resident and first convenor of Friends of Grampians
In the 1970’s and early 80’s the managing body for the Grampians Crown lands and forest was the Forest Commission. A groundswell of sentiment was emerging and gathering momentum that the Grampians natural assets were better served as a national park.
From the local perspective this spelt change, apprehension and fear. Job losses, locking up the mountains, no more milling, no more gravel pits, no more hunting were some of the concerns.
The Forest Commission had become responsible for many tourist activities, managing camping grounds and tracks for leisure activities in the Grampians. The Wonderland area had been fostered as a unique visitor area since almost the turn of the century. Halls Gap had been a destination for holiday makers, tourists and ‘honeymooners’ for nearly a century.
The Grampians features were well known locally but not nationally or internationally.
During this time of transition the local communities demonstrated concerns.
One untold incident at this time was that some of the forest commission workers were quite hostile to the notion of ‘their mountains’ becoming a national park. Many discussions and arguments were heard around the community. Husbands and wives disagreeing. So much so a few wives and friends were so tired of the forest commission workers malcontent that they took things in to their own hands.
On an afternoon when the workers were enjoying their ‘smoko’, some women in the community dressed themselves up as new national park workers, covered and decorated a car ( an old Valiant) with bush and stampeded into the depot doing a town cry’ We have come to take over the park”. Much to their partners and friends (men of course, women only in the office then!) dismay and embarrassment. It did seem to diffuse some of the tensions and a good laugh was had.
It was however a time of great interest and challenge to the local community as they had depended on the Grampians region for employment, local access and enjoyment. It seems in hindsight how unfounded their fears were, as the economic improvement in the region has grown, more people have been employed than under the Forest Commission and the access and management has improved substantially.