Victorian Numbered Acts

PARKS AND CROWN LAND LEGISLATION AMENDMENT ACT 2020 (NO. 40 OF 2020) - SECT 68

After Division 1B of Part III of the National Parks Act 1975 insert —

" Division 1C—Landscape conservation areas

        17E     Landscape conservation areas

    (1)     Each area of land described in a part of Schedule Nine is, for the purposes of this Act, a landscape conservation area under the name specified in that part.

    (2)     A landscape conservation area may comprise any of the following—

        (a)     nature conservation areas;

        (b)     community use and education areas;

        (c)     natural features areas.

    (3)     A landscape conservation area must be managed for the following purposes—

        (a)     for any part that is a nature conservation area, for the purposes of—

              (i)     conserving and protecting the natural environment, including species, communities and habitats of indigenous flora and fauna; and

              (ii)     protecting cultural heritage; and

              (iii)     if consistent with the purposes in subparagraphs (i) and (ii), providing opportunities for recreation, education and scientific study;

        (b)     for any part that is for a community use and education area, for the purposes of—

              (i)     providing for community use, education and scientific study; and

              (ii)     as is appropriate to the particular area—

    (A)     conserving and protecting the natural environment, including species, communities and habitats of indigenous flora and fauna; and

    (B)     maintaining or restoring natural surroundings and the character and quality of the landscape; and

    (C)     protecting cultural heritage;

        (c)     for any part that is a natural features area, for the purposes of—

              (i)     conserving and protecting the natural environment, including species, communities and habitats of indigenous flora and fauna; and

              (ii)     protecting and restoring areas with indigenous vegetation or habitat; and

              (iii)     protecting scenic features and the character and quality of the landscape; and

              (iv)     protecting water quality where appropriate; and

              (v)     protecting cultural heritage; and

              (vi)     if consistent with the purposes in subparagraphs (i), (ii), (iii), (iv) and (v), providing opportunities for recreation, education and scientific study.

        17F     Management and control of landscape conservation areas by Parks Victoria

Subject to any agreement entered into under section 16A(1), Parks Victoria has the control and management of each landscape conservation area and must—

        (a)     ensure that each landscape conservation area is controlled and managed in accordance with the objects of this Act in a manner that—

              (i)     achieves the purposes set out in section 17E(3) for each area type that comprises the landscape conservation area; and

              (ii)     eradicates or controls exotic flora and fauna in the landscape conservation area; and

        (b)     consult, as far as is practicable, with the Secretary to ensure that, as far as is practicable, proper and sufficient measures are taken to protect each landscape conservation area from injury by fire; and

        (c)     prepare a plan of management in respect of each landscape conservation area, which may be included as part of a land management plan within the meaning of Division 4 of Part 3 of the Parks Victoria Act 2018 .".