Has the government mishandled the removal of ancient trees in Djub Wurrung country?
In Western Victoria, in an area known by indigenous people as Djub Wurrung country, the government is turning the single lane Western Highway into a double lane road in order to make it safer and faster. To increase the size of the highway, land has needed to be cleared and old growth trees cut down. This has included cutting down trees which are hundreds of years old and which are sacred to the Djub Wurrung people, such as “the directions tree” (a tree given to an indigenous child at their birth) which was felled in October. Local indigenous people and environmental activists claim the government has not done enough to avoid cutting down the trees. Advocates for the highway and the government refute this and argue that the proposed route for the highway is the most efficient and environmentally friendly.
