Role statement - Parks Victoria

On 1 July 2024, the management of the designated port of Port Campbell transitioned from Parks Victoria to the Great Ocean Road Coast and Parks Authority (GORCAPA). The Agency Role Statement for Parks Victoria will be reviewed and updated during the next SEMP review to reflect this change.

Parks Victoria

Parks Victoria (PV) is a statutory authority of the Victorian Government acting in accordance with the Parks Victoria Act 2018. PV recognises the value and importance of working in partnership with Traditional Owners to manage parks and reserves in a culturally sensitive and ecologically appropriate way. PV is responsible for managing a diverse estate of more than 4 million hectares including land and marine parks, reserves, wetlands and coastline, and the 4,300 native plants and around 1,000 native animal species that live in them.

PV’s estate attracts more than 100 million visits every year. It is PV’s primary responsibility to ensure parks are healthy and resilient for current and future generations, through the protection and enhancement of environmental and cultural values. PV achieves this by working in partnership with other government and non-government organisations and community groups, catchment management authorities (CMAs), private land owners, friends groups, volunteers, licensed tour operators, lessees, research institutes and the broader community.

PV is the local port manager for the designated port of Port Phillip, Western Port and Port Campbell, and is required to undertake statutory functions as local port manager under Section 44A of the Port Management Act 1995. 

Mitigation

ActivityCritical task alignment / activity source
Administrate legislation and policy governing the use and enjoyment of parks, reserves, rivers, waterways and ports managed by PV, including Marine National Parks and Sanctuaries to reduce risk to the environment and visitor safety1.1

Develop and administer procedures and guidelines to ensure processes are in place to manage potential risks associated with dams managed by PV consistent with the Strategic Framework for Dam Safety Regulations. Mitigation activities include: 

  • implementing dam safety monitoring procedures for PV dams 
  • Develop appropriate dam safety emergency plans to deal with a potential dam failure of high risk dams operated by PV undertaking periodic training and exercising to ensure the emergency management plan and associated business continuity plan is tested and can be implemented effectively   
  • ensure dam safety programs and any identified risks / deficiencies are appropriately funded 
  • Management practices that periodically review risk of PV dams 
1.1, 1.3, 1.5, 1.6, 16.2

Participating agency for the following flood mitigation activity:  

  • dam safety management to mitigate risks from potential dam failure (as a dam owner and/or operator) 
Table 8: Participating agencies for mitigation
Prepare and maintain emergency response plans for parks, reserves, rivers and waterways managed by PV1.1, 1.3
Prepare and implement Safety and Environment Management Plans for the local ports of Port Phillip and Western Port1.1, 1.3
Ensure the safe, efficient and environmental management of the local ports of Port Phillip, Western Port and Port Campbell, including the navigable sections of the Yarra and Maribyrnong Rivers (excluding Commercial Ports), and other specified navigable waterways in its management areas1.3
Support DEECA and undertake activities (including works) described in DEECA Fire Protection and Readiness and Response Plans to ensure fire prevention and preparedness on public land in Victoria (Fire Protected Area)1.1, 3.2, 7.1
Responsible as the land manager for fire prevention works not included in the Fire Protected Area on parks and reserves managed by PV in the Country Area of Victoria and FRV Fire District (other than planned burns which are the responsibility of DEECA) 7.1
Contribute to marine pest planning 1.1

Participating agency for the following bushfire mitigation activities:

  • landscape fuel management including legislative requirements
  • restricted access to public land
Table 8: Participating agencies for mitigation

Response (including Relief)

ActivityCritical task alignment / activity source

Fire suppression: 

  • Responsible for support functions (DEECA) for fire suppression 
3.2, 7.1, 7.2
Search and rescue on land and in Victorian waters, particularly those managed by PV, under the direction of VicPol3.2, 12.1
Provide trained staff to: 
  • assist with cetacean strandings and entanglements under the direction of DEECA in accordance with the Victorian Cetacean Contingency Plan (DEECA)
3.2
  • assist with wildlife incidents on public land under the direction of DEECA
3.2
  • manage the clean-up associated with non-hazardous waterway pollution (as determined by EPA, FRV, CFA and/or DTP) on rivers managed by PV, under the direction of EPA
3.2
  • respond through clean-up and containment of oil and chemical pollution incidents in the local ports of Port Phillip, Western Port and Port Campbell, and state waters under the direction of DTP, in liaison with or as their agents, and the EPA under the Victorian Marine Pollution Contingency Plan
3.2, 16.5
Assist in the response to blue-green algal blooms by erecting relevant signage and taking water samples. This is described in the Blue Green Algae Circular where PV is the designated waterway manager under the Marine Act 1988, (e.g. Albert Park Lake, lower reaches of the Barwon River system (including Lake Connewarre, Lysterfield Lake and Tower Hill) under the direction of the relevant CMAs3.2, 2.3, 16.3
Provide trained Incident Management Team and field operations staff, under FFMVic, to support VICSES’ response to floods, severe storms and earthquakes particularly within parks, reserves, rivers and waterways managed by PV3.2

