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Parks and Recreation Collection – Narratives

Wyperfeld National Park

Updated on date by author

Pressure from naturalists inspired the government to reserve 3,900 acres in 1909. The area was proclaimed as National Park in 1921. It now covers 360,000 hectares or about 890,000 acres.

Click on the following link for the activities of the Friends of Wyperfeld.

For authoritative information on the population of Wilkerrs (dingoes in this language area), now of “threatened” status, see the website of the Big Desert Dingo Research Group.

For information about the Lowan, see the website of the Victorian Mallee Fowl Recovery Group and here for one of their leaflets.

Click here for material on the Mallee and Mallee national parks more generally. (Wyperfeld is included in some of these materials).

The book Wyperfeld: The history of Station and Settlement and the Flora and Fauna of Wyperfeld National Park by former school teacher Terri Allen and published by the  Rainbow Historical Society in 1975 then reprinted in 1977. Terri Allen has given permission to PaRC to republish this benchmark report.

Extracts from a report by Bren and Acenolaza in 2000: An Analysis of Ecohydrological Change in Lake Albacutya Park and Wyperfeld National Park: Lake Albacutya and Outlet Creek Watering Options .

A.K. Hannay’s Climatology of the Victorian Mallee – Some Aspects, probably dated 1964.

An article from The Age, 11 October 1957 on flooding in the Wimmera River.

Bird lists, including one annotated by Don Saunders and one by Harold Tarr.

National Recovery Plan for Buloke Woodlands of the Riverina and Murray Darling Depression Bioregions, by David Cheal, Alicia Lucas and Lisa Macauley, 2011. Copyright to the State of Victoria.

Buloke Recovery Project – Draft of a project plan, plus correspondence between Parks Victoria and Don Saunders.

Gallery of images
Click here for a gallery of photos of the Park.

 

Leaflets and brochures

Wyperfeld National Park, 2022.

A list of pastoral holdings in the 19th century.

A leaflet announcing the launch of Geoff Durham’s book in 2001.

A collage of leaflets: general 1977, Eastern Lookout Car Trail 1973 (incomplete), Tyakil Nature Walk and Lake Brambruk Walk. (Repeated with different scanning settings to seek better images).

Another collage – visitor leaflets from 1979, 1982,1997, 1999, 2010; Lake Brambruk Nature trail 1987 and Hello Trail notes (ages 8-12).

A glossy leaflet, undated, but not later than 1969 (dated by location of National Parks office in Collins Street, before the shift to 1 Treasury Place).

Two more visitor leaflets.

Map dated about 1980s.

Round Lake Nature Trail June 1973.

Wyperfeld National Park: A Sanctuary for Mallee Flora and Fauna.

Don Saunders’s archive

Former Director of National Parks Don Saunders has granted access to his professional files on Wyperfeld, including several otherwise unpublished reports. (This archive is not yet ready for release).

An official invitation to Don to speak at the 100th anniversary of the dedication of the Park, 2009, plus his rough speech notes.

Review Status: Pending
Posted in Narratives, Open space and recreation areas |

Frank Noelker

Updated on date by author

Frank Noelker of Rainbow, Victoria, was a founding member of the Friends of Wyperfeld, an accomplished naturalist, author of columns in the local newspaper and part-owner of one of the first and largest bush properties held under a conservation covenant.

 

Order of service for his funeral, 1996.

Eulogies delivered by Fabian Douglas and Geoff Edwards and on behalf of Don Saunders at a memorial service at Wyperfeld National Park.

Review Status: Pending
Posted in Inspirational People, Narratives |

Ranger Uniforms and Emblems

Updated on date by author

In the early 1970s, mission brown and yellow were the colours chosen for signs and other labelling by the National Parks Service in Victoria. This revealed some USA influence. A decision was taken in the early 1970s to shift to olive green and cream. Notes of a Rangers’ Training Course held at Kiata in the Little Desert in 1973 indicate that a green uniform was modelled.

Uniform emblems from Victoria 1961-75 and Queensland 1978.

