RECREATIONAL hunting on Mount Canobolas would diminish the tourism potential of the site, according to Orange City Council candidate Sarah Buckingham.
Legislation was passed in the upper house in June to allow recreational shooting in 79 of the state’s national parks and reserves within the next six months, including Mount Canobolas and the Mullion Range state conservation areas.
Mrs Buckingham said if she was elected to council she would lobby state government to ensure the two areas were exempt from the law.
“Mount Canobolas is Orange’s most iconic tourist destination and recreation area,” she said.
“I have spoken with tourism operators, farmers and vignerons who are concerned that recreational hunting on Mount Canobolas undermines safety and diminishes the tourism and recreational value of this important area.”
Mrs Buckingham said there would be inadequate staff to police hunting in these areas and this would lead to safety concerns for campers and bushwalkers.
There are alternatives for recreational hunters in the area and these should be used instead, according to Mrs Buckingham.
“Its [Mount Canobolas] main use is as a tourist destination and there are the other state forests like Kinross,” she said.
Claims that recreational hunting will help reduce feral animal numbers are incorrect, Mrs Buckingham said.
“It’s not an effective feral pest control and it’s not the job of hunters,” she said.
nadine.morton@ruralpress.com