Victorian Environmental Assessment Council (VEAC)

On 5 September 2022, the Minister for Environment and Climate Action requested VEAC undertake an assessment of early government-accepted Land Conservation Council recommendations.

The assessment will consider the status of government-accepted public land use category recommendations made by the LCC between 1973 and 1983, including to:

1. identify government-accepted public land use recommendations that require review and
2. identify government-accepted public land use recommendations that have been superseded by subsequent government policy decisions.

The assessment supports the current reforms to public land legislation by identifying land use recommendations that require review to ensure the proposed transition to public land management categories, as recommended in the Council’s Statewide Assessment of Public Land Final Report (2017), is based on current and appropriate government-accepted recommendations for public land use categories.

The Council must provide a final report of its assessment within nine months of the date of the request. The assessment does not extend to recommending changes to public land use, and public consultation is not required.

The full terms of reference for VEAC’s assessment are available on VEAC’s website.

In accordance with section 26C (1) of the Victorian Environmental Assessment Council Act 2001, the Minister for Environment and Climate Action tabled the notice of request for the advice in both Houses of Parliament on 20 September 2022. The request was published in the Victorian Government Gazette on 21 September 2022.

On 30 November 2020, the Minister for Energy, Environment and Climate Change requested VEAC to provide advice on aspects of public land use information.

The request is for technical advice and does not extend to recommending changes to public land use.

The advice will focus on:

1. data on recreational activities on Victoria’s public land and any significant knowledge gaps relating to those activities, and
2. (b) improvements to the VEACRECs25 dataset.

VEACRECs25 is a dataset maintained by VEAC that provides a spatial representation at 1:25,000 scale of the public land use decisions of the Victorian Government or Parliament, including the government-accepted recommendations of VEAC and its predecessors (the Environment Conservation Council and the Land Conservation Council). VEACRECs25 is a key tool to help land managers and the community understand the purpose for which public land is to be managed.

VEAC must provide reports containing its advice by 30 April 2023 with separate reports for topics (a) and (b). VEAC provided a progress update on its work in June 2020.

The full terms of reference and progress update for VEAC’s advice are available on VEAC’s website.

In accordance with section 26C (1) of the Victorian Environmental Assessment Council Act 2001, the Minister for Energy, Environment and Climate Change tabled the notice of request for the advice in both Houses of Parliament on 8 December 2020. The request was published in the Victorian Government Gazette on 7 December 2020.

On 25 November 2021, the Minister for Energy, Environment and Climate Change requested VEAC assess the values of state forests in the Immediate Protection Areas (IPAs) in the Strathbogie Ranges and Mirboo North.

The assessment informed the work of an Eminent Panel for Community Engagement (EPCE) in its provision of advice and recommendations to the Minister on the future uses of the Immediate Protection Areas.

The purpose of the assessment was to:

(a)  identify the biodiversity, ecological and geological and geomorphological values of the specified area

(b)  identify the cultural heritage, social and economic values of the specified area

(c)  identify the current and likely future threats to those values, including climate change

(d)  identify the typical land use categories commensurate with the identified values

(e)  assess the potential economic implications of proposed land use changes recommended by the EPCE and provided to the Council

The full terms of reference for VEAC’s assessment and VEAC’s Assessment of the values of Immediate Protection Areas in the Strathbogie Ranges and Mirboo North Final Report are available on VEAC’s website.

In 2018, the Victorian Government commissioned VEAC to assess Victoria’s coastal reserves.

The purpose of the assessment was to:

• review the number and types (reservation status) of coastal reserves in Victoria
• identify reserves with high environmental, cultural heritage, social and economic values and identify values at risk from the impacts of climate change
• identify current and emerging uses of the coastal reserves
• compile an inventory, including spatial distribution, of values and uses of the coastal reserves.

The full terms of reference for the assessment and VEAC’s Assessment of Victoria’s Coastal Reserves Final Report are available on VEAC's website.

VEAC made 9 recommendations to assist the Victorian Government’s administration, future planning and decision making for the coast.

The Victorian Government accepted or accepted in principle the recommendations made by VEAC in its Assessment of Victoria’s Coastal Reserves Final Report.

The government has responded to recommendations relating to:

• clarifying shoreline law
• improving the transparency and accessibility of Crown land information
• improving the alignment of Crown land parcels with public land use recommendations, management arrangements and ambulatory boundaries
• developing decision-support tools and management advice for coastal reserve managers.

You can read the response here: Victorian government response to VEAC’s Assessment of Victoria’s Coastal Reserves (PDF, 658.0 KB)

In March 2017, VEAC was requested by the Minister for Energy, Environment and Climate Change to undertake a Central West Investigation. The purpose of the investigation was to identify and evaluate:

• the condition of public land;
• natural and biodiversity values;
• cultural, social and economic values; and
• the current uses of public land in the specified area.

The investigation examined three distinct blocks of public land: The Mount Cole–Pyrenees block (near Beaufort and Avoca), the Wellsford block (near Bendigo) and the Wombat–Macedon block (near Daylesford and Trentham).

The full terms of reference for the investigation and VEAC’s Central West Investigation Final Report are available on VEAC's website.

In its final report, VEAC made 77 recommendations for the protection and ecologically sustainable management and use of the environment and natural resources in central west Victoria.

On 24 June 2021 the Minister for Energy, Environment and Climate Change tabled the Victorian Government Response to VEAC’s Central West Investigation Final Report in parliament. The government accepted, accepted in part, or accepted in principle 76 of VEAC’s 77 recommendations.

