Anew conservation park is proposed for a wetland area between Rendelsham and Southend to provide greater protection for rare flora and fauna.

Th Department for Environment and Water wants to change the status of Mullins Swamp which occupies an area of 244 hectares.

Over 50 species of native flora have been recorded in the area, providing habitat for at least 83 species of native fauna including many that are listed as threatened.

Nationally threatened species include the Australasian bittern and the curlew sandpiper, little galaxias, southern pygmy perch and Yarra pygmy perch.

State threatened species include the Rufus bristlebird, ruddy turnstone, pectoral sandpiper, black-tailed godwit, glossy ibis, Australasian shoveller, southern emu wren (south east), beautiful firetail (south east), white-lipped snake, swamp rat, vulnerable banded stilt and glossy grass skink.

The site near the Southern Ports Highway and the Lake Frome Conservation Park is an ibis-breeding site and provides critical summer and drought refuge for local waterbirds

Mullins Swamp is currently Crown land dedicated to the Millicent-based South Eastern Water Conservation and Drainage Board.

The Drainage Board currently manages the land and wetland for drainage purposes and it will continue to have access in order to fulfil its statutory duties and undertake any necessary works for the effective management of the drainage system.

There is no other public access to Mullins Swamp as it is surrounded by private land.

It is not proposed the new park will provide any additional public access.

Details of the proposed proclamation were detailed in a letter from National Parks protected area program manager Kathryn Nicolai which was tabled at the May monthly meeting of Wattle Range Council.

“The proposed proclamation is in recognition of the significance of the swamp from a biodiversity perspective,” Ms Nicolai said.

“It will provide greater legislative protection under the National Parks and Wildlife Act 1972, contributing to the conservation of the natural values of the land.

“Following the change of land tenure from dedicated Crown land to conservation park, a new park management plan will be developed guiding the future management of Mullins Swamp.

“We propose that grazing leases may be issued to adjoining landholders who currently use the area for grazing, where it is determined they continue to have benefits to the management of habitat.”

Council chief executive Ben Gower said the letter was included in the agenda for the purpose of providing councillors with information.

The family of Councillor Moira Neagle are long-term landowners in this area and spoke about the proclamation.

She said the proposed Mullins Swamp proclamation was a response to departmental public forums staged last year about the future of coastal parks.

“This has been hanging over our heads for 40 years,” Cr Neagle said.

She stated the Department for Environment and Water might erect fences in that area but doubted that this State Government agency had the financial capacity to maintain them.

“Any visitation to Mullins Swamp would be over private land,” Cr Neagle said.

“Mullins Swamp has its own defences as it is teeming with tiger snakes.”

Council resolved to receive and note the letter.