Revenue collected from the Metropolitan Improvement Rate, commonly known as the parks charge, is paid into the Parks and Reserves Trust Account (PRTA).
Allocations from the PRTA primarily support Parks Victoria, Zoos Victoria, Royal Botanic Gardens Victoria and the Shrine of Remembrance to deliver on core obligations relating to the access, safety, utility and environmental quality of their managed estates. This PRTA funding ensures that our world-class network of large urban parks and trails is maintained and staffed for the enjoyment of future generations.
Where is the PRTA’s revenue and expenditure information published?
Information on the parks charge and PRTA is reported in the Department of Energy, Environment and Climate Action's annual report. A summary of PRTA revenue and expenditure over the past 2 financial years is in the table below:
Financial year | Total amount collected from parks change revenue | Total amount spent on the control and management of open spaces, parks and waterways | PRTA's closing cash balance |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2023-24 | $200.379 million | $182.000 million | $227.570 million |
| 2022-23 | $206.204 million | $195.315 million | $202.167 million |
What recent strategic projects has PRTA funded?
Significant annual allocations are issued from the PRTA to key park managers including Parks Victoria, Zoos Victoria, Royal Botanic Gardens Victoria, and the Shrine of Remembrance.
In addition to the core operational funding to key entities, the following projects were funded from the PRTA during the 2023-24 financial year.
Entity or program | Project | Funding |
|---|---|---|
| Caulfield Racecourse Reserve Trust | Operational and site remediation | $2.000 million |
| Parks Victoria | Urgent dredging works in the lower Yarra River | $0.475 million |
| DEECA | Helmeted Honey-eater recovery program – Supplementary feeding | $0.458 million |
| DEECA | Volunteer Committees of Management – Targeted asset maintenance and upgrades | $2.276 million |
| DEECA | Beaconsfield Recreational Reserve | $1.000 million |
| DEECA | Open Space for Everyone – Strategic implementation | $1.188 million |
| DEECA | Critical Coastal Erosion program - Metropolitan area | $1.500 million |
| DEECA | Dog parks program | $4.155 million |
| DEECA | Better parks and playgrounds program | $6.465 million |
| DEECA | Collingwood Children’s Farm – Regenerative agricultural overhaul | $1.000 million |
| DEECA | Port Phillip EcoCentre Redevelopment | $1.980 million |
| DEECA | Port Phillip Bay | $2.200 million |
| DEECA | Victorian Landcare Grants | $0.427 million |
| DEECA | Yellingbo Conservation Area | $2.123 million |
| DEECA | Sea to Shrine project | $2.900 million |
What is the parks charge?
The parks charge is an annual levy on commercial, industrial and residential properties in the metropolitan Melbourne area (as specified by Order of the Governor in Council and published in the Victorian Government Gazette).
The retail metropolitan water corporations bill and collect the parks charge on behalf of the Minister for Environment. The levy appears as a separate annual charge on the water bill. The parks charge has been included on the water, sewerage and drainage bills for residential and commercial properties since 1958.
The parks charge is levied on the Net Annual Value (NAV) of the land. For 2024-25, the parks charge rate is 0.510% of NAV with a minimum annual charge of $87.19.
What activities are funded through the parks charge revenue?
The Water Industry Act 1994 provides for the disbursement of PRTA funds for the following purposes:
- Management and control of open space, parks and waterways, within the metropolitan area, for the purposes of conservation, recreation, leisure, tourism and navigation.
- Acquisition of land by the Crown in the metropolitan area for the purpose of conservation, recreation, leisure or tourism.
During the 2023-24 financial year, a total of $182.000 million was disbursed from the PRTA for:
- park, waterway and bay management in the metropolitan area (including maintenance and asset construction) at national and state parks, zoological parks, state gardens, Shrine of Remembrance, and Committees of Management
- purchase of public open space for conservation, recreation, leisure or tourism
- management and maintenance of public beaches and renourishment works.
How is the PRTA governed?
The Water Industry Act 1994 provides for the Minister for Environment to approve allocations from the PRTA on the determination of the Secretary DEECA. The Minister and Secretary are supported by the PRTA Governance Committee.
Contact us
Contact David Sheehan, Manager Governance Unit, Land Management Policy, for information about PRTA on 9637 9479.
Page last updated: 07/11/24