 

Ron Turner, Ranger in both Victoria and from 1978 Queensland (see his memoir First Ranger in the Document Library), writing for PaRC in 2023, has supplied the following recollection:

“When I joined the National Parks Authority in 1961 rangers were issued with clothing made by the Cushen Clothing Company of Melbourne. Shirts and a dress jacket carried a shoulder patch on each side. The jacket was never popular with rangers who often commented on its inadequacy. Issued clothing included both dress and working shirts with a brown tie, and both long trousers and shorts. Wet weather clothing, and a rubber-soled golf shoe and/or riding boot were supplied on an annual request basis. Complementing the uniform was a scout commissioner’s type of hat. The only good thing about this hat was the shade afforded but it was so stiff it could only be worn quite flat. There was no tilting it or pulling it down to reflect personality; it was an awful thing to wear. To make the point at one stage one of the country rangers pulled it down onto the Director’s head!

 

“Having been superseded more than 40 years ago, these uniforms would now be collectors’ items.

 

“The Victorian rangers had formed a Victorian National Parks Rangers’ Association of which I was the Secretary. The issue of a better uniform was often to the forefront of our discussions and we were modestly active in evaluating styles of clothing and colours, even viewing uniforms as made by various manufacturers. We had also opted to have the Wedge-tailed Eagle as an emblem for shoulder patches, etc.

“I had been to the first ever NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service conference held at Royal National Park, Sydney, in 1967, and been very impressed with the style and colour of their brand new uniform with its lyrebird insignia.

“Dr. L.H.Smith, the then Director of the renamed National Parks Service diplomatically led with his concept of having the kangaroo as the official emblem. The rangers, as a group, felt the kangaroo was already vastly ‘overdone’ on commercial logos and ‘Skippy the Bush Kangaroo’ had not long been released on television. Our efforts were not entirely in vain for I was asked if I would ‘model’ a uniform as proposed by the National Parks Service at our forthcoming annual training course. In due course my measurements were taken at the Commonwealth Government Clothing Factory. In 1973 the training course was held in the controversial Little Desert National Park area and I fronted the conference in this new uniform, complete with a softer, more appropriate hat.

“As far as I was aware the above uniform was the only one of its kind ever made and those six metal buttons must now be ‘scarcer than hen’s teeth’!”

Cream-on-green later replaced sunflower-on-mission brown (but the colour in the image below is somewhat duller than the original).

 

 

 

 

Review Status: Pending
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GRAZING THE VICTORIAN SNOW COUNTRY: A Traditional Land Use in a Changing Public Policy Environment

Updated on date by author

Cabena_Chapter_1

 

Geographer Peter Cabena, originally resident of Victoria, completed a Masters dissertation in 1980 on the grazing of cattle in the Victorian high country, having conducted a deep dive into state government archives, and a significant round of interviews with mountain district cattlemen and others. The original thesis can be viewed at https://www.highcountryhistory.org.au/historical-item/grazing-the-high-country-victoria-an-historical-and-political-geography-of-high-country-grazing-in-victoria-1835-to-1935/.

Peter returned to the subject in 2014 to review, refine & expand the scope and content of his research, finally calling time out on his efforts on 4 February 2025, when he passed it to the Secretary of PaRC for uploading.

PaRC is delighted to have the privilege of publishing this monumental work with its snapshot of the views of people affected by a highly controversial and widely discussed issue of land-use and park management. Being a research dissertation not formally published in the scholarly literature this work has, until now, remained relatively unknown to the broader community.

If any part of this publication breaches copyright or privacy, please be assured by the author and PaRC that this is inadvertent; and don’t hesitate to let the Secretary know so that the breach can be rectified.

First published 17 Sep. 2025. Minor editorial corrections and pagination 7 November 2025. Proofreading for consistency of style has not been completed.

Peter invited readers to comment on any perceived factual errors or issues regarding interpretations. He passed away early in 2026, but PaRC will be pleased to publish supplementary comments from people with knowledge of the subject.

Attention is also drawn to the High Country History Hub, a substantial archive of historical material. Also see a post on Mt Hotham in this archive.