You can read the response here: Victorian Government Response to VEAC’s Central West Investigation Final Report

On 4 March 2018, the Minister for Energy, Environment and Climate Change requested VEAC to carry out an assessment of the values of Victoria's marine environment. The assessment was sought to inform the development of a state-wide marine and coastal strategy and support the development of the proposed Marine Spatial Planning Framework, as outlined in Action 1.1 of Victoria's Marine and Coastal Reforms Final Transition Plan.

VEAC’s Assessment of the values of Victoria’s marine environment report was publicly released in May 2019. VEAC was not required to, and did not make, any recommendations to the Victorian Government in their final report.

The full terms of reference for the assessment and VEAC’s report are available on VEAC's website.

In September 2014, the then Minister for Environment and Climate Change asked VEAC to carry out an investigation into public land in Victoria to provide updated information for public land management

The Council was requested to investigate and provide:

• an assessment of the current system of public land use categories
• an assessment of the current reservation status of public land, and
• an inventory of the types of values on public land.

VEAC's Statewide Assessment of Public Land Final Report was publicly released on 8 May 2017 and is available on the VEAC website. VEAC made 30 recommendations to the Victorian Government as a result of the investigation.

On 12 December 2017, the Minister for Energy, Environment and Climate Change tabled the Victorian Government Response to VEAC's Statewide Assessment of Public Land Final Report in Parliament. The government accepted, accepted in principle or in part, all 30 of VEAC's recommendations.

Victorian Government Response to VEAC's State wide Assessment of Public Land Final Report (PDF, 917.9 KB)Victorian Government Response to VEAC's State wide Assessment of Public Land Final Report (DOCX, 4.3 MB)

In November 2016, the Minister for Energy, Environment and Climate Change requested VEAC to carry out an assessment of the viability of and capacity for, current volumes and potential fibre and wood supply areas in State forests in the Central Highlands, North East, Gippsland and East Gippsland regional forest agreement areas.

The purpose of the assessment was to:

• Identify the current, and currently projected, fibre and wood supply to industry from the specified area. The Council was required to take into consideration current contractual supply commitments.
• Identify the current and likely future constraints to this supply.
• Report on public land use and management.
• Report on the viability of and capacity for current and potential wood and fibre supply over appropriate time scales.

The Fibre and Wood Supply Assessment Report was publicly released on 10 May 2017 and is available from the VEAC website. VEAC was not required to, and did not make, any recommendations to the Victorian Government in their final report.

In September 2016, the Minister for Energy, Environment and Climate Change requested VEAC to carry out an assessment of the conservation values of State forests in the Central Highlands, North East, Gippsland and East Gippsland regional forest agreement areas.

The purpose of the assessment was to:

• identify the biodiversity and ecological values in the specified area
• identify the current and likely future threats to these values, and
• report on public land use and management.

The Conservation Values of State Forests Assessment Report was publicly released on 7 March 2017 and is available from the Victorian Environmental Assessment Council website. VEAC was not required to, and did not make, any recommendations to the Victorian Government in their final report.

In March 2014, the then Minister for Environment and Climate Change requested VEAC to investigate historic places on public land in Victoria. On 31 August 2016, VEAC provided its Historic Places Investigation Final Report to the Minister for Energy, Environment and Climate Change.

On 7 June 2017, the Minister for Energy, Environment and Climate Change tabled the Victorian Government Response to VEAC's Historic Places Investigation Final Report in Parliament. The government responded to the 11 recommendations made by VEAC and supported, supported in principle or in part, 10 of VEAC's 11 recommendations.

Victorian Government Response to VEAC's Historic Places Investigation Final Report (PDF, 436.0 KB)Victorian Government Response to VEAC's Historic Places Investigation Final Report (DOCX, 2.6 MB)

In October 2011, the then Minister for Environment and Climate Change requested VEAC to investigate the performance and management of Victoria's existing marine protected areas, and the ongoing threats and challenges that these areas face into the future.

VEAC completed the investigation in April 2014 and made 38 recommendations to the Victorian Government. On 31 August 2016 the Minister for Energy, Environment and Climate Change tabled the Victorian Government Response to VEAC’s Marine Investigation. The government response supports all VEAC's recommendations in full or in principle.

Victorian Government Response to VEAC's Marine Investigation (PDF, 362.8 KB)Victorian Government Response to VEAC's Marine Investigation (DOCX, 1.2 MB)

In August 2011, the then Minister for Environment and Climate Change requested VEAC to investigate public land in the Yellingbo area, focusing on its biodiversity and ecological values and arrangements to conserve and enhance these values. VEAC's Yellingbo Investigation Final Report was publicly released on 7 August 2013.

The Victorian Government Response to VEAC's Yellingbo Investigation (PDF, 195.9 KB) accepts all of VEAC's recommendations in full or in principle.

Questions and Answers about the Victorian Government Response to VEAC's Yellingbo Investigation (DOCX, 18.7 KB).

For further information on the Yellingbo Investigation, visit the VEAC website.

In August 2012, the then Minister for Environment and Climate Change requested VEAC to investigate "under what circumstances it is appropriate that greater access be provided for low impact prospecting, while still protecting the heritage and environmental values of our national parks". VEAC's Investigation into Additional Prospecting Areas in Parks Report was publicly released on 7 June 2013. VEAC made six recommendations to the Victorian Government in this report.

The Victorian Government Response to VEAC's Investigation into Additional Prospecting Areas in Parks (PDF, 445.0 KB) was tabled in Parliament and publicly released on 4 February 2014, and includes three main changes for recreational prospectors.

VEAC's report and other details about the investigation are available from VEAC’s website.