The Western Volcanic Plain DPCD South West Victoria Landscape Assessment Study | the Western Volcanic Plain

Character Type 1 The Western Volcanic Plain DPCD South West Victoria Landscape Assessment Study | The Western Volcanic Plain

The Western Volcanic Plain

Volcanic activity has shaped much of south west Victoria’s Within Character Type 1, 11 distinctive Character Areas landscape. This extensive Character Type is formed by a have been determined and will be discussed in more flat to undulating basaltic plain scattered with volcanic detail within the Character Area Papers. features including stony rises, old lava flows, numerous 1.1 Paddocks and Cones volcanic cones and old eruption points which together create a unique visual landscape. 1.2 Large Shallow & Deep Crater Lakes This is a place of big skies, long views with volcanic rises 1.3 Volcanic Agricultural that punctuate the horizon. When the first European 1.4 Stony Rises & Lava Flows settlers arrived they found the land primed for agriculture as it contained very few trees. Shelterbelts of cypress 1.5 Lakeside Stony Rises and pine were planted to protect crops and livestock from 1.6 Volcanic Lakes & Swamps the winds that sweep the plain and are now a defining characteristic of the Type. 1.7 Cones & Mines The area is dotted with many beautiful lakes and 1.8 Volcanic Ranges wetlands that are generally broad and shallow and may 1.9 Vegetated Volcanic Plains contain either saline, brackish or fresh water. Some of the wetlands are RAMSAR listed and of international 1.10 Partially Wooded Agricultural importance. 1.11 Winchelsea & Geelong Western Plains Many paddocks and roadsides are edged with beautifully formed dry stone walls that were created when early pastorlists cleared the land of rocks for agricultural purposes, to contain stock and to control vermin. Long views punctuated by volcanic features

Harmans Valley lava flow with the distant peak of Mount Napier visible on the horizon Rich, red volcanic soils

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Figure 1 The Western Volcanic Plain Location

HEPBURN SHIRE 1.8 1.7

BALLARAT CITY

Weste rn Hwy 1.3 1.3 1.9 1.4 1.6 PYRENEES wy Glenelg H SHIRE MOORABOOL SHIRE ARARAT RURAL CITY 1.4 y w H g el MOYNE SHIRE en 1.10 Gl 1.4 Ha GOLDEN m CORANGAMITE GREATER ilto PLAINS 1.3 GLENELG n Hw SHIRE 1.4 y SHIRE GEELONG CITY SHIRE 1.4 1.4 CRESSY 1.11 COLAC 1.3 OTWAY SHIRE 1.10 1.1 1.2 1.5

1.4 1.5

STUDY AREA BOUNDARY CHARACTER AREA STATE PARKS ARTERIAL ROAD TOWNSHIP BOUNDARY AREAS CHARACTER TYPE LOCAL GOVERNMENT NATIONAL PARKS HIGHWAY BOUNDARY AREAS N

