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Planning for the environment

Notes

The Planning and Environment Act 1987, approves the Bellarine Peninsula Statement of Planning Policy as set out in The Distinctive Area and Landscape (DAL). The following attributes of the peninsula led to the selection of the Bellarine as one of 5 special areas in Victoria:

  1. The endangered native flora and fauna located in pockets of this area, particularly along river corridors. This habitat consists of various plant species, including the endangered Bitter-bush, Coast wirilda and Trailing Coast Poa.

  2. The wetlands across the Bellarine Peninsula are Ramsar-protected wetlands and form part of a global network for migratory birds. The wetlands are home to several unique and threatened species.

  3. The Bellarine winery area between Clifton Springs and Portarlington has a cluster of wineries that support the tourism industry.

  4. Identified Extractive Industry Interest Areas (EIIAs) including Murradoc Hill4 to Portarlington area and the Lonsdale Lake surrounds.

  5. Land in the Bellarine Peninsula is ranked with some capability for soil-based agriculture at moderate-to-high intensity.

The Distinctive Area and Landscape (DAL) recognises the Peninsula and requires the named Responsible Public Entities (RPE) to act according to the following objectives5:

  • To conserve and enhance the significant biodiversity, ecological and environmental values of the declared area (objective 2).

  • To enable a diverse, sustainable and strong regional economy (including responsible tourism, agriculture and natural resource industries) that protects and promotes the declared area’s landscape significance, environment and biodiversity, agriculture and Wadawurrung living cultural heritage and historic heritage values (objective 6).

  • To plan and manage the sustainable development of settlements in the declared area consistent with the protection of the area’s landscape significance, environment and biodiversity values, Wadawurrung living cultural heritage and historic heritage values and consistent with the unique character and hierarchy designation of each settlement (objective 8).

Given the DAL, it is appropriate that all aim to conserve and indeed improve the health of the living environment. Given the contribution of a healthy environment to the health of its inhabitants, removal of invasive pest flora and fauna is a priority. Given the number of public parks and private agricultural/rural businesses to maintain and improve, best environmental and agricultural practices are critical to the area. Finally, given that there are a significant number of peri-urban areas that unwittingly harbour invasive flora and fauna, it is essential that the whole community share pride in their location and responsibility for its maintenance.

Significant risks for the environment include such weeds as serrated tussock grass and many others and foxes, hares and rabbits, European rats and mynah birds. All such live in a connected context and combine to degrade the environment. Many isolated, unco-ordinated attempts to reduce the risks fail because they are not co-ordinated.