Protesters clashed with Hepburn Shire Council staff and a contractor at Lake Daylesford on Monday in an attempt to prevent the removal of more than 30 geese.
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Hepburn Shire Council unanimously voted to remove the geese from Lake Daylesford at a council meeting last Tuesday evening and a contractor was employed to remove the geese.
More than 30 people gathered at the lake in an attempt to prevent their removal on Monday, including regional culinary pioneer Alla Wolf-Tasker.
Watch Alla Wolf-Tasker attempt to prevent the removal of the geese below.
Ms Wolf-Tasker said she was upset about the removal of the geese and the lack of consultation with community.
"All we were asking for was sensible consultation and debate... The community was not consulted on this action," she said.
"All day we have been ringing the shire to ask to stop this or delay it and have a proper consultation."
Ms Wolf-Tasker said the petition showed there was 'no question' the geese had been an icon at Lake Daylesford for at least four decades.
"I have lived and work here on the lake for 40 years. It is human destruction that causes more damage to these environs than any geese ever will," she said.
"This lake is a highly urbanised destination, it is a tourist facility and it was never meant to be a pristine environment; there are dogs, housing and car parks all around it. We do have native birds that co-exist with the geese."
More than 3,700 people signed an online petition that was started on Wednesday in an effort to keep the geese at the lake.
Petition organiser Kate Parry posted on the site on Monday afternoon saying the scene at the lake was 'distressing' and the witnesses were 'inconsolable'.
"Many residents did everything they could to prevent this from happening - from physically restraining the catcher to blockading council vehicles," she wrote.
"The Hepburn Shire continued to act in spite of receiving a legal letter informing the shire that an injunction was being requested via VCAT this morning.
"We need a day to regroup and consider what action to take next. It's a shameful day for the Hepburn Shire and a huge loss to the community and all those who love the area and it's animals."
Meanwhile, other residents expressed support for council's decision to remove the geese to promote biodiversity and native animals.
Hepburn Shire Council posted a statement from Mayor Don Henderson on its Facebook page on Monday afternoon.
"Council's decision to re-home the domestic geese and ducks was made on sound environmental, social and economic grounds," the statement said.
"The domestic geese were impacting the environment of the lake and driving away native birds (including black swans), there have been complaints from visitors to the lake about the aggressive behaviour of the birds (particularly during breeding season) and there are costs associated with cleaning-up after the geese."
In the statement, Cr Henderson said council was prevented from re-homing four of the 33 geese as they were moved to private land.
"Council will be monitoring the lake for the remaining four geese and any potential breaches of the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act 1986 (abandonment of domestic animals).
"The rehomed geese and ducks will make their new home in an animal sanctuary, where they will have access to 5 dams on a secure private property."