Future of state forests

Great Outdoors Taskforce

Victoria is home to some of the most impressive forests in the world. They provide habitat for unique animals and plants that are not found anywhere else, provide high quality water and substantial carbon storage, and are a much-loved backyard for Victorians and visitors to explore.

The end of commercial native timber harvesting in Victoria is a landmark opportunity to look at how we manage over 1.8 million hectares of forest so that people can continue to enjoy them into the future.

To inform the future use and management of this area, a new Great Outdoors Taskforce has been established.

The former Minister for Environment, the Hon Lisa Neville, will lead the Taskforce, which will consult with the Victorian community to provide recommendations to government about the future use of state forest previously managed for timber harvesting (outside the Central Highlands area) – the largest single public land assessment ever undertaken in Victoria.

The Taskforce will make recommendations to government to ensure shared benefits for all Victorians – focusing on building regional economies, maximising tourism and recreation opportunities, while also protecting forest values and supporting Traditional Owner self-determination.

This includes:

• identifying opportunities to protect the environment and support recreation, social and economic outcomes
• identifying opportunities for Traditional Owner management
• identifying areas of state forest where recommendations can be made now
• advising on where more partnership and engagement work needs to be done.

The Taskforce will partner with Traditional Owners in its work.

The Taskforce is different to the Eminent Panel for Community Engagement, which has been working with communities in the Central Highlands, Strathbogie Ranges and Mirboo North since 2022.

As part of this work, the Victorian Environmental Assessment Council will be conducting scientific values assessments of the area to support understanding of forest values. The Taskforce will also seek economic, recreation and cultural values assessments. These are all just some of the inputs the Taskforce will consider in making its recommendations.

The existing responsibilities of the Department of Energy, Environment and Climate Change to manage bushfire risk under the Forests Act 1958 are not in scope of the Taskforce’s work.

More information about engagement opportunities for the Great Outdoors Taskforce will be provided soon.

Central Highlands state forests

The Eminent Panel for Community Engagement, established in 2021 to consider future use of Immediate Protection Areas, has finalised its engagement process in the Central Highlands state forests. The Panel has undertaken extensive community engagement to help determine the future use and management of Central Highlands state forests.

The Panel has spoken to over 1,000 people at 60 engagement sessions, and received over 14,000 responses to their consultation on Victoria’s Central Highland forests. The Panel has requested extra time to complete its report to ensure that all voices are properly heard and considered as part of its report to Government.

The Victorian Government looks forward to receiving the Panel’s report soon. Read the latest information on the Eminent Panel’s work.

Strathbogie Ranges and Mirboo North

The Eminent Panel’s report for Mirboo North and Strathbogie Ranges Immediate Protection Areas was completed in 2022. The Victorian Government is currently considering its response.