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Key Features Waterform Land Use & Built Form ▪▪ Windswept, flat to undulating agricultural plains The fertile soil is generally used for agricultural purposes, Numerous lakes and swamplands are dotted across the ▪▪ Volcanic features punctuating the landscape including sheep grazing with some areas of cropping. The Western Volcanic Plain and range dramatically in scale. ▪▪ Dry stone walls sparse landscape has been systematically divided into Some of these are formed by low lying depressions in the ▪ Heavily modified landscape a patchwork of individual properties, lined with wind ▪ relatively flat landscape, other larger ones are the result breaks and separated with post and wire fencing and ▪▪ Sparse settlements of ancient volcanic flows blocking creeks and river valleys, dry stone walls. Paddocks often feature piles of rocks ▪▪ Numerous lakes effectively halting the drainage of water. The largest and boulders that have been cleared out of the soil to ▪▪ Exotic and native shelterbelts along property inland lake in Victoria, Lake Corangamite, was formed by increase productivity. boundaries and paddock lines this process. Water within the lakes varies from fresh to ▪▪ Rich, red volcanic soils brackish and saline, and volcanic maars often have high Modest farmhouses and associated buildings are set back mineral concentrations that give them outstanding blue from the roadsides and often screened by exotic tree or greenish colouring. planting. Buildings range in age, with older dwellings from Landscape Characteristics around the first half of the 20th century or earlier located Major rivers in this Character Area include the Hopkins, closer to the roadside, and more recent development set Glenelg and Barwon. There are marshy areas at low Landform back with long driveways and exotic or native avenues. It points and creeks with local erosion. Many of these are The landform of the Western Volcanic Plain is flat to is not uncommon to see older buildings and sheds left to seasonal. gently undulating rising only up to 20 metres. This flat deteriorate. plain is dramatically relived by volcanic features the Small settlements are dotted across the landscape, highest of which is Mount Elephant at nearly 200 metres. Vegetation development within these is generally concentrated The Western Volcanic Plains is largely an open, Approximately 100 extinct volcanoes can be found in this within town boundaries, though some of the larger towns agricultural landscape mostly devoid of trees. Original Character Type, and other associated geological features such as Camperdown or Colac have a greater dispersal of grassland communities have been replaced by exotic are abundant. Volcanic cones rise from the flat pastoral rural residential development on their outskirts. pasture species and monocultural crops, leaving only land and take on a variety of shapes, from low rounded remnants within roadsides. Weed species such as thistles Remnants of historic mining operations are occasionally rises to steep sloped hills with dramatic peaks and and Pattersons Curse are prolific in fallow paddocks. visible on the landscape in the form of mine heads, angles. Undulating, rocky landscapes of stoney rises have Windbreaks commonly line property boundaries, mullock heaps and pump house remains, particularly in originated from ancient lava flows, and marr volcanos paddock edges and dwellings. Many of these are old Pine the area north of Ballarat. take on the form of circular crater lakes. and Cypress species that are starting to deteriorate with In recent years the volcanic plains have seen the age, however younger shelterbelts of native species are installation of a number of wind farms. The visual effect also common. of these varies from long range views with clusters of The volcanic cones are often bare of substantial turbines punctuating the horizon, to monolithic towers vegetation but can feature a blanket of patchwork rising above the roadside. Energy transfer stations and cropping, grazing and some shrub like vegetation. Bracken access roads associated with these are also prominent and grass species grow between the rocky outcrops of the features. stony rises where agricultural development is unsuitable, © 2013 and lakes and wetlands support a diversity of aquatic 11 species. Logo is at twice the size for the footer DPCD South West Victoria Landscape Assessment Study | The Western Volcanic Plain

Figure 2 The Western Volcanic Plain Contours & Waterform

STUDY AREA BOUNDARY 0 - 200M 400 - 500M

CHARACTER TYPE BOUNDARY 200 - 300M 500 - 1200M

CHARACTER AREA BOUNDARY 300 - 400M N

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Pattern of Viewing

The majority of views are over flat to undulating plains with volcanic features occasionally visible on the horizon. Shelterbelts and roadside vegetation constantly filter views. There are a number of high points available from volcanic features which allow panoramic views across this landscape. These often contain volcanic rises and wide lakes that break the surface of the flat agricultural land. The adjacent Uplands Area towards the north is sometime visible rising majestically from the volcanic plain. Close up views of the volcanic features are available from small rural roads. There are a number of key viewing corridors which traverse this landscape Character Type: Looking east on the Darlington-Nerrin Road dry stone walls and rock strewn lava paddocks stretch out into the distance. B140 Geelong to Hamilton B160 Ballarat to Hamilton A1 (Princes) Highway along the southern edge of the Character Type

Aerial view of Mount Noorat shows the distinct formation with an almost perfect crater rising from the flat plain. There is an access track to the crater rim where views can be accessed across the plain

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Landscape Values

Landscape values include aesthetic (visual and non- journeyed through the western district crossing this ▪▪ Geological tourism due to stony rises, volcanic cones visual), historic, environmental, scientific, social and Character Type and lakes other values. It is acknowledged that many of the values ▪▪ Bluestone sourced from basalt rock quarries, an ▪▪ Major Mitchell Touring Route through the Type, overlap (i.e. a place or item may have historic and social iconic building material that is attached to the follows the footsteps of the expedition that opened value), but they are generally only listed once. A range of identity of Melbourne which lines the city streets & up Victoria to pastoral settlement sources have been used to identify the landscape values clads many historic buildings ▪▪ Goldfields Touring Route between Ballarat, Creswick of the Western Volcanic Plain, such as the field survey, ▪▪ Massacres & killings of Aborigines occurred in the & Ararat existing studies and documentation, and community Type, mostly between Hamilton, Horsham & Ballarat ▪▪ Agriculture, also valued for economic reasons consultation. in the early-mid 1800s

