by Keith Anderson
The several hundred people that attended a "community engagement" meeting at Drouin last week over proposals to re-designate major areas of state forest as national park were unanimous in their opposition to the plan, but left feeling their views will not carry much weight with the state government.
There has been strong backlash to the proposal from communities and others affected if the Central Highlands State Forest, closed to native timber harvesting since the start of this year, became what has been termed the Great Forest National Park.
The strong crowd at the Drouin meeting, including people from throughout Baw Baw Shire as well as Cardinia, South Gippsland and Latrobe City local government areas, filled the Drouin Tennis Club clubrooms and spilled to the verandah and surrounding area.

Speaking afterwards some of the attendees said the national park plan,