DOCSLIB.ORG

Parks Victoria's Annual Report 2019-20

Total Page：16

File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb

Download full-text PDF Read full-text
Parks Victoria's Annual Report 2019-20 ANNUAL REPORT 2019–2020 Acknowledgement of Country Victoria’s network of parks and reserves form the core of Aboriginal cultural landscapes, which have been modified over many thousands of years of occupation. They are reflections of how Aboriginal people engaged with their world and experienced their surroundings and are the product of thousands of generations of economic activity, material culture and settlement patterns. The landscapes we see today are influenced by the skills, knowledge and activities of Aboriginal land managers. Parks Victoria acknowledges the Traditional Owners of these cultural landscapes, recognising their continuing connection to Victoria’s parks and reserves and their ongoing role in caring for Country. Copyright © State of Victoria, Parks Victoria 2020 Level 10, 535 Bourke Street, Melbourne VIC 3000 ISSN 1448 – 9082 ISSN 1448 – 9090 (online) Published on www.parks.vic.gov.au This publication may be of assistance to you but Parks Victoria and its employees do not guarantee that the publication is without flaw of any kind or is wholly appropriate for your particular purposes and therefore disclaims all liability for any error, loss or other consequence which may arise from you relying on any information in this publication. This report was printed on 100% recycled paper Approved by Parks Victoria Board 6 October 2020 Front cover image: Fern regrowth following bushfire Inside front cover image: Djandak Wii – cultural use of fire (Wii) to heal Dja Dja Wurrung Country (Dhelkunya Djandak), Lake Boort Inside back cover image: Cape Schanck Lighthouse Reserve, Mornington Peninsula National Park Contents Chair’s Overview 1 Chief Executive Officer’s Overview 2 Our Achievements 3 About Parks Victoria 5 2019-20 Victorian Bushfires 9 Conserving Victoria’s Special Places 12 Connecting People and Parks 18 Providing Benefits Beyond Park Boundaries 24 Enhancing Organisational Excellence 30 Compliance and Disclosures 38 Governance and Organisational Structure 40 Workforce Data 47 Other Disclosures 49 Financial Report for the year ended 30 June 2020 63 Parks Victoria Annual Report 2019–2020 Chair’s Overview In accordance with the Financial Management • Building the iconic Grampians Peak Trail. Act 1994, I am pleased to present Parks Victoria’s • Implementing environmental Annual Report for the 2019–20 financial year. sustainability initiatives. For Victoria this was a very challenging period; • Managing the financial impacts of these particularly in managing the summer bushfires tragic events. and the impacts of the Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. I recognise and applaud the incredible I sincerely thank the members of the Parks Victoria efforts made by our people and our volunteers. Board, and our CEO Matthew Jackson and his team for their remarkable efforts through a challenging Throughout the fire season our people battled 2019–20. raging bushfires, managed incident control centres and rescued key species from the brink of extinction. In 2020–21, we will work to repair and reopen The bushfires burned significant areas of parkland, our parks and promote visitation to regional particularly in the east of the state. Very sadly, we locations, as soon as it is safe to do so. Victorians lost a highly valued staff member Bill Slade during have never needed a high-quality park network the firefighting operations and celebrated his life as much as now. at his funeral on 22 January 2020. Following the fires, Parks Victoria commenced large-scale conservation and asset repair programs that are still continuing. From March 2020, many parks and other recreation facilities were access restricted or closed as part of the State Government’s response plan to COVID-19. Parks Victoria also continued to deliver services and support for park operators and businesses. This again Jeff Floyd required a major effort on behalf of our people that Chair is ongoing. A large number of operational plans were implemented to protect the Victorian public, while many of our people had to work from home. Every effort was also made to deliver our other priorities, including: • Ensuring the safety and wellbeing of our people. • Furthering joint management with Traditional Owners. • Extensive feral animal control and conservation works. • Aboriginal cultural heritage protection. 