Historic Environmental/Scientific ▪▪ Budj Bim National Heritage Landscape- Mount Eccles ▪▪ Cobboboonee & Mount Napier National Parks, Lake Condah Area, listed on the National Heritage List protected areas on the IUCN list, Category II (National as a Heritage Landscape Park) & protected by National Parks Act 1975 ▪▪ Point Wilson Defence Natural Area, listed on the ▪▪ Many reserves which are protected areas on the National Heritage List IUCN list ▪▪ Mount Leura Complex, visible from but not in the ▪▪ 2 wetlands of international significance (RAMSAR area, listed by the National Trust as a state significant sites), 9 wetlands of national importance & hundreds landscape & nationally significant geological feature of wetlands of regional significance ▪▪ Mount Elephant, a state significant landscape listed ▪▪ Kanawinka Global Geopark, Australia’s first UNESCO by National Trust, one of the most iconic volcanoes of Geopark, which aims to preserve the volcanic the Character Type, visible on the horizon for many features, promote awareness & encourage tourism kilometres –– 6 sites of international geological significance & ▪▪ Evidence of Aboriginal land use throughout the 14 of national significance Type, more substantial than those in most areas of ▪▪ Locally significant water bodies, wetlands & Australia, including scarred trees & mounds watercourses ▪▪ Dry stone walls constructed by early settlers from ▪▪ Significant flora & fauna, with many threatened the basalt rock have functional, aesthetic & heritage species on the EPBC Act list values ▪▪ Lake Bullen Merri, Lake Gnotuk & Lake Purrumbete, ▪▪ Gold mining remains, a legacy of Victoria’s gold broad volcanic craters outside the Character Type mining heritage ▪▪ George Augustus Robinson, the Chief Protector of Social Aborigines in the Port Phillip district from 1839-1849, ▪▪ Rich soils due to weathering of the balsaltic soils, highly suitable for agricultural production

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Change in the Landscape

Landscape Morphology farmers and soldiers to grow food as well as wool, once Sensitivity to Change again changing the face of the volcanic plain. This landscape has evolved from centuries of volcanic The volcanic plain is highly sensitive to change, the flat action creating one of the world’s largest basaltic plains As the land was settled and cleared for agriculture, stones nature of the plain offers long range views and thus which is dotted with extinct volcanoes and stony rises. It from the lava flow were dug from paddocks and built into creates a landscape on which there is ‘nowhere to hide’. is thought that the youngest eruptions occurred between the dry stone walls that are prolific across the Victorian There is limited capacity for this character type to absorb thousands and tens of thousands of years ago and that landscape. The Corangamite area has numerous excellent development without is becoming prominent in the they may have been witnessed by Aboriginal people. examples of these. Aboriginal people also made use viewed landscape. of the stones from the lava flow to construct channels The volcanic plain has some of the most fertile soils However, balanced against this is the degree to which linking the wetlands, weirs, fish-traps, wind breaks and and consistent rainfall within Victoria. Pre settlement this landscape has been modified, shaped by man over stone huts. vegetation in this area would have consisted of damp generations. sclerophyll forests, woodlands and grasslands, this is now The creation of agricultural land by the first European mostly long cleared. settlers changed not only the landscape, but also the Anticipated Landscape Change watercourses as the draining, diversion and damming of It is believed that over 30,000 years ago Aboriginals ▪▪ The Volcanic Plain forms Australia’s First UNESCO waterbodies has altered the water table and encouraged modified the landscape through hunting and their Global Geopark and as such it is anticipated that rising salinity levels. extensive use of fire. This controlled use of fire changed there will be an increase in tourism within this the appearance of the native bushland, with large areas Deforestation and revegetation continue to shape the character type of forest being replaced by open grasslands. aesthetics of the volcanic plain. Volcanic cones, like ▪▪ There is an increasing awareness from farmers as Mount Leura and Mount Elephant, iconic features of to the value of biodiversity, setting aside existing These open grassy plains created the park like expanses the area, have been deforested and re-vegetated with vegetation or native revegetation to create linked which so suited the sheep of the first British settlers. non-indigenous species which gives a distinctive visual habitat corridors may change the aesthetics of this Major Mitchell, one of the first Europeans to explore character to the landscape. These cones are now being vast cleared plain. this area, noted that what the settlers found here was re-vegetated with indigenous species, reflecting the ▪▪ This area is subject to a number of wind farm not a pristine or natural landscape, but one that had changing perceptions and priorities of local communities developments and proposals been heavily modified by Aboriginal people over several and land care organizations. ▪ The State Governments planning zones review thousands of years. He declared it as ready for the ▪ may lead to an increase in tourism, retail and “immediate reception of civilised man”. Volcanic rises have been mined for the scoria gravel accommodation uses in rural areas, a potential contained within and many of them bear the scars from The fertility and cleared nature of the Western Volcanic increase in rural living density and a potential this past and ongoing practice. Plains were ideal for grazing. The region became very increase in smaller lots and dwellings in the farming wealthy and was dominated by large pastoral properties. The landscape that we see today represents a hybrid zone. These large properties often had extensive exotic gardens of generally undisturbed underlying topography with as the new settlers aimed to recreate their familiar British patchwork remnants of the natural landscape which landscapes. are protected by national and state parks. Intertwined with this lies the heavily modified landscape of exotic As time passed the larger properties were compulsorily shelterbelts, dry stone walls, farming, infrastructure, rural purchased, subdivided and redistributed amongst small development and wind farms. © 2013 15

