Respondents in the online poll voted 50-50 on the move, which has lead to farmer petitions being tabled against the move, now making its way through parliament.

Campers should not be allowed on licensed river frontages, according to the respondents in an identical poll on the Wimmera Mail-Times website on the issue.

Clause 49 of the proposed Parks and Crown Land Legislation Amendment Bill 2019 would remove the existing prohibition on camping on licenced water frontages.

Thousands of farmers and landowners have joined forces to fight camping on licensed water frontage, tabling a petition in the Legislative council. The legislation is currently before the upper house but no timeline has been given on when a vote will be taken.

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Of the readers of the Ararat Advertiser and Stawell Mail-Times who took part in the online poll with the question "Should camping be allowed on licensed water frontage?", 50 per cent answered " No" and 50 per cent said "Yes".

In a separate poll, with an identical question, on the Wimmera Mail-Times website 65.96 per cent answered "No", while 34.04 per cent said "Yes".

This week Victorian Farmers Federation President, David Jochinke, in a letter to the editor, said that "allowing camping in licensed water frontages makes no sense".

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"Imagine one day you look out the front window and notice campers had decided to pitch a tent on your nature strip. It's safe to say it would be enough to raise your eyebrows and prompt a few questions," he wrote.

"The Victorian Government is proposing to make changes to the Land Act 1958 which looks to remove the existing prohibition on camping on licensed crown land water frontages. Put simply, this legislation is akin to letting people camp on someone's nature strip and is strongly opposed by the Victorian Farmers Federation."

Eastern Victoria Liberal MP Edward O'Donohue put an e-petition before parliament in early October on behalf of the Victorian Farmers Federation and Goulburn Valley veterinarian Angus McKinnon against the changes

Mr McKinnon, a member of a group of farmers who have crown leases on the Macalister River, said farmers needed the ability to stop people camping along waterways. "To allow unfettered access would be an unmitigated disaster for so many reasons," Dr McKinnon said.

The petition raises concerns about the environmental, social and economic impacts of camping, including risk of unattended campfires, bio-security and occupational health and safety concerns, littering and pollution.

The state opposition has said the Coalition will seek to amend the bill, to require campers to gain permission to camp from landholders with crown leases.

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