1 Chief Executive Officer’s Overview The past year has been a period that we will never I am so proud of our people, who rose to these forget. We began the year with the World Heritage challenges and continued to provide ongoing services listing of the Budj Bim Cultural Landscape in south- to the Victorian community. west Victoria. This was a fitting recognition of the area’s outstanding universal value and heralded I must also acknowledge the loss of Bill Slade, who in a series of successes in managing Country in was tragically killed fighting fires on 11 January 2020. partnership with Traditional Owners. Bill was a much-loved colleague, friend and member of the Wonthaggi community. He is deeply missed by During the summer, widespread bushfires devastated his team and Parks Victoria colleagues. Bill worked communities and parks, followed closely by COVID-19. for Parks Victoria for over 40 years, firefighting and The challenges that faced Victorians were immense. caring for Parks Victoria’s estate in South Gippsland. For our people at Parks Victoria, our experience of this period was incredibly difficult, but also very rewarding. I look forward to continuing to lead our people into 2020–21. We are proud to be able to help Victorians Key achievements included: and their communities recover following the bushfires and continue to support their health and wellbeing • Improved safety performance with a significant through connections with nature. reduction in our injury frequency rate. • 779 staff deployed across 18,361 shifts to fight bushfires. • 2.2 million hectares treated for pest plants and animals to improve biodiversity across the state. • $45.3 million invested in capital projects to improve access and experiences in parks, and contribute to the Victorian economy. • 22,000 volunteers proudly contributing to Matthew Jackson the health and vibrancy of our parks. Chief Executive Officer • Swift and effective response to implement a range of measures to support the State Government’s management of COVID-19. • A rapid and effective transition to new ways of working as office-based staff moved to working from home. Parks Victoria Annual Report 2019–2020 2 Our Achievements CONSERVING VICTORIA’S CONNECTING PEOPLE SPECIAL PLACES AND PARKS Increase the resilience of natural and cultural assets Improve the health and wellbeing of Victorians in parks and maintain ecosystem services in the face through the management of a parks estate that of climate change and other stressors is valued by the community Page 12 Page 18 Strategic directions Strategic directions 1. Improve our approach using 1. Strive to keep parks safe, open, contemporary science to manage clean and maintained priority natural and cultural assets in parks 2. Provide and maintain quality infrastructure 2. Conserve and restore ecological processes to support visitation in priority locations 3. Attract and connect with visitors 3. Develop and foster partnerships with Traditional in meaningful ways Owners to effectively implement Traditional Owner Settlement outcomes, including joint management 4. Provide modern and engaging ways to enhance individuals experience while in parks 4. Promote enjoyment and understanding of our natural and cultural heritage, and conserve and manage important sites with the community 2019–20 highlights 2019–20 highlights • Celebrated the Budj Bim cultural landscape being inscribed • Supported 22,000 volunteers who recorded 204,950 on the UNESCO World Heritage list. volunteering hours across 250 parks and reserves despite bushfire and COVID-19 impacts. • Delivered 2.2 million hectares of pest plant and pest animal treatment across the state, significantly higher than the 1.5 • Launched ‘Nature First Supporters’, a 12-month pilot million hectares delivered in 2018–19. membership program to connect interested community members with Victoria’s parks, waterways and native • Supported the Department of Environment, Land, Water and wildlife. Planning (DELWP) to embed biodiversity and environmental considerations into Incident Management Teams to inform • Parks Victoria admitted into the ‘Hall of Fame’ for Victoria’s decision-making relating to bushfire control. Tourism Awards for Inclusive and Accessible Tourism. • Implemented emergency extractions of threatened species • Increased park visitation in June 2020 (when compared both ahead of, and following, the bushfires. with June 2019) at various locations following the COVID-19 restrictions being lifted. Visits to sites at • Adjusted the targeted invasive weeds and pest animal Kinglake and Wilsons Promontory national parks control programs in East Gippsland and in North East increased by 180 per cent and 69 per cent respectively. following the 2019–20 bushfires to better protect biodiversity in affected parks. • Developed a trail classification system to identify and grade park trails suitable for all-terrain ‘TrailRider’ • Recorded suitable habitat for Plains Wanderer birds in wheelchair users. 