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Figure 3 The Western Volcanic Plain Cultural Heritage Sensitivity

STUDY AREA BOUNDARY AREAS OF ABORIGINAL CULTURAL SENSITIVITY CHARACTER TYPE BOUNDARY WATERCOURSES

CHARACTER AREA BOUNDARY WATERBODIES N

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Future Landscape Character Directions

▪ Degredation of rivers The Western Volcanic Plain, including its distinctive Threats ▪ ▪▪ Degredation of riparian vegetation geological and man-made features, will remain as one ▪▪ Reaching a balance between protecting the ▪ Channel modification (reference to rivers, estuaries of the most important landscape areas in Victoria. landscape and productive use of the most fertile land ▪ and floodplains) Conservation efforts will see the geological and landscape in Victoria features managed and protected from inappropriate ▪▪ Habitat fragmentation/reduced connectivity ▪▪ Economy vs environment, competing landuses; development, and views to and from important features, mining/plantations/biodiversity/windfarms/ ▪▪ Significant disturbance events (fire, flood, storms) such as Mount Elephant and other extinct volcanos, will agriculture/revegetation be retained. ▪▪ Natural deterioration Indigenous vegetation will be protected, and regeneration ▪▪ Inappropriate subdivisions encouraged. Landscape character will be further ▪▪ Lack of resources expressed in built form through the use of local materials ▪▪ Privately owned land restricting access to geological and colours that occur naturally in the landscape. features or the ability to protect landscapes e.g. planting exotics/maintaining dry stone walls/ revegetation corridors Opportunities ▪▪ Scoria mining on volcanic features ▪ Protection and enhancement of geological features ▪ ▪▪ Feral animals ▪ Lava flows are of national and international ▪ ▪▪ Fire importance ▪▪ Invasive species ▪▪ Protection and restoration of dry stone walls ▪▪ Deforestation of adjacent upland areas affecting ▪▪ Creation of a strategic revegetation programme to water run off and catchment on the plains create green infrastructure corridors ▪▪ Drainage schemes designed to increase the area of ▪▪ Tourism opportunities available farmland ▪ UNESCO geo park ▪ ▪▪ Little access to geological features – lack of ▪▪ Local land care groups are active interpretation, lack of public transport ▪▪ Land tenure, e.g. active community groups willing to ▪▪ Agricultural land use – inappropriate location of farm purchase and manage features (Mount Elephant) buildings/changes in farm management/intensive agriculture ▪▪ Urbanisation – loss of valuable farming land/growth pressures ▪▪ Rising salinity ▪▪ Lack of awareness of landscape values ▪▪ Uncontrolled stock access ▪▪ Sedimentation

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Figure 4 The Western Volcanic Plain Zones

PUBLIC PARK AND RURAL LIVING RURAL CONSERVATION STUDY AREA BOUNDARY RECREATION ZONE (PPRZ) ZONE (RLZ) ZONE (RCZ) CHARACTER TYPE LOW DENSITY RESIDENTIAL URBAN GROWTH PUBLIC USE ZONE (PUZ5&6) BOUNDARY ZONE (LDRZ) ZONE (LDRZ) CHARACTER AREA PUBLIC USE ZONE TOWNSHIP ZONE (TZ) RURAL ACTIVITY ZONE (RAZ) BOUNDARY SERVICE & UTILITY (PUZ1 ) LOCAL GOVERNMENT ROAD ZONE CATEGORY 1 COMPREHENZIVE DEVELOPMENT FARMING ZONE (FZ) AREAS (RDZ1) ZONE (CDZ) PUBLIC CONSERVATION AND INDUSTRIAL ZONE 2 SPECIAL USE ZONE (SUZ) N RESOURCE ZONE (PCRZ) (RDZ1)