 

TABLE OF CONTENTS

 

PRELIMINARIES

INTRODUCTION

ABBREVIATIONS & DEFINITIONS

LIST OF FILES WITH SIZES

 

CHAPTER 1: PASTORAL EXPLORATION & EXPANSION
a) Background
b) Settlement of the Alpine Periphery
c) Exploring the Snow Country
d) Pioneer Mountain Grazing
e) Gold Discoveries and the Rise of Smaller Scale Pastoralists

 

CHAPTER 2: HOW THE ADMINISTRATION OF LAND TENURE INFLUENCED SNOW COUNTRY GRAZING

a) The Necessity for and Consequences of a Land Tenure System
b) The Impact of Land Selection
c) The 1878 Crown Lands Commission
d) The 1884 Land Act
e) Long Term Increase in Pastoral Occupation after 1884

 

CHAPTER 3: LATER LAND SETTLEMENT DREAMS AND SCHEMES
a) Land Selection in the Snow Country
b) Land Settlement Schemes
c) Tourism

 

CHAPTER 4: HOW GRAZIERS USED THE SNOW COUNTRY

a) Cattle Country

b) The Number of Snow Country Graziers

c) Trends in Stocking Levels

d) Drought Relief Grazing

e) Common Practices and Structures

f) Social Capital

 

CHAPTER 5: A TRADITIONAL PASTORAL ECOLOGY (AN APPLIED PASTORAL ECOLOGY, AND LANDSCAPE CHANGE)

 

CHAPTER 6: PUBLIC INTERESTS, PUBLIC VALUES AND PUBLIC PURPOSE LAND RESERVATIONS

 

CHAPTER 7: (WINDING DOWN): CHANGING SOCIAL, ECONOMIC AND ENVIRONMENTAL CIRCUMSTANCES

 

CHAPTER 8: EPILOGUE

 

APPENDICES

A. LOCAL HISTORIES
Western Fringe

Buffalo Platea
Upper Goulburn River Watershed

Baw Baw Plateau

Central Core

The Greater Bogong High Plains

The Snowy Range & Dargo High Plains

Far East

The Snowy – lndi Divide

Nunniong Plateau

 

B. EXPOSING FERDINAND MUELLER’S MISLEADING CLAIM

C. EXTRACTS FROM ANNUAL REPORTS OF THE SOIL CONSERVATION BOARD / AUTHORITY CONCERNING ITS OVERSIGHT OF GRAZING ON THE BOGONG HIGH PLAINS, 1945 – 1988

D. LIST OF SNOW COUNTRY GRAZING RUNS AND THEIR OCCUPANTS. (Note: this is an Excel file. If it does not transmit successfully, please let PaRC know).

E. SHEEP GRAZING IN THE SNOW COUNTRY AS RECORDED IN THE ORAL HISTORY

F. NOTES OF INTERVIEWS WITH SNOW COUNTRY GRAZIERS, 1975-1978 (128 pages).

G. HISTORICAL PHOTOGRAPHS OF THE SNOWY RANGE.

Review Status: Pending
Posted in Cultural heritage and awareness, Narratives, Natural resources and environment |

Disposal of Closed Court Houses – Victoria

Updated on date by author

Geographer Peter Cabena as an officer of the Department of Conservation, Forests and Lands penned this analysis in 1986.

“The re-allocation of closed court houses has been a function of the
Department of Conservation, Forests and Lands and its predecessor, the
Department of Crown Lands and Survey, for many years. This report evaluates
the effectiveness of the re-allocation process. Findings are based on a
survey of 62 former court houses which have been closed by the Law
Department since 1965.

“Most closed court houses are located in western Victoria. The buildings
have a simple lay-out dominated by the court room, but their architectural
style is quite varied. All have local historical significance as former
seats of law; 19 have been recognized as having particular historic and
architectural merit, and twelve of these are listed on the Register of the
National Estate.

“Collectively, the buildings have a monetary value of approximately $2.25
million. They yield very little rental but do satisfy the accommodation
needs of a number of government, semi-government and community
organizations.”

 

Click here for A Review of the Procedures for Disposal of Closed Courthouses on Crown Land, October 1985.

Review Status: Pending
Posted in Cultural heritage and awareness, Infrastructure, facilities and urban environments, Narratives |

Mt Hotham

Updated on date by author

Geographer Peter Cabena, as an officer of the Department of Crown Lands and Survey Victoria, in 1979 penned MOUNT HOTHAM: Its History From the 1850s to 1950s. The report was later updated.