In response to Victorian marine pest incursions: 

  • Support the control agency 
  • Provide human resources including authorised officers (if required) 
  • Provide vessels, diver support if required 
  • Provide information regarding marine environments and marine communities 
  • Disseminate agreed information 
  • Provide a Parks Victoria representative on Victorian Marine Pest Consultative Committee 
3.2
Provide trained staff and manage volunteers in response to marine pest incursions under the direction of DEECA in accordance with the Interim Victorian Protocol for Managing Exotic Marine Organism Incursions (DEECA) 3.2
Manage local dam safety incidents for dams operated by PV 3.2
Provide advice and support to DEECA for dam safety events, where they have the resources capacity, including technical and operational resources.  3.2, 11.3
Support DEECA with the enforcement of regulations that relate to the safe use of campfires to protect the natural and cultural values of the PV estate and other public land, through the provision of trained authorised officers, and in accordance with the Parks Victoria Enforcement policy and procedures.3.2, 7.1, 18.2

Provide trained staff and equipment to: 

  • lead with the clean-up of fish deaths on waterways that fall with land managed by PV for non-commercial purposes, under the direction of EPA in accordance with fish death response procedures. PV is not responsible for the management of the clean-up of a fish death in the local ports of Port Phillip and Westernport, commercial Ports of Shallow Inlet and Gippsland Lakes, where the fish death involves a commercial fishery. These matters must be referred to the VFA 

3.2, 10.1

Table 18: Recovery coordination: Natural environment 

  • support response to oiled wildlife, in accordance with the Wildlife Response Plan for Oil Spills under the direction of DEECA or DTP through the Wildlife Response Plan for Marine Pollution Emergencies and/or the Marine Pollution Contingency Plan 
3.2, 16.7 

Recovery

ActivityCritical task alignment / activity source

Recovery Lead Agency (RecLA) to rehabilitate, restore and reinstate public land and tourism and visitor assets managed directly by PV from the agreed date of transition from emergency response to recovery, including:

  • recovery and rehabilitation of natural values, cultural values, tourism and visitor assets affected by an emergency on parks, reserves, rivers, waterways and local ports managed by PV (in collaboration with DEECA and DH)
  • clean-up following oil or chemical pollution incidents on parks, reserves, rivers, waterways and local ports managed by PV (in liaison with DEECA, or their agents, and the EPA)
  • clean-up of fish death incidents (in collaboration with EPA and DEECA)
  • assist with the recovery and rehabilitation of other public land affected by an emergency
  • and other water-based recovery actions affected by an emergency 

16.7, 16.8, 18.1, 18.4, 18.5

Table 18: Recovery coordination: Natural Environment

Recovery Lead Agency (RecLA), in conjunction with DEECA, to:

  • protect and manage Aboriginal cultural and heritage places and values on public land 
  • protect and manage historic heritage sites (including those under the Heritage Act 2017 and the Aboriginal Heritage Act 2006) on public land 
Table 18: Recovery coordination: Natural environment

Assess, restore, clear and rehabilitate PV managed public buildings and assets Including: 

  • roads, 
  • bridges, 
  • public amenities
  • Walking Tracks 
  • Dams 
19.2, 19.3, 19.4, 19.7

Recovery Support Agency (RecSA) to DEECA as the lead, to:

  • survey and protect threatened bird, marsupial, aquatic and plant species
  • develop and implement protection activities to support ecosystem recovery and regeneration 
  • monitor the rehabilitation of injured wildlife 
  • provide scientific and technical advice on interventions, response plans and targeted interventions to maintain species diversity and presence within an ecosystem 
  • manage, care and release of salvaged animals taken into captivity to maintain species diversity. PV will support DEECA through the provision of skilled staff and identification of suitable habitat 
Table 18: Recovery coordination: Natural environment
Recovery Support Agency (RecSA) to DEECA and Water corporations in the restoration of reticulated wastewater (sewerage) services (where supply occurs) Table 17: Recovery coordination: Built environment

Assurance and Learning

For assurance and learning activities, refer directly to the agency for further information.

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