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Landscape Protection & Management

Planning Scheme Policies & Controls ▪▪ Salinity Management Overlay (SMO) ▪▪ To ensure that built form is sited and designed in a ▪▪ Design & Development Overlay (DDO) way that the geological features of the precinct are The following Planning Schemes apply to the Western ▪▪ Restructure Overlay (RO) revealed, wherever possible. Volcanic Plain: ▪▪ Airport Environs Overlay (AEO) ▪▪ To ensure that buildings and structures demonstrate a high standard of design and respond to the ▪▪ Ararat ▪▪ Hepburn ▪▪ Environmental Audit Overlay (EAO) character of the surrounding environment. ▪▪ Ballarat ▪▪ Moorabool ▪▪ Public Acquisition Overlay (PAO) ▪▪ Colac Otway ▪▪ Moyne ▪▪ To retain an overall sense of spaciousness within the ▪▪ Corangamite ▪▪ Pyrenees landscape. ▪▪ Glenelg ▪▪ Southern Grampians Landscape Management Objectives ▪▪ To incorporate best practice environmental sustainability principles in building siting and design. ▪▪ Greater Geelong To achieve the future landscape character directions for the Western Volcanic Plain, the following landscape ▪▪ To minimise the visual impact of signage and infrastructure, particularly when visible from Key Zones management objectives are recommended: identified significant viewing corridors and viewing ▪▪ Farming Zone (FZ) ▪▪ To conserve and enhance the geological features locations. present in this landscape area. ▪▪ Public Conservation & Recreation Zone (PCRZ) ▪▪ To protect and respect the cultural heritage values ▪▪ Rural Living Zone (RLZ) ▪▪ To preserve and enhance the dry stone walls. of the Western Volcanic Plains landscape. ▪▪ Rural Conservation Zone (RCZ) ▪▪ To protect the volcanic cones, craters and lakes, ▪▪ To encourage landscape change that is consistent ▪▪ Rural Activity Zone (RAZ) lava flows and rocky outcrops from destructive or with the cultural heritage values of the Western dominating development or practices. ▪▪ Public Park and Recreation Zone (PPRZ) Volcanic Plains landscape. ▪ To increase indigenous planting in the volcanic plain ▪▪ Special Use Zone (SUZ) ▪ landscape and to further emphasise natural features Key Overlays such as creeks and rivers. ▪▪ To create linked corridors of indigenous vegetation. ▪▪ Significant Landscape Overlay (SLO) ▪▪ To ensure that shelter belt planting remains a feature ▪ Environmental Significance Overlay (ESO) ▪ of the area. ▪▪ Heritage Overlay (HO) ▪▪ To avoid shelterbelt planting and timber plantations ▪▪ Vegetation Protection Overlay (VPO) that block viewlines to important volcanic features. ▪ Development Plan Overlay (DPO) ▪ ▪▪ To retain views to geological features such as Mount ▪▪ Wildfire / Bushfire Management Overlay (WMO / Elephant and Mount Napier, particularly from BMO) identified significant viewing locations and road ▪▪ Floodway Overlay (FO) corridors. ▪▪ Land Subject to Inundation Overlay (LSIO) ▪▪ To minimise the visual impact of buildings and ▪▪ Rural Floodway Overlay (RFO) structures on large areas of the landscape. ▪▪ Erosion Management Overlay (EMO)

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Figure 5 The Western Volcanic Plain Overlays

STUDY AREA BOUNDARY TOWHSHIP AREAS SALINITY MANAGEMENT HERITAGE OVERLAY OVERLAY VEGETATION PROTECTION CHARACTER TYPE BOUNDARY WILDFIRE MANAGEMENT EROSION MANAGEMENT OVERLAY OVERLAY OVERLAY SIGNIFICANT LANDSCAPE LAND SUBJECT TO INNUNDATION CHARACTER AREA BOUNDARY OVERLAY OVERLAY N LOCAL GOVERNMENT AREAS ENVIRONMENTAL SIGNIFICANCE OVERLAY