58 per cent of monitored plots, an increase of 38 per cent from two years ago. • Provided disability awareness and engagement training online to 1,491 staff and 277 volunteers. • Supported the Yorta Yorta Traditional Owner Land Management Board’s development
Load more

Recommended publications
  • Primary Rainforest Mapping in Victoria 2018 - Extent and Type
    Primary Rainforest Mapping in Victoria 2018 - extent and type Matt White, Khorloo Batpurev, Owen Salkin and Graeme Newell May 2019 Arthur Rylah Institute for Environmental Research Technical Report Series No. 309 Acknowledgment We acknowledge and respect Victorian Traditional Owners as the original custodians of Victoria's land and waters, their unique ability to care for Country and deep spiritual connection to it. We honour Elders past and present whose knowledge and wisdom has ensured the continuation of culture and traditional practices. We are committed to genuinely partner, and meaningfully engage, with Victoria's Traditional Owners and Aboriginal communities to support the protection of Country, the maintenance of spiritual and cultural practices and their broader aspirations in the 21st century and beyond. Arthur Rylah Institute for Environmental Research Department of Environment, Land, Water and Planning PO Box 137 Heidelberg, Victoria 3084 Phone (03) 9450 8600 Website: www.ari.vic.gov.au Citation White, M., Bhatpurev, K., 1Salkin, O. and Newell G. (2019). Primary Rainforest Mapping in Victoria 2018 - extent and type. Arthur Rylah Institute Technical Report Series No. 309. Arthur Rylah Institute for Environmental Research, Department of Environment, Land, Water and Planning, Heidelberg, Victoria. 1 Natural Systems Analytics Front cover photo Warm Temperate Rainforest Goolengook Forest Block, Errinundra National Park, East Gippsland (Matt White). © The State of Victoria Department of Environment, Land, Water and Planning 2019 This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 Australia licence. You are free to re-use the work under that licence, on the condition that you credit the State of Victoria as author.
    [Show full text]
  • Cool Temperate Mixed Forest Investigation Report
    INVESTIGATION REPORT COOL TEMPERATE RAINFOREST & MIXED FOREST RAINFOREST SITE OF SIGNIFICANCE (EG85 - Hensleigh - Far Creek) COAST RANGE ROAD VicForests Logging coupe 886-509-0012 Abstract Sections of VicForests scheduled logging coupe 886-509-0012 were investigated to assess the presence and extent of Cool Temperate Rainforest and Cool Temperate Mixed Forest communities. Areas of Cool Temperate Rainforest were identified within coupe 886-509-0012. These areas of the study location were readily identified by the presence of rainforest character species and the comparative structural composition of these stands to those expected to be found in mature rainforest. Cool Temperate Mixed Forest (Mixed Forest) areas of the study location within coupe 886-509- 0012 were identified by noting the presence of characteristic Mixed Forest species including in their formation of a multi-layer structured community comprised of Mixed Forest character species of an advanced age class, the presence of cool temperate rainforest character and differential species, and the topographic contiguity and relative proximity between the Mixed Forest areas within coupe 886-509- 0012 and the extant Mixed Forest clearly identifiable in the adjacent forest areas immediately to the north of coupe 886-509-0012 across Coast Range Road in the Errinundra National Park. This investigation also notes that coupe 886-509-0012 is located within a “Rainforest Site of Significance” (EG85 - Hensleigh - Far Creek). Recommendations are made to the Department of Environment, Land, Water and Planning (DELWP) and to VicForests to ensure that all areas of Cool Temperate Rainforest and Mixed Forest are excluded from logging and that no further logging is undertaken within the “Rainforest Site of Significance”.
