mmg.com.au

Duck hunting at Richardson’s Lagoon could be banned if an application to have the land reclassified is approved.

A group of people, led by Torrumbarry resident Tuesday Browell, would like to see the lagoon reclassified from a wildlife reserve to a nature conservation reserve.

If the reclassification is signed-off on by the Victorian Ministers for environment and agriculture and water, the lagoon at Torrumbarry will be off-limits for duck hunters next season.

The application includes support from groups including residents of Richardson’s Lagoon, the Yorta Yorta Nation, Gunbower Landcare Group, district artists and the Australian Freshwater Turtle Conservation and Research Association, among others.

The group recently gave the application to Member for Rodney Paul Weller to be passed on to Minister for Environment Ryan Smith and Agriculture and Water Minister Peter Walsh.

Both ministers need to agree to the reclassification for it to be implemented.

Ms Browell said the group wanted to change the classification of the lagoon to protect flora, fauna and Aboriginal heritage sites such as scar trees, as well as to stop ducking hunters shooting near homes that border the lagoon.

Last year, a pair of rare magpie geese nested at the lagoon and nearby residents were concerned that the noise made by shooting would scare the parents off, leaving the young magpie geese to fend for themselves.

A voluntary ‘no shooting zone’ was established at the lagoon by Parks Victoria during duck hunting season last year to try and protect the magpie geese, however Ms Browell said it had not stopped some hunters.

The magpie geese have returned to the lagoon this year, but Ms Browell said they only had one of their young in tow.

‘‘(By changing the classification) we’re hoping they’ll have the protection they deserve,’’ Ms Browell said.

Field and Game Association of Australia chief executive officer Rod Drew said his group opposed the application.

‘‘We believe we have the right to hunt,’’ Mr Drew said.

According to Mr Drew, about 180 wildlife reserves — also known as state game reserves — were established in Victoria in the 1960s with money from hunting licences matched by the government.

He said the association also had an active role in wetland conservation, including conducting bird surveys twice a year and being involved in the installation of water pump infrastructure to allow water to be pumped into the lagoon.

Mr Drew believes the lack of a clear demarcation line at the lagoon for the voluntary no shooting zone was the cause of last year’s problems.

He also hit back at allegations that Aboriginal heritage sites were being damaged by hunters.

‘‘Every site has Aboriginal heritage sites,’’ he said.

‘‘We’ve never had issues with indigenous groups over the treatment of sites.’’