THE refusal of the Rural City of Wangaratta to hear the views of the Rivers and Red Gum Environment Alliance has stunned the organisation.

The alliance, representing over 96,000 people along the length of the Murray River, is heading the battle against controversial recommendations put forward by the Victorian Environmental Assessment Council in relation to future land use.

VEAC wants large tracts of land along the river banks declared as national parks, including the Lower Ovens River and the Warby Range.

VEAC said this is necessary to protect the health of river red gums and also the river itself, and has recommended a massive flooding program on a regular basis.

Its proposals were put forward at a public forum in Wangaratta in September, and received a hostile response from a large crowd present.