    [Show full text]
  • DUCK HUNTING in VICTORIA 2020 Background
    DUCK HUNTING IN VICTORIA 2020 Background The Wildlife (Game) Regulations 2012 provide for an annual duck season running from 3rd Saturday in March until the 2nd Monday in June in each year (80 days in 2020) and a 10 bird bag limit. Section 86 of the Wildlife Act 1975 enables the responsible Ministers to vary these arrangements. The Game Management Authority (GMA) is an independent statutory authority responsible for the regulation of game hunting in Victoria. Part of their statutory function is to make recommendations to the relevant Ministers (Agriculture and Environment) in relation to open and closed seasons, bag limits and declaring public and private land open or closed for hunting. A number of factors are reviewed each year to ensure duck hunting remains sustainable, including current and predicted environmental conditions such as habitat extent and duck population distribution, abundance and breeding. This review however, overlooks several reports and assessments which are intended for use in managing game and hunting which would offer a more complete picture of habitat, population, abundance and breeding, we will attempt to summarise some of these in this submission, these include: • 2019-20 Annual Waterfowl Quota Report to the Game Licensing Unit, New South Wales Department of Primary Industries • Assessment of Waterfowl Abundance and Wetland Condition in South- Eastern Australia, South Australian Department for Environment and Water • Victorian Summer waterbird Count, 2019, Arthur Rylah Institute for Environmental Research As a key stakeholder representing 17,8011 members, Field & Game Australia Inc. (FGA) has been invited by GMA to participate in the Stakeholder Meeting and provide information to assist GMA brief the relevant Ministers, FGA thanks GMA for this opportunity.
    [Show full text]
  • National Parks Authority
    1970 VICTORIA REPORT OF THE NATIONAL PARKS AUTHORITY FOR THE YEAR ENDED 30rH JUNE, 1968 Ordered by the Legislative Assembly to be printed, 15th September, 1970. By At~thority: C. H. RIXON, GOVERNMENT PRINTER, MELBOURNE. No. 22.-7938/70.-PRICB 40 cents. NATIONAL PARKS AUTHORITY TWELFTH ANNUAL REPORT FOR THE YEAR ENDED 30th JUNE, 1968 To the Honorable Sir Henry Bolte, K.C.M.G., M.L.A., Premier of Victoria, Melbourne, 3002. SIR, In accordance with the requirements of Section 15 of the National Parks Act 1958 (No. 6326), the Authority has the honour to submit to you for presentation to Parliament, its Twelfth Annual Report covering its activities for the year ended 30th June, 1968. THE AUTHORITY. The membership of the National Parks Authority during the year under review was as follows:- Chairman : The Honorable J. W. Manson, M.L.A., Minister of State Development. Deputy C~airman : J. H. Aldred, F.R.I.P.A. Members: A. J. Holt, Secretary for Lands ; A. 0. P. Lawrence, B.Sc. (Adel.), Dip. For. (Oxon.), Dip. For. (Canberra), Chairman, Forests Commission of Victoria; R. G. Downes, M.Agr.Sc., F.A.I.A.S., Chairman, Soil Conservation Authority; A. Dunbavin Butcher, M.Sc. (Melb.), Director of Fisheries and Wildlife; Dewar W. Goode, representing organizations concerned with the protection of native fauna and flora ; G. M. Pizzey, representing persons having a special interest in national parks ; E. H. R. Burt, representing the Victorian Ski Association ; G. E. Hindle, representing the Victorian Government Tourist Bureau ; L. H. Smith, M.Sc., D.Phil.
    [Show full text]
  • Australia July 17-Aug 6, 2014
    AUSTRALIA JULY 17-AUG 6, 2014 Joe Morlan and I decided to revisit Australia since we had such a wonderful trip in 2005. We arrived on July 17, rented a car and drove to the Penrith area, North West of Sydney. We spent two nights at Napean River Holiday Village. The morning of the 18th we spent birding Emu Green, a lovely, quiet park along the Napean River. All of our birding lists are available on eBird. Joe’s photos are online here. Highlights were a flock of about 20 Bell Miners, what the Aussies call “bellbirds.” We were delighted by a gorgeous Golden Whistler, a Mistletoebird, New Holland Honeyeaters and White-faced and Pacific Herons. That afternoon we visited Napean Weir Park, seeing Maned and Pacific Black Ducks, the usual water birds, an Olive-backed Oriole and two fairly tame Laughing Kookaburras being harassed by Noisy Miners among other common species. On July 19 we drove west to Echo Point in the Blue Mountains but the wind was howling and it was freezing. We only spent an hour and then returned to Sydney Airport for our evening flight to Melbourne. We stayed that night in a Best Western near the airport. Sunday, July 20 Joe found an eBird hotspot nearby called Mill Park Lakes. We took advantage of a nearby McDonald’s for a quick breakfast and free internet. Throughout the trip we relied on McDonald’s for WIFI. At the park it was easy for Joe to digiscope Purple Swamphen, Pink-eared, Blue-billed and Freckled Ducks. Red Wattlebirds were new for us as was White-plumed Honeyeater.
