Distinctive Areas & Landscapes Surf Coast Declaration Area: Boundaries Advice Consolidated Report : September2019 Introduction As part of the Distinctive Areas and Landscapes: Landscape Assessment Review Stage 1 (Scoping), Claire Scott Planning was engaged to provide advice on the proposed Surf Coast Declaration Area, and subsequent to that, on three additional ‘boundary investigation areas’. The boundary investigation areas were highlighted by the community during consultation and engagement as landscapes under threat and/or of significance, and required more detailed assessments to be undertaken as to whether they should be included in the Declaration Area. The three areas were: • Barrabool Hills • Thompson Valley (North) ‘green break’ - south of the Armstrong Creek growth area (and north of Mount Duneed Road and the Surf Coast Shire municipal boundary) • Lake Modewarre and surrounds This report is a consolidated version of all boundary advice provided to the Department on the Surf Coast Declaration Area. Cover image: Torquay Front Beach, author’s own Surf Coast Declaration Area Boundary Advice 2 Declaration Area Criteria The Minister must be satisfied that an area is under threat of significant or irreversible land use change that would affect the In considering the inclusion or exclusion of land in the Declaration environmental, social or economic value of the area in order to Area, regard must be had for the recently gazetted distinctive areas recommend that the area be declared as a distinctive area and and landscape legislation, the objectives of which are: landscape, whether that threat arises from: a) to recognise the importance of distinctive areas and landscapes to the people a) land use conflicts; or of Victoria and to protect and conserve the unique features and special characteristics of those areas and landscapes; and b) multiple land use changes over time; or b) to enhance the conservation of the environment in declared areas including c) any other land use threat prescribed for the purposes of this section. the unique habitats, ecosystems and biodiversity of declared areas; and Having undertaken fieldwork; reviewed background material, c) to enable the integration of policy development, implementation and including past landscape assessment studies; and reviewed the decision-making for declared areas under Statements of Planning Policy; legislative criteria, advice regarding the proposed Surf Coast and Declaration Area is included in the following sections of this report. d) to recognise the connection and stewardship of traditional owners in relation to land in declared areas. Under the Planning and Environment Amendment (Distinctive Areas and Landscapes) Act 2018, the Minister must be satisfied that an area has a majority of the following attributes in order for it to be declared a distinctive area and landscape: e) outstanding environmental significance; f) significant geographical features, including natural landforms; g) heritage and cultural significance; h) natural resources or productive land of significance; i) strategic infrastructure or built form of significance; j) an attribute prescribed for the purposes of this section. Also – Surf Coast Declaration Area Boundary Advice 3 Initial Advice: • The areas of RCZ zoned land outside the Anglesea Surf Coast Declaration Area township boundaries should be included. Hence the western boundary in the very southern part of the The proposed Surf Coast Declaration Area is mapped on page 5, declaration area following Hurst Road (excluding the and is based on the following points of justification/explanation: western deviation), to the coast. An alternative is for the boundary to follow the boundaries of the National Park • Development pressure decreases with distance from the in this area. coast. This assumption has been confirmed by Council Officers. • The landscape between Bellbrae and Jan Juc should be included, as well as the Thompson Valley, from the point • There are no significant landscapes or landscape features of view of managing green/natural breaks between to speak of, in the hinterland. Mount Duneed, the creeks settlements. and waterways, and remnant stands of vegetation could be argued to be of local significance (and the latter two • The northern and eastern extent is logically the Surf are covered by the ESO and the VPO) only. Coast municipal boundary. • The landscape character changes subtly from ‘localised flatlands’ to ‘western plains, cones and lakes’ at Anglesea Visibility and topography mapping are included on pages 6 and 7 Road, making it a logical boundary in the northern part of this report to further illustrate these points. of the declaration area. • Being relatively flat to gently undulating, the landscape is highly