Some of these trees are over 800 years old.

These trees are irreplaceable, not just for the Djab Wurrung people, but as habitat for threatened species, and to many of us who stand in awe of old trees. The Western Highway redevelopment can be located elsewhere.

The Djabwurrung Protection Embassy was set up in June 2018 to protect this sacred cultural heritage and the planned removal of 3000 trees, including 260 large old growth trees.

A new decision on the request from DjapWurrung people to protect the land where the highway would be built, is awaited from Environment Minister Ley. The Federal Court has quashed two successive decisions by the Environment Minister not to protect it. If the Minister protects the land, MRPV would need to find a new route.
The Victorian Ombudsman has commenced an investigation into the Western Highway duplication project, with particular regard to concerns raised about the protection of sacred Aboriginal sites. 
 
To avoid a risky injunction case, Traditional Owners had to agree with the State Government that work can begin on a 3.85km stretch of land identified as the ‘least culturally invasive’.

This stretch is common to Major Road Projects Victoria (MRPV) Option 1 route and with a culturally less destructive alternative route that shadows the existing highway.
The Djabwurrung Traditional Owners have strongly asserted that neither Martang Pty Ltd (the defunct Registered Aboriginal Party for the area) nor the Eastern Maar Aboriginal Corporation (EMAC) have authority to speak for, or represent, the Traditional Owners.

However, there remains 5.7kms of MRPV Option 1 route which deviates from the existing highway and traverses the Djabwurrung land, destroying many Large Old Trees. The construction of the 5.7km deviation will involve bulldozing through a hill, filling a valley, removing large submerged boulders and destroying federally protected grasslands. 

Recently, Djap Wurrung people applied to protect a culturally significant large old tree (400 - 500 years old), in the mediated section when MRPV announced their intention to fell the tree.

  Representatives of the Djab Wurrung community have been denied access to the tree.
  MRPV’s intention to fell the tree was reported to the Department of Agriculture, Water and Environment (DAWE).
  MRPV has already cleared two areas of roadside trees in No Go Zones 
  A MRPV employee’s affidavit states that an “additional” 79 trees have been destroyed. The Tree Goanna, Powerful Owl, Brush Tailed Phascogale and Squirrel Glider are recorded as living within 10 km of the works area and may be impacted by the tree removal. 

Now is the time to demand a political intervention to cause MRPV to drop its chainsaws and stop its excavators and protect the disputed 5.7km of Djabwurrung country.

With more than 1300 flora species and 450 fauna species threatened with extinction, and the latest bleaching event on the Great Barrier Reef, Australia stands as a world leader in biodiversity loss. Remarkably this part of Western Victoria or Djab Wurrung country(where these trees are located) is largely preserved from fire devastation, unlike Eastern and Northern Victoria.

The process of route selection needs to be publicly reviewed.

In this time of uncertainty and anxiety a good news story of environment protection and respectful decision making is required.

To support the Djabwurrung and an independent Route review email or ring;

Premier Daniel Andrews    daniel.andrews@parliament.vic.gov.au    Ph:(03) 9651 5000

Minister for Road Infrastructure  JacintaAllan  jacinta.allan@parliament.vic.gov.au  Ph:(03) 8392 6100

Federal Environment Minister Sussan Ley   sussan.ley.mp@aph.gov.au   Ph: (02) 6277 7920