    [Show full text]
  • Book 10 28, 29 and 30 June 2011
    PARLIAMENT OF VICTORIA PARLIAMENTARY DEBATES (HANSARD) LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY FIFTY-SEVENTH PARLIAMENT FIRST SESSION Book 10 28, 29 and 30 June 2011 Internet: www.parliament.vic.gov.au/downloadhansard By authority of the Victorian Government Printer The Governor The Honourable ALEX CHERNOV, AO, QC The Lieutenant-Governor The Honourable Justice MARILYN WARREN, AC The ministry Premier and Minister for the Arts................................... The Hon. E. N. Baillieu, MP Deputy Premier, Minister for Police and Emergency Services, Minister for Bushfire Response, and Minister for Regional and Rural Development.................................................. The Hon. P. J. Ryan, MP Treasurer........................................................ The Hon. K. A. Wells, MP Minister for Innovation, Services and Small Business, and Minister for Tourism and Major Events...................................... The Hon. Louise Asher, MP Attorney-General and Minister for Finance........................... The Hon. R. W. Clark, MP Minister for Employment and Industrial Relations, and Minister for Manufacturing, Exports and Trade ............................... The Hon. R. A. G. Dalla-Riva, MLC Minister for Health and Minister for Ageing.......................... The Hon. D. M. Davis, MLC Minister for Sport and Recreation, and Minister for Veterans’ Affairs . The Hon. H. F. Delahunty, MP Minister for Education............................................ The Hon. M. F. Dixon, MP Minister for Planning............................................. The Hon.
    [Show full text]
  • Parks Victoria Annual Report 2016–17 Acknowledgement of Country
    Parks Victoria Annual Report 2016–17 Acknowledgement of Country Aboriginal people, through their rich culture, have been connected to the land and sea, for tens of thousands of years. Parks Victoria respectfully acknowledges Aboriginal Traditional Owners, their cultures and knowledge and their continuing connection to and cultural obligation to care for their Country. Parks and waterways Parks Victoria manages many sites such as piers, waterways, ports, bays, historic buildings, trails, urban parks, small conservation reserves and large national and state parks. For the sake of brevity, these are collectively referred to in this document as ‘parks’, unless a specific type of site is stated. For further information about Parks Victoria and the parks it manages visit www.parks.vic.gov.au or call 13 1963. Copyright © State of Victoria, Parks Victoria 2017 Level 10, 535 Bourke Street, Melbourne VIC 3000 ISSN 1448 – 9082 ISSN 1448 – 9090 (online) Published on www.parks.vic.gov.au 2 About Parks Victoria Contents About Parks Victoria 4 Shaping Our Future 6 Healthy Parks Healthy People 7 Chairman’s message 8 Chief Executive Officer’s message 9 Our achievements 10 Strengthening Parks Victoria 12 Connecting people and parks 13 Conserving Victoria’s special places 19 Providing benefits beyond park boundaries 25 Enhancing organisational excellence 31 Compliance and disclosures 41 Compliance with the Australian/New Zealand Risk Management Standard 53 Financial report 54 Parks Victoria Annual Report 2016–17 3 About Parks Victoria Who we are What we manage Parks Victoria commenced operations on 12 December The network of parks that we manage includes 1996 as a statutory authority to manage Victoria’s national parks, marine parks and sanctuaries, diverse parks system.