visible from the main road corridors. This is supported by visibility mapping. • Land either side (and visible from) the Surf Coast Highway, and the Great Ocean Road, should therefore be included. Hence the western extension from Anglesea Road, along Hendy Main Road, and then down Elkington Road. Surf Coast Declaration Area Boundary Advice 4 Proposed Surf Coast Declaration Area, base map source: Google Maps Surf Coast Declaration Area Boundary Advice 5 Surf Coast Declaration Area Boundary Advice 6 Surf Coast Declaration Area Boundary Advice 7 Barrabool Hills • The Barrabool Hills are significant for its aesthetic qualities and for geological and geomorphological reasons at Regional Level, The Barrabool Hills are located to the west of Geelong, and extend inland approximately to the small settlement of Gnarwarre. The • The Barrabool Hills are significant for it strong association with hills slope steeply down to the Barwon River to the north, and are indigenous peoples at a Regional Level. incised by numerous other small creeks and gullies. The eastern edge of the Barrabool Hills is bisected by the M1 Geelong Bypass, • The Barrabool Hills are of historical importance at a Regional Level. and the lower foothills on the eastern side of the freeway are almost fully developed with residential subdivisions, at average suburban densities. Landscape significance To the west of the freeway, the landscape is characterised by a series of rolling bucolic hills, steep in parts, with expansive outviews from the higher reaches. The open, pastoral hills are mostly cleared for grazing, but stands of remnant vegetation are scattered throughout, particularly adjacent to waterways. Dwellings and farming structures associated with large rural holdings are located intermittently in the landscape, but these are more concentrated around the Barrabool and Ceres settlements, where smaller hobby farms (and a small number of wineries) exist. The Barrabool Hills were not included in the study area for the Great Ocean Road Region Landscape Assessment in 2003, but were assessed in 2007 as part of a separate study undertaken by Planisphere for landscapes within Surf Coast, north of the Princes Highway. The assessment concluded that the Barrabool Hills are distinctive for their undulating to hilly topography, historic buildings and shelterbelts, but while described as ‘scenic’ they were not found to be significant. The hills are, however, listed by the National Trust and are rated as being of Regional Significance (Hermes Number 191879; Classified: 01/06/2009). General location of the Barrabool Hills (shown with a dashed line), to the west of Geelong. This is based on the following attributes: Source: Google Maps Surf Coast Declaration Area Boundary Advice 8 Other significance The Barrabool Hills are not considered to be under threat of significant or irreversible land use change that would affect the As noted in the aforementioned National Trust statement of landscape or other values of the area. significance, the Barrabool Hills are considered significant: • For their geological and geomorphological qualities. The area is known for its Barrabool Stone, a sandstone that was sourced from quarries around Ceres from the 1850s. The stone has been used in many prominent buildings in Geelong and Melbourne. A number of Heritage Overlays are in place in the Barrabool Hills, protecting local stone buildings. • For their cultural heritage importance, particularly to local Aboriginal people, the Wathaurong. A number of sites are listed in the Barrabool Hills under the Aboriginal Heritage Act 2006. The area is also considered important for its status as productive rural land. View of the hills looking southwards from Merrawarp Road, near Strategic issues & threats the Hamilton Highway The Barrabool Hills are located at the intersection of three municipalities, Surf Coast Shire, the City of Greater Geelong and Golden Plains Shire. While the lower eastern foothills (to the east of the M1) are zoned General Residential and are almost fully developed, the majority of the Barrabool Hills landscape to the west of the M1 is zoned Farming. The Barrabool Hills are included in the G21 Regional Growth Plan (2013) as an ‘identified settlement break’. The purpose of this settlement break is outlined on p. 31: • To protect National Trust classified landscape of cultural heritage significance. Rural production is the primary land use activity in addition to the small settlements of Ceres and Barrabool. Rolling, cleared hills as viewed from Gully Road Expansive outview over the hills towards Geelong from a high point in Gully Road Surf Coast Declaration Area Boundary Advice 9 Barrabool Hills recommendation û Do not include in recommended Surf Coast Declaration Area Based on