LAND AND RESOURCE MANAGERS IN OUR AREA
As can be seen from the map above, significant parts of the coast in our region are managed by the Great Ocean Road Coast Committee (GORCC), which is a Committee of Management (CoM) established under the Crown Land (Reserves) Act 1978 to manage 37 kilometres of coastal Crown land reserves along the Great Ocean Road between Point Impossible east of Torquay and Cumberland River south of Lorne. Click here for additional information about GORCC and its new Coastal Management Plan (CMP, published April 2013) that identifies priorities and provides direction for the sustainable management of these areas over the next five years.
Parks Victoria is responsible for the management of large parts of the coast and hinterland that are contained in the Great Otway National Park, which is the majority of land between and inland from the GORCC managed areas. This land is generally characterised by fewer facilities, less infrastructure and higher environmental values, and offers a more nature-based experience for users in comparison to the GORCC managed coast. Parks Victoria is also responsible for the management of the Point Addis Marine National Park and the Eagle Rock and Point Danger marine sanctuaries off the coast.
The Department of Sustainability and Environment manages all other marine areas and the seabed (ie not in the Marine National Park or two sanctuaries) in the region.
Most of the areas inland from the coast are either managed by VicRoads (eg the Great Ocean Road), the Surf Coast Shire (eg other roads and recreation reserves) or private land owners (eg housing, shops and golf courses).
A number of other organisations also have formal management responsibilities relating directly to assets and infrastructure within our area. These include utility providers, such as Barwon Water, Powercor and Telstra, and lessee’s, such as Surf Life Saving Victoria.
In addition, a larger group of organisations have relevance to our area other than direct land or resource management responsibilities. These include the Corangamite Catchment Management Authority (CCMA) (river health and catchment management), the Environment Protection Authority (EPA) (air, noise and water quality), the Department of Primary Industries (fishing) and Marine Safety Victoria (boating).
[AIDA thanks GORCC for permission to use edited content and images from their Draft Management plan for this entry]