    [Show full text]
  • National Parks Act – Annual Report 2017
    National Parks Act Annual Report 2017 © The State of Victoria Department of Environment, Land, Water and Planning 2017 This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International licence. You are free to re-use the work under that licence, on the condition that you credit the State of Victoria as author. The licence does not apply to any images, photographs or branding, including the Victorian Coat of Arms, the Victorian Government logo and the Department of Environment, Land, Water and Planning (DELWP) logo. To view a copy of this licence, visit creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ Printed by Impact Digital, Brunswick ISSN 1839-437X (print) ISSN 1839-4388 (pdf) Disclaimer This publication may be of assistance to you but the State of Victoria and its employees do not guarantee that the publication is without flaw of any kind or is wholly appropriate for your particular purposes and therefore disclaims all liability for any error, loss or other consequence which may arise from you relying on any information in this publication. Further information For further information, please contact the DELWP Customer Service Centre on 136 186 or the Parks Victoria Information Centre on 131 963. Notes • During the year the responsible minister was the Hon Lily D’Ambrosio MP, Minister for Energy, Environment and Climate Change. • In this report: – the Act means the National Parks Act 1975 – DELWP means the Department of Environment, Land, Water and Planning – Minister means the Minister responsible for administering the Act – PV means Parks Victoria – the Regulations means the National Parks Regulations 2013 – Secretary means the Secretary to the Department of Environment, Land, Water and Planning.
    [Show full text]
  • Parks Victoria Technical Series No
    Deakin Research Online This is the published version: Barton, Jan, Pope, Adam and Howe, Steffan 2012, Marine protected areas of the Flinders and Twofold Shelf bioregions Parks Victoria, Melbourne, Vic. Available from Deakin Research Online: http://hdl.handle.net/10536/DRO/DU:30047221 Reproduced with the kind permission of the copyright owner. Copyright: 2012, Parks Victoria. Parks Victoria Technical Paper Series No. 79 Marine Natural Values Study (Vol 2) Marine Protected Areas of the Flinders and Twofold Shelf Bioregions Jan Barton, Adam Pope and Steffan Howe* School of Life & Environmental Sciences Deakin University *Parks Victoria August 2012 Parks Victoria Technical Series No. 79 Flinders and Twofold Shelf Bioregions Marine Natural Values Study EXECUTIVE SUMMARY Along Victoria’s coastline there are 30 Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) that have been established to protect the state’s significant marine environmental and cultural values. These MPAs include 13 Marine National Parks (MNPs), 11 Marine Sanctuaries (MSs), 3 Marine and Coastal Parks, 2 Marine Parks, and a Marine Reserve, and together these account for 11.7% of the Victorian marine environment. The highly protected Marine National Park System, which is made up of the MNPs and MSs, covers 5.3% of Victorian waters and was proclaimed in November 2002. This system has been designed to be representative of the diversity of Victoria’s marine environment and aims to conserve and protect ecological processes, habitats, and associated flora and fauna. The Marine National Park System is spread across Victoria’s five marine bioregions with multiple MNPs and MSs in each bioregion, with the exception of Flinders bioregion which has one MNP.