The report surveys the history of the Mt Hotham Alpine Resort prior to the establishment of a
committee of management in 1962. It identifies a rich heritage of experiences and events
associated with man’s use of the land and explains how the mountain has become a ski resort.
Hotham’s strategic location between settlements in the Ovens Valley and at Omeo is largely
responsible for its early acquaintance with European man, particularly in connection with
activities such as cattle grazing, mining, transport and scientific investigation. In later years man’s established presence in the region facilitated its use for tourism and assisted the emergence of recreational skiing.

Review Status: Pending
Posted in Infrastructure, facilities and urban environments, Management and governance, Narratives |

Water frontages in Victoria (and everywhere)

Updated on date by author

In 1983, geographer Peter Cabena wrote a landmark work describing the natural and anthropological values of Victoria’s water frontages, along with recommendations about their protection and management.

Unfortunately the work was not granted the official attention that it deserved and further, although it has been indexed in the National Library’s Trove meta-catalogue, it has not been available online previously.

Peter passed away early in 2026. His professional papers included a “copy of a copy” of this work and his widow Rashmi has generously agreed to allow PaRC to publish it.

This fluently written monograph should be read by all parliamentarians and policy officers engaged in the management of public lands. Although the legislation and historical references are specific to Victoria, the principles for managing riparian public lands are near-universal and the work warrants reading by policy people in all States.

Victoria’s Water Frontage Reserves: An Historical Review and Resource Appreciation (24 MB).

 

 

 

Review Status: Pending
Posted in Management and governance, Narratives, Natural resources and environment |

Crown Lands and Survey files – Victoria

Updated on date by author

The systematic listing of Crown Lands and Survey files was financed by Commonwealth employment grants and was undertaken between May 1983 and June 1985. During this period all inactive files held at the former Department of Crown Lands and Survey, Melbourne were catalogued and transferred to the Public Record Office, and over 50,000 files previously sent to the PRO were reprocessed so they could be included in the computer-based inventory. Cataloguing was done by temporary staff who were employed for periods of up to 12 months. At the height of the project 15 people were resident in the dusty vaults of the Department, listing and boxing records. In total over 250,000 files were processed, representing about 60% of all inactive Crown Lands and Survey files.

 

This August 1986 compilation summarises the results. By Peter Cabena and Heather McRae.

Review Status: Pending
Posted in Managing P&L organisations, Narratives |

World Urban Parks and Knowledge Hub

Updated on date by author

About

World Urban Parks (WUP) is the international representative body for urban parks, open space and the recreation sector. WUP connects world leaders through key strategic initiatives and champions the benefits and best practice of parks around the world. Its mission is to promote and support effective management and use of urban parks, open space and recreation world-wide. It also aspires to complement and attain the same level of recognition as the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN), which represents protected areas on the world stage. WUP is also a forum for the exchange of ideas on common environmental, social and economic challenges where urban parks, open space and recreation are part of the solution. To achieve this, WUP acts as an umbrella to national associations, which interconnects park agencies, non-governmental organisations, universities and research institutes – from the Asia-Pacific, North America, Europe and emerging cities.

Members

In 2018-19 of the 467 individual members to the WUP, the Asia-Pacific region supplied 35% of total members, North America 29% and Europe 27%. Over half (56%) of the 97 organisational members were from park/city agencies, and 24% from national peak bodies/professional associations. Becoming a member opens program and professional development opportunities to improve recreation and parks in community settings and ensures members become part of the WUP mission to build open space and recreation world-wide.

Relationship with Parks and Leisure Australia

On 28 September 2026 WUP and PLA announced a formal partnership. The media release outlines the roles of the two bodies.

The Significance of Urban Parks

In 2009, for the first time ever, the world’s population became more urban than rural. By 2050, around two-thirds of all people will live in cities and urban populations will grow by more than 2 billion people. Cities are major contributors to climate change. According to UN Habitat, cities consume 78% of the world’s energy and produce more than 60% of greenhouse gas emissions. Yet, they account for less than 2% of the Earth’s surface. With the implications of climate change for the world’s biodiversity, conservation and protected areas, natural areas are vital to the biodiversity of the world’s unique flora and fauna. It is therefore imperative to ensure cities are liveable and that everyone has access to urban parks and green space.

