There is more to Western Port than just its hinterland.

It is a bioregion that encompasses the catchment area stretching from the Strzelecki Ranges to the shores of Western Port and its islands.

It is an environment that helps sustain a variety of farming and agricultural activities, ecotourism and holiday destinations, hobby farms, light industrial activities, a working port facility, peri-urban and larger population centres, and remnant natural wildlife habitats. 

It also has sizeable sand deposits.  Herein lies a balancing act: extracting a valuable commercial resource versus the likelihood it will leave a scarred environment in its wake forever. 

In some cases, the results of these competing factors find their way to Western Port and have the potential to affect its environment.  

This is Western Port Country.

It needs a regional Strategic Management Plan.

The signatories understand this and one has said: “It is logical to put in place a management plan…cheaper too than trying to remediate after the place is wrecked. Protect nature.”

Photo: Meryl Brown Tobin.