Ararat's Peter Jovic has raised concerns over the open mine shafts and rubbish in the Ararat Hills Reserve.
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The keen bushwalker and gold prospector has contacted many organisations to bring light to his safety and environment concerns within the reserve.
"I've tried to contact Parks Victoria via many avenues but no one wants to talk to me," he said.
"When I've been in the area looking for gold we've come across some really deep mine shafts.
"If someone went down there, you would never find them again."
Mr Jovic believes a few of the shafts are where miners originally went down into the reef to look for gold.
"It must of been a smaller person as it's not very big but there is a couple of deep shafts out there," he said.
"And to be honest, there's probably more than a few.
"We do a lot of walking around the park, on all the tracks and do up to about 12 kilometres through the park."
Mr Jovic said it was also concerning he had not seen any signs of the rubbish littered in the park being removed.
"There is people's take away rubbish dumped in the bush," he said.
"There's also tyres and in some parts cement and an old fridge.
"I've raised the issue with council as well, but it doesn't fall under their coverage area."
Mr Jovic believed the park had a lot of potential.
"It's a beautiful area - there's a lot that could be done within the reserve," he said.
"No one maintains the tracks, they've been washed away with big deep holes."
As an active volunteer within the region, Mr Jovic said he wouldn't mind pitching in and helping to clean up the area.
"I would offer to take a garbage bag and pick up some of the lighter rubbish I find," he said.
"But where can I take the rubbish I pick up?"
Parks Victoria ranger team leader Mike Stevens said old mine shafts weren't exclusive to the Ararat Hills Regional Park.
"There are thousands of old mine shafts across Victoria's historic gold-mining areas such as Ararat," he said.
"When visiting Ararat Hills Regional Park, people should remain on its extensive network of tracks.
"Unfortunately, rubbish dumped in parks is an ongoing challenge. Rubbish removal costs Parks Victoria around $1 million each year and diverts Park Rangers' time away from managing and improving the state's parks and reserves."
Mr Stevens said staff were conducting weekly patrols of parks and reserves, collecting rubbish, and Parks Victoria have a new compliance ranger who will be looking at illegal rubbish dumping.
"Rubbish dumping is hazardous to humans, wildlife and the environment. Illegal waste like asbestos is harmful to humans, garden clippings spread invasive weeds, reptiles can get caught in discarded cans, and kangaroos can get cut and tangled in dumped wire and metal," he said.
"Although we use new surveillance techniques, like remote cameras to identify rubbish dumpers, park visitors and neighbours remain an important source of information and deterrence.
"Anyone witnessing rubbish dumping or littering in a park can call Parks Victoria on 13 1963 or the EPA Litter line: 1300 372 842. The EPA 'Report Litter' app can also be downloaded from the Apple or Google app stores."
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