    [Show full text]
  • And Hinterland LANDSCAPE PRIORITY AREA
    GIPPSLAND LAKES and Hinterland LANDSCAPE PRIORITY AREA Photo: The Perry River 31 GIPPSLAND LAKES AND HINTERLAND Gippsland Lakes and Hinterland AQUIFER ASSET VALUES, CONDITION AND KEY THREATS Figure 25: Gippsland Lakes and Hinterland Landscape Priority Area Aquifer Asset Shallow Aquifer The Shallow Alluvial aquifer includes the Denison and Wa De Lock Groundwater Management Areas. It has high Figure 24: Gippsland Lakes and Hinterland Landscape connectivity to surface water systems including the provision Priority Area location of base flow to rivers, such as the Avon, Thomson and Macalister. The aquifer contributes to the condition of other Groundwater Dependent Ecosystems including wetlands, The Gippsland Lakes and Hinterland landscape priority area estuarine environments and terrestrial flora. The aquifer is characterised by the iconic Gippsland Lakes and wetlands is also a very important resource for domestic, livestock, Ramsar site. The Gippsland Lakes is of high social, economic, irrigation and urban (Briagolong) water supply. The shallow environmental and cultural value and is a major drawcard aquifer of the Avon, Thomson, Macalister and lower Latrobe for tourists. A number of major Gippsland rivers (Latrobe, catchments is naturally variable in quality and yield. In many Thomson, Macalister, Avon and Perry) all drain through areas the aquifer contains large volumes of high quality floodplains to Lake Wellington and ultimately the Southern (fresh) groundwater, whereas elsewhere the aquifer can be Ocean, with the Perry River being one of the few waterways naturally high in salinity levels. Watertable levels in some in Victoria to have an intact chain of ponds geomorphology. areas have been elevated due to land clearing and irrigation The EPBC Act listed Gippsland Red Gum Grassy Woodland recharge.
    [Show full text]
  • Management Standards and Procedures for Timber Harvesting
    Management Standards and Procedures for timber harvesting operations in Victoria’s State forests 2019 Consultation draft Cover photo Manna Gum (Eucalyptus viminalis) stand in wet eucalypt forest, Dandenong Ranges, Victoria Acknowledgment We acknowledge and respect Victorian Traditional Owners as the original custodians of Victoria's land and waters, their unique ability to care for Country and deep spiritual connection to it. We honour Elders past and present whose knowledge and wisdom has ensured the continuation of culture and traditional practices. We are committed to genuinely partner, and meaningfully engage, with Victoria's Traditional Owners and Aboriginal communities to support the protection of Country, the maintenance of spiritual and cultural practices and their broader aspirations in the 21st century and beyond. © The State of Victoria Department of Environment, Land, Water and Planning 2019 This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International licence. You are free to re-use the work under that licence, on the condition that you credit the State of Victoria as author. The licence does not apply to any images, photographs or branding, including the Victorian Coat of Arms, the Victorian Government logo and the Department of Environment, Land, Water and Planning (DELWP) logo. To view a copy of this licence, visit creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ ISBN 978-1-76077-657-2 (pdf/online/MS word) Disclaimer This publication may be of assistance to you but the State of Victoria and its employees do not guarantee that the publication is without flaw of any kind or is wholly appropriate for your particular purposes and therefore disclaims all liability for any error, loss or other consequence which may arise from you relying on any information in this publication.
    [Show full text]
  • The Gippsland Lakes Fishery
    The Gippsland Lakes fishery An overview The Gippsland Lakes are a network of lakes, marshes and lagoons in east Gippsland, covering an area of about 354 square kilometres. The waterway is collectively fed by the Avon-Perry, Latrobe, Mitchell, Nicholson and Tambo rivers and a number of smaller creeks and comprises several large lakes including Lake Wellington, Lake King and Lake Victoria. The region supports a range of natural values important to fisheries resources and is home to several commercial and recreational fisheries. Fishing in the Lakes provides significant value to recreational and commercial fishers, consumers of commercially caught fish and the broader local community. Both sectors are economically important to the region. Commercial fishing in Gippsland Lakes Commercial fishing in Gippsland Lakes is authorised under a number of commercial fishing licences. Those that use nets to harvest fish include Gippsland Lakes Fishery Access Licences, Gippsland Lakes (Bait) Fishery Access Licences and Eel Fishery Access Licences. There are currently ten Gippsland Lakes Fishery Access Licence holders who use a range of methods (mostly mesh and haul seine nets) to harvest a range of species, ten Gippsland Lakes (Bait) Fishery Access Licence holders who use dip and seine nets (and other equipment) to harvest species such as anchovies, spider crabs, bass yabby and marine worms and two Eel Fishery Access Licence holders who use fyke nets to catch long and short finned eels. Commercial catch and value The annual catch of all species by commercial fishers in the Gippsland Lakes since the 1978/79 fishing season can be seen in Figure 1.
    [Show full text]