Although Stage 1 of the draft native vegetation regulatory map has been released for 11 LGAs amid calls for concern from some in the rural sector, there has been minimal requests for review.
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Since October 2022, only four landholders have requested a review - a low number that the Department of Planning and Environment has attributed to consultation work carried out in advance.
"The draft map has been through a variety of consultations and external reviews which found it is typically very accurate," a spokesperson for the Department said.
"Since August 2017, the DPE has completed 194 landholder initiated map reviews in relation to Sensitive and Vulnerable regulated land.
"These have resulted in a net change of 1.4 per cent across the area mapped in those categories."
The department spokesperson said the draft NVR map had been widely viewed.
"Since the release of Stage 1 of the draft NVR map in October 2022 there have been over 13,000 website views and 4,000 views of the draft map with only four review requests," they said.
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Meanwhile, the 12 month timeframe for the map to be finalised has been criticised by some, including Mildura grape grower Gordon GE.
Mr GE purchased more than 320 hectares of land to further develop his table grape enterprise.
When fully developed, the property will produce 300,000 nine kilogram boxes of table grapes annually, predominantly for export to China.
Mr GE said his operation was being held up by red tape regarding a 100 metre firebreak, developed by the previous owner around most of his property which is being called regulated land.
However, the location of the property is outside the Stage 1 map and therefore is unavailable for review.
Working on behalf of Mr GE, BlackburnAgri managing director Peter Ware said the issue had soured him.
"I have gone from a fan of the legislation to a person who thinks the whole approach is a joke and a waste of time," Mr Ware said.
"We have a patch of soil with no vegetation, legally cleared for construction of trellis but can't have grapes planted on the trellis.
"It is legally cleared for irrigation infrastructure but can't have the water turned on.
"It can be assessed via biodiversity assessment methodology which we know will not require offset. It then goes to a panel that has apparently only progressed one application in five years.
"The water use approval can't be amended because the transitional regulatory map shows the land as regulated.
"I cannot get the regulatory map reviewed because it is not released yet."