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THE WESTERN VOLCANIC PLAIN

Landscape Management Guidelines

Landscape Element Objective Design Response Avoid Geological Features To conserve and enhance the geological Site buildings and structures away from geological features Loss of geological features and features present in this landscape area. such as volcanic cones, craters and lakes, wherever formations. possible. To protect the volcanic cones, craters Development on or immediately and lakes, lava flows and rocky outcrops Protect geological features such as rocky outcrops and sink adjacent to geological features. from destructive or dominating holes in any new development. Quarrying or excavation on geological development or practices. features. Drystone Walls To preserve and enhance the dry stone Retain existing dry stone walls. Loss of dry stone walls. walls. (Seek specific guidelines from Dry Stone Wall Association.) Indigenous Vegetation To increase indigenous planting in the Where practical, protect and rehabilitate significant stands Loss of significant stands of vegetation. volcanic plain landscape and to further of remnant indigenous vegetation, particularly at roadsides, Ad hoc clearing and removal of emphasise natural features such as throughout paddocks , and along river and creek corridors, vegetation. creeks and rivers. subject to considerations such as farming requirements, fire protection and safety. Development which requires permanent To create linked corridors of indigenous clearing of vegetation. vegetation. Minimise indigenous vegetation removal in new development. Lack of landscaping and substantial vegetation in new development. Where vegetation loss cannot be avoided, balance the loss of vegetation with rehabilitation on the site or nearby Landscaping that provides little areas, and replace any native or indigenous trees lost with connection to the surrounding natural indigenous trees that will grow to a similar size. environment and existing landscape character. Consider the existing landscape character of the area as a guide to the selection of vegetation and the layout of Hard surfaces and hard edges in private gardens. landscaping. Reinforce vegetative linkages to natural features such as Continuous spreading / planting of existing river and creek environs. environmental weeds. Encourage the removal of environmental weeds and their Degradation of significant flora. replacement with local indigenous species

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The Western Volcanic Plain

Landscape Element Objective Design Response Avoid Shelter Belts To ensure that shelter belt planting Retain existing shelter belts wherever possible. New exotic shelterbelts adjacent to remains a feature of the area. identified viewing corridors. Replace lost shelter belt trees with the same species or an To avoid shelterbelt planting that blocks alternative indigenous species, suitable to the local area. viewlines to important volcanic features. Encourage the planting of indigenous shelterbelts, as opposed to exotic, adjacent to identified significant viewing corridors. VIEWS & VISTAS To retain views to geological features Development should be avoided in the foreground (up Unsympathetic / intrusive buildings such as Mount Elephant, particularly to 500 metres from the viewing location) of views of and structures that obscure prominent from identified significant viewing geological features, particularly identified significant views, views. locations and road corridors. or designed and sited to retain the character and scenic Conspicuous or incongruous (out qualities of the views from that location. To ensure that built form is sited and of place) buildings, structures or designed in a way that the geological Buildings, structures and other development should be set infrastructure visible in the foreground features of the precinct are revealed, back from identified viewing corridors, and designed and of views to notable geological features. wherever possible. sited to minimise visual intrusion (e.g. low building heights, minimal building footprints, appropriate colours and materials to the setting, and integration with vegetation). Consider the cumulative impact of developments visible from identified significant viewing corridors, other roads and key viewing locations, on the character and views of the surrounding landscapes.

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THE WESTERN VOLCANIC PLAIN

Landscape Element Objective Design Response Avoid BUILDINGS & To minimise the visual impact of Ensure that buildings, structures and other infrastructure Loss of sense of openness. STRUCTURES: SITING buildings and structures on large areas are sited: Buildings and structures that are of the landscape. ▪▪ Within existing clusters of buildings where possible. visually dominant or located in To retain an overall sense of ▪▪ Away from landscape features such as volcanic cones, prominent locations. spaciousness within the landscape. craters and lakes, lava flows and rocky outcrops. Development of residences and other ▪▪ To minimise visibility from identified significant viewing buildings and structures at the roadside. corridors and other main roads. In open rural areas, ensure that buildings and structures are Numerous storage areas / outbuildings set back sufficient distances from roads to ensure minimal on a site. visual intrusion. Scattering of buildings and structures Prevent ribbon development along identified significant across a site. viewing corridors and other main roads, including the Visual clutter. outskirts of settlements. Minimise the number and floor area of storage areas, outbuildings and ancillary structures, wherever possible.

