Visitors have started to flock back to Mount Buffalo National Park after its partial reopening from last Tuesday, following advice from Victoria Police.
While some areas of the park remain closed, many popular locations are opened, and Parks Victoria and police are working to re-open access to all the park as soon as it's safe to do so.
Full details are available on the Parks Victoria website, with staff patrolling and signage displayed around the park.
Since 26 August, hundreds of Victoria Police officers and specialist resources from across Australia and New Zealand have been tirelessly searching Porepunkah and surrounding areas for armed fugitive Desmond Freeman, who fled his property at Rayner Track into adjoining parkland after allegedly shooting and killing Detective Leading Senior Constable Neal Thompson and Senior Constable Vadim de Waart-Hottart and injuring a third officer.
As part of this search, Victoria Police’s tactical members, Public Order Response Team as well as other specialist resources, have searched large areas of the Mount Buffalo National Park.
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Extensive searches of the park have also been conducted from the air, supported by Victoria Police Air Wing and other specialist support.
More than 800 people have been spoken to by police, including several of Freeman’s associates, and officers have searched hundreds of properties either by the owner’s consent or warrant.
Detectives have investigated over 1600 pieces of intelligence, including information received from the public.
Despite these extensive searches and enquiries, police have not located Freeman.
Victoria Police have said this work has, however, given the force the confidence that the park can now reopen, as they know how important it is for the local community.
With the park reopening, police are urging anyone with hunting or trail cameras to check their footage and share any information that may assist investigators.
Victoria Police said the re-opening of the park does not signify the end of the search for Freeman, and it will continue to maintain a strong presence in the area.
Anyone who sees Freeman should phone Triple Zero (000) immediately and not approach him.
Any suspicious behaviour, including anything the community notices at the Mount Buffalo National Park, should be reported to Crime Stoppers Victoria via 1800 333 000 or crimestoppersvic.com.au.
A reward of up to $1 million remains for information leading to Freeman’s arrest.
Victoria Police is grateful to Parks Victoria for their cooperation over the last two months, which has most recently included its staff checking facilities in the park before re-opening.
Police again thank the public for their overwhelming support since the tragic events on 26 August.
Information about which areas of the park are open is available here: https://www.parks.vic.gov.au/places-to-see/parks/mount-buffalo-national-park#change-of-conditions
PARK AREAS OPENED
Eurobin Picnic Area, Lady Bath and Eurobin Falls track, Rollason’s Falls track, Chalet/Gorge precinct and Gorge Heritage walk, Underground River and View Point track, Monolith track, Gorge-Catani track, Lakeside Walk, Lakeside BBQ area and Lake Catani, Lake view track, Challwell Galleries, Old Galleries, Torpedo Rock and Leviathan
Cathedral Saddle including the Hump and Le Souef, Cresta Valley, Dickson’s Falls, The Horn.
PARK AREAS CLOSED
The Big Walk, Reservoir Road and Ballroom tracks, Og Gog Magog, Mollison’s Galleries track - including eagle point lookout and linking tracks, Rocky Creek and Mt McLeod tracks and campgrounds, Mt Dunn Walking track and linking tracks, Macs Point Track and linking tracks, South Buffalo walking track, Back Wall walking track, Keatings Tk.
