Forest and Park roads reopening in Gippsland
Forest and park roads reopening in Gippsland
Roads and tracks in Gippsland's forests and parks will reopen on Thursday, November 1 as seasonal closures finish for the year.
Forest Fire Management Victoria (FFMVic) and Parks Victoria have wrapped up their Seasonal Road Closure program, which runs during the cooler months to ensure driver safety and protect forest and park roads from damage.
Gippsland's Acting Assistant Chief Fire Officer, Kelly Rash said: "Most roads will be reopened in time for the Melbourne Cup long weekend, with a handful of tracks located in water supply catchment areas in the Latrobe District to remain closed until November 30."
"The seasonal road closure program runs through winter and spring and focuses on certain sections of the forest road network that would rapidly disintegrate if opened for the entire year," Ms Rash said.
"It's a necessary annual measure that limits damage to park and forest tracks during the wetter seasons, maintains the water quality in rivers, creeks and reservoirs and protects motorists from tracks that are dangerous or difficult to navigate during hazardous conditions.
"Protecting these track surfaces in Gippsland over winter means they are now ready for all their great recreational uses such as four-wheel driving, walking and bike riding as the weather is starting to warm up.
"We would like to thank the Four-Wheel Drive Victoria volunteers who helped with the maintenance and promotion of these seasonal closures.
"While we've made every effort to ensure the roads are ready for the opening weekend, drivers should be prepared to encounter fallen trees or other debris.
"Our parks and forests are beautiful places to visit, and we encourage everyone to do the right thing and obey all road signs and rules so that everyone can enjoy them."
To plan a trip and check road closures visit https://www.ffm.vic.gov.au/visiting-state-forests/forest-and-road-closures
For informational on seasonal closures in parks, including opening and closing dates, visit http://parkweb.vic.gov.au/safety/closures/seasonal-road-closures2
You can also contact your local DELWP office by calling 136 186, or Parks Victoria on 13 1963.