History of WUP

It is no secret that the interconnectedness and unity of institutions such as WUP, is strengthened through a network of partnerships and affiliations. The concept of WUP came to fruition in 2015 out of a strategic review of the International Federation of Parks and Recreation Administration (IFPRA) and the International Urban Parks and Green Space Alliance (Parks for Life) in conjunction with other stakeholders.

IFPRA

The IFPRA was a unique international organisation representing and providing a forum for people, organisations and cities managing parks, recreation and conservation. It emerged at the first International Congress of the Institute of Parks Administration in London in 1957. During an open meeting at this Congress, at which there were 742 delegates, 609 from the UK and 133 from other countries, the IFPRA was created.

World Parks Academy

Established in 2013, the World Parks Academy (WPA) is a collaboration between WUP the open space and recreation organisation, and Indiana University, one of the United States’ leading universities in the field of parks, recreation, health and tourism. The IFPRA was absorbed into the WPA in 2015 and united under an international certifying body. The WPA provides competency-based certification and training programs for parks and recreation professionals worldwide. The WUP is also affiliated with WPA, through certification programs with Argentina, Australia, Canada, England, France, Germany, Ireland, Israel, Japan, New Zealand, Norway, South Africa and the USA.

Strategic Direction

WUP is constituted (World Urban Parks Constitution) as a non-governmental, non-profit membership-based peak body. From commencement on 1 April 2015, initial directors were appointed from full members. The Board and the Executive developed clear strategic directions for World Urban Parks, resulting in the World Urban Parks Strategic Statement 2018 (103MB). The WUP’s strategic priorities fall under four main themes:

  • Advocacy
  • Alliances
  • Collaboration
  • Membership.

The Strategic Statement aims to achieve responsibilities regarding World Urban Parks’ contribution to the United Nations Sustainability Goals. The primary goals to which World Urban Parks directly contribute include:

  • Good Health and Well-being
  • Industry, Innovation, and Infrastructure
  • Climate Action
  • Life below Water
  • Life on Land
  • Partnerships for the Goals.

Key Achievements and Initiatives

The Melbourne Statement  

On the policy front, WUP has been actively promoting the value and benefits of urban parks and green spaces through the development of The Melbourne Statement (2018) (note: not the same as the Melbourne Communique) in response to the World Urban Parks congress that lays out key principles in conjunction with the UN Sustainable Development Goals. In the statement, the Melbourne 2018 International Parks and Leisure Congress (IPLC) in partnership with Parks and Leisure Australia focused on addressing the pressing global impact and challenges that urban growth and density will have on the future. It outlined many of the challenges, but also addressed how the sector can comprehensively respond to ensure that open spaces are protected, communities improved, and lifestyles enhanced.

The Statement of Collaboration  

At the International Parks and Leisure Congress in Melbourne, hosted by Parks and Leisure Australia, World Urban Parks and the International Union for Conservation and Nature (IUCN) World Commission on Protected Areas entered a Statement of Collaboration. This Statement of Collaboration between WUP and the IUCN aims to advance a shared vision for inspiring and empowering people from all walks of life around the world to nurture and connect with nature, parks, and protected areas in and around urban areas.

World Urban Parks Congress

The World Urban Parks Congress is a signature activity of the WUP. The Congress of city and community leaders, park professionals, partners, affiliates, and engaged citizens meets annually under the shared goal of advancing parks through intentional successful strategies. See World Urban Parks Congress dedicated page.

Emerging Urban Leaders Program

Another program affiliated with WUP is the Emerging Urban Leaders Program , which addresses the growing demand for access to nature in urban spaces. The program is designed to create and build connections with urban leaders. An emerging urban leader is one who is new to urban parks work, has an idea but not a platform to build upon or is changing careers. Launched in 2021, this initiative has already created a network that includes architects, urban planners, community organisers, policymakers and conservationists, who are matched with mentors to develop innovative solutions and quality cities of the future. The program runs for 12 months with the goal of establishing two-hour monthly working meetings for cohort members to collaborate together.

Knowledge Hub

The World Urban Parks Knowledge Hub (the ‘Knowledge Hub’) is an international platform that supports and informs policy, planning, decision making and contemporary good practices in urban parks. The Knowledge Hub highlights current and emerging themes in the sector, linking international guidelines with research and fostering collaboration among leading agencies and organisations. The Knowledge Hub also houses information on Parks of the World. The Knowledge Hub is initially divided into three sectors: Research and Knowledge, Yardstick Parks, and Parks of the World . The Knowledge Hub also promotes good practice and encourages the sharing of information and knowledge and supports approaches to benchmarking and setting standards such as Yardstick.

