News
Bill Borthwick Student Scholarships 2023 - Call for applications
The scholarships were announced in March 2011 to commemorate the 40th anniversary of the first meeting of the Land Conservation Council (LCC). They honour the vision of the Hon. Bill Borthwick, Victoria's first Minister for Conservation from 1973-1979 and Deputy Premier from 1979 to 1982. VEAC has established the annual scholarships for tertiary students to assist in the costs of research relating to public land in Victoria, including terrestrial, freshwater and marine environments. Find out more here.
Reports released for Strathbogie Ranges and Mirboo North Immediate Protection Areas
The recommendations for the future use of the Strathbogie Ranges and the Mirboo North Immediate Protection Area can be found in the report of the Eminent Panel for Community Engagement released on 8 August 2022. VEAC’s completed assessment is also available updating the reports published in March to inform the panel’s community engagement. VEAC’s report also contains an assessment of the economic implications of the Panel’s proposed land use changes.
Bill Borthwick Student Scholarships 2022 announced
VEAC received an outstanding range of applications. The successful projects involve topics ranging from an Aboriginal stone quarry to identifying biodiversity refuges and protecting them from extreme disturbance events. The recipients of the 2022 scholarships can be viewed here.
VEAC has published two reports on the values of the Mirboo North and Strathbogie Ranges Immediate Protection Areas
The reports assessing the values of the Strathbogies and Mirboo North IPAs are now available. The full report including an economic assessment will be submitted to the Minister by 31 May 2022.
VEAC receives request from Minister to assess forests in Strathbogie Ranges and Mirboo North
VEAC has now received the formal request from Minister for Energy, Environment and Climate Change Lily D’Ambrosio to undertake the first phase of the scientific assessment of the values of areas identified as Immediate Protection Areas (IPAs) in eastern Victorian forests and protected from timber harvesting since November 2019. Phase 1 will assess IPAs in the Strathbogie Ranges and Mirboo North. The second phase is expected to commence in 2022 and will include IPAs in the forests of the Central Highlands and East Gippsland.
Government responds to VEAC’s Assessment of Victoria’s Coastal Reserves recommendations
The Victorian government has accepted or accepted in principle all 9 recommendations in VEAC’s Assessment of Victoria’s Coastal Reserves Final Report. The Government Response was tabled in State Parliament on Thursday 5 August 2021. You can read the response here
Victorian Government announces new appointments to VEAC
The Victorian Government has announced the appointment of members to the Victorian Environmental Assessment Council from 7 July 2021. New members are Mellissa Wood (Chairperson), Nicola Ward and Nick Wimbush. Two current members, Joanne Duncan and Anna Kilborn, have been reappointed to the Council. Find out more about the Council members here
Government responds to VEAC’s Central West Investigation recommendations
The Victorian Government Response to the recommendations in VEAC’s Central West Investigation final report was tabled in State parliament today. Read the media release of the Minister for Energy, Environment and Climate Change Lily D’Ambrosio MP.
Progress updates available for Aspects of Public Land Use Information project
Updates are now available here outlining VEAC’s progress on the technical advice requested by the Minister for Energy, Environment and Climate on aspects of public land use information. Updates have been prepared for the two areas specified in the terms of reference: (a) data on recreational activities on Victoria’s public land and (b) improvements to the VEACRecs25 dataset on public land use decisions.
Renewing Victoria’s public land legislation
As part of its Statewide Assessment of Public Land in 2017 VEAC recommended a complete rewrite of Crown land legislation with a consultation paper as part of the legislative reform process. The government has now issued a consultation paper which you can view by visiting Engage Victoria.