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The Western Volcanic Plain

Landscape Element Objective Design Response Avoid BUILDINGS & To ensure that buildings and structures Ensure that the design and external appearance of buildings Buildings or structures that do not STRUCTURES: DESIGN demonstrate a high standard of design and structures complement the surrounding landscape by: harmonise with the character of the and respond to the character of the ▪▪ Using simple, pared-back building forms and design surrounding natural / rural environment. surrounding environment. detailing, with consideration of the Australian rural Ad hoc or large scale urban To incorporate best practice architectural vernacular. development outside of settlements. environmental sustainability principles ▪▪ Utilising colours and finishes that best immerse the Large, bulky building masses / footprints in building siting and design. building within the landscape and minimise contrast that are conspicuous elements within with the surrounds (such as muted colours and matte the spacious Landscape setting. finishes, or corrugated iron or timber that will weather over time). Sheer, visually dominant elevations. ▪▪ Using a mix of contemporary and traditional rural Mock historical style buildings with materials, textures and finishes including timber, stone, excessive use of ‘reproduction’ or brick and corrugated iron. decorative detailing. ▪▪ Making use of building materials with minimal environmental impact and encouraging the use of Highly colourful materials and finishes. recycled materials where possible. Building design that has little or no ▪▪ Ensure that development does not visually overwhelm regard to environmentally sustainable the landscape setting by: design practices, such as residential ▪▪ Designing building and structures of a scale that does buildings with excessive western or not dominate the surroundings. southern orientation. ▪▪ Achieving a minimal building footprint, and ensuring High, solid or non-permeable fencing. that adequate space is available on the site for the retention of existing vegetation and/or new landscaping. Utilise open style fencing that is not visually obtrusive and is traditionally used in rural areas, such as post and wire or post and rail fencing. Incorporate best practice environmental sustainability principles into the design and construction of all new buildings.

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THE WESTERN VOLCANIC PLAIN

Landscape Element Objective Design Response Avoid SIGNAGE & To minimise the visual impact of Group signage, including tourism signage, at particular Signage clutter in the landscape. INFRASTRUCTURE signage and infrastructure, particularly locations to minimise visual impact, avoid signage clutter, Visually obtrusive and/or colourful when visible from identified significant and to maintain scenic outlooks. signage in natural landscape settings. viewing corridors and viewing locations. Infrastructure should be sited to avoid highly scenic Highly visible infrastructure. locations, particularly identified significant views, and in the case of powerlines and other utility services, be Infrastructure that dominates views, underground wherever possible. particularly from identified significant viewing corridors or locations. Locate powerlines, access tracks and other infrastructure in areas of low visibility, preferably in previously cleared Landscape scarring as a result of locations. vegetation removal. Use materials and colours that minimise contrast with No consideration of siting, design, the surrounding landscape and distant visibility, and vegetation or remediation in association use vegetation to screen infrastructure from identified with the development of infrastructure. significant viewing corridors, viewing locations and other main roads. All new infrastructure development should be accompanied by a landscape plan utilising appropriate indigenous plant species and demonstrating how the affected area will be screened and remediated after development.

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The Western Volcanic Plain

Landscape Element Objective Design Response Avoid CULTURAL HERITAGE To protect and respect the cultural Relate landscape character to the relevant heritage values Loss of cultural heritage values heritage values of the Western Volcanic of significant places by setting back, avoiding or carefully associated with the landscape. Plains landscape. designing buildings, structures and other landscape No regard for the cultural heritage alterations. To encourage landscape change that values of the landscape in new is consistent with the cultural heritage Identify and preserve landscape conditions and settings of development. values of the Western Volcanic Plains places of Aboriginal cultural heritage value. landscape. Respect the Aboriginal cultural heritage values of significant places by setting back, avoiding or carefully designing buildings, structures and other landscape alterations to avoid impacts on places, objects or landscapes that have Aboriginal heritage value. SETTLEMENT EDGES To contain existing settlements and Ensure that settlements maintain their individual character Development ‘clutter’ at the edges to prevent their unchecked expansion into and physical distance from each other. settlements. the surrounding landscape. Ensure settlements have a definite visual edge, delineating The expansion of rural living the boundary between urban development and the natural development into the landscape. / rural landscape beyond. Ribbon development between Carefully site buildings and structures at settlement edges settlements. to integrate with existing topography and vegetation. Suburban style residential development, with large areas of hard paving, in the rural environment.

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THE WESTERN VOLCANIC PLAIN

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