Review Status: Pending
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Wyperfeld, Albacutya, Hattah and other Mallee parks

Updated on date by author

   Photo of Mallee Fowl on its nest, Little Desert National Park, photo by Clive Crouch.

 

A leaflet dated 1985 includes a list of parks in north-western Victoria and is followed by a nature trail guide for Wyperfeld.

This four-page leaflet depicts new parks – Murray-Sunset and major extensions to Wyperfeld – in north-western Victoria proclaimed in June 1991.

This leaflet dated 2022 covers the Murray-Sunset parkland.
Check the entry for the Friends of Wyperfeld, established in 1976, the second Friends of National Parks group.

Wyperfeld has sufficient material to warrant a page of its own.

 

A 2022 leaflet about Hattah and Kulkyne. A one-pager about the water regime in Hattah.

 

Guides to Hattah Lakes – Trees, Vegetation, Nature Trails, birds – can be found by entering “Hattah” into the Document Library search box.

A.K. Hannay’s Climatology of the Victorian Mallee – Some Aspects, probably dated 1964.

A 1994 management plan for the Big Desert Wilderness Park. Followed by a 1996 Management Plan for the Mallee Parks: Hattah-Kulkyne, Murray-Sunset, Wyperfeld, Lake Albacutya, Murray-Kulkyne.

A 2001 visitor leaflet for Lake Hindmarsh Lake Reserve.

A tourist leaflet about 1929 for Wyperfeld, Hindmarsh and Albacutya (33 MB).

 

A report by Peter Sandell, 2011, Victoria’s Rangelands: In Recovery or in Transition? The report has been divided into sections because of the size of the files.

Review Status: Pending
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SEQ Community Alliance

Posted on date by author

This small group is keeping alive a torch for people-friendly urban planning in South-East Queensland.

 

See their website: https://seqalliance.org/

 

The Autumn-winter Newsletter

  • An Update on E-Mobility reforms
  • Campaign Update from Games Watchdog 2032
  •  Blessing or Curse? Rejuvenating Queensland’s tourism in the lead up to the Olympics
  • The Intersection of Commonwealth and State bioregional planning measures
  • Suggestions for Improving Queensland’s draft new Environmental Offsets Policy
  • To plan or to purchase? Reflections on SEQ’s original Regional Open Space System (ROSS) 1994-
    1996
  • From Bad to Worse: Community Coalition raises serious concerns following changes to Coochin
    Creek Tourist Park conditions
  • State Government allows Ormiston College to destroy koala habitat trees
  • Again the Community Wins against the Boral Quarry at Reedy Creek, Gold Coast
  • The community role in guarding public open space.
Review Status: Pending
Posted in Narratives, Planning, policy and legislation |

SEQ Greenspace Strategy 2032

Updated on date by author

Queensland will be hosting the 2032 Olympic Games. A few people with experience of parks and planning in the past 30 years have been concerned at the absence of any strategic plan for enhancing the liveability of the South East Queensland region. The advent of the Games offers an opportunity to bequeath a first-class network of parks, reserves and open space as well as enhancing Queensland’s reputation as a liveable community. ‘Liveability’ includes ensuring that new urban development is steered towards locations not unduly constrained by topography, biodiversity, scenic amenity or other planning criteria.

The liveability of Queensland’s urban settlements has been compromised by four significant policy milestones:

  • the destruction of the Regional Open Space System in  1995
  • the introduction of performance-based planning via the Integrated Planning Act in 1997, thereby making it more or less impossible for local governments to prevent development in heavily constrained locations such as floodplains
  • the destruction of the replacement Regional Landscape Strategy in 2012
  • the demise of regional strategic planning in 2012, leaving development to proceed case-by-case, parcel by parcel, through negotiation between developers and councils, often with little reference to regional strategic considerations.

A new campaign called “SEQ Green Space Strategy 2032” was born in March 2026. This page accesses documentary materials relevant to the campaign.

For background materials, prior to March 2026, see Open space in SEQ 1994-2021; ROSS supplementary materials; and a chronology of 2004-2012 by the SEQ Community Alliance, as well as numerous other relevant documents in the twin PaRC collections.

