The draft Yarra Strategic Plan delivers the first Victorian integrated river corridor strategy. It identifies immediate actions for the river, enables long-term collaborative management between agencies and Traditional Owners and guides local planning.

The plan spans the first 10 years toward achieving the 50 Year Community Vision and deliver upon the aspirations in the Wurundjeri Woi wurrung Cultural Heritage Aboriginal Corporation’s Nhanbu narrun ba ngargunin twarn Birrarung (Ancient spirit and lore of the Yarra River).

Many different people either care for or have an impact upon the Yarra River. Ranging from Traditional Owners, to farms and industry on the riverbank, to local councils and government agencies – we can only sustain the Yarra River for future generations if we come together under a shared plan-of-action to balance the wellbeing of the Yarra River for all of us. It’s the strategic thinking to achieve this balance and described in the draft Yarra Strategic Plan.

In 2017, the landmark Yarra River Protection (Wilip-gin Birrarung murron) Act 2017 passed through the Victorian Parliament, enshrining in law the protection of the Yarra River and its parklands.

The Act calls for the development