See also the website of the SEQ Community Alliance and a separate post for the SEQ Community Alliance.

 

Review Status: Pending
Posted in Narratives, Planning, policy and legislation |

May Moon MBE

Updated on date by author

May Moon, stalwart of the Save the Dandenongs League, died in 1977 but her legacy, including the League itself, lives on.

From the League’s website (as at 2.10.2026):
“May Moon, MBE was born in 1893 and became a kindergarten teacher. During World War II she ran a nursery boarding school at Montrose. She retired in 1950 and built her own small cottage to live in at Kalorama.

May became aware of threats to the natural environment in the Dandenongs such as tree removal and small lot subdivision. With assistance from Prof. John Turner (Professor of Botany), she called a public meeting at Olinda Hall in October 1950, which was attended by 200 people and ‘Save The Dandenongs League’ was born.

She became hon. Secretary for the next 27 years.

She and Professor Turner were allies. She was the firebrand and he was the steadying influence. She got involved in many local issues, a small but formidable woman she marshalled her facts, and assailed politicians and public servants alike.

With the state government, the League raised money to buy the land for Kalorama Park. This was one of many achievements. May also donated her 2¼ acre land at Montrose for an aged care facility in 1976, which was built and called ‘Tullamore’.

May Moon died in 1977 and there is a plaque in her memory in Kalorama Park.”

Click here for a reference to the plaque on the website of Monument Australia.

Click here for a testimonial in The Age newspaper.

Click here for her entry in the “Her Place” website.

Review Status: Pending
Posted in Inspirational People, Narratives |

Macquarie Point and the stadium

Updated on date by author

The controversy following the demand by the Australian Football League that the Tasmanian Government build a stadium at a specified location in Hobart has significant implications for urban planning, traffic planning, city amenity – and in general, due process wherever a major facility is proposed.

In research for an article for The Mandarin online newsletter in August 2026, I found it difficult to find a copy of one of the benchmark reports about this complex issue, so have decided to assemble several here.

To the best of public knowledge, the Macquarie Point project resulted from a deal between the Premier and the Australian Football League https://aapnews.aap.com.au/glance/news/tasmanian-government-releases-details-of-afl-deal without reference to Parliament or (at the time) Treasury and the Tasmanian Planning Commission. The AFL is not known to have expertise in urban or transport planning or to enjoy democratic accountability to Tasmanians, yet it specified the location, the form and a date of completion. (The TPC’s Integrated Assessment Report was issued in September 2025).

Eminent economist Nicholas Gruen’s report of January 2025 was scathing about the project – costs “significantly understated”, benefits “overstated”, benefit-cost of only 44c in the dollar (subsequently revised downward), “hallmarks of mismanagement”, likely at the wrong site and with heavy opportunity costs.

The Macquarie Point Development Corporation published a comprehensive report and summary on October 2024.

The Government’s response with summary was published in October 2025.

PaRC Secretary’s comment: What’s the point of environmental, planning or economic investigation and what’s even the point of the Tasmanian Planning Commission if deals are struck at a political level before any assessment? Further, the codes of conduct of the professions of planners, engineers and architects require their practitioners to serve the public interest. Denying them the opportunity to evaluate where the public interest lies in major proposed projects demeans their expert status and establishes a regressive precedent for subsequent assignments.

PaRC has not been able to locate a copy of the “Club Funding and Development Agreement”. The hotlink https://www.stategrowth.tas.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0008/435572/Club_Funding_and_Development_Agreement_-_Signed_3_May_2023.PDF is dead.

Review Status: Pending
Posted in Management and governance, Narratives |

Dogs in parks – and dog attacks in farmland – Victoria

Updated on date by author

This two-page leaflet described restrictions, the rationale behind them and the difference in restrictions in some specific areas of Victoria’s parks, reserves and forests – in 1987. Published here for historical reference.

Part of the rationale behind restrictions on dogs is visible in the Study of the Dog Problem in Fringe Farming Areas of Melbourne – 1980. Protecting open space depends not just on planning documents, but also on resolving issues that render management of open space difficult for the landowners.

Review Status: Pending
Posted in Narratives, Natural resources and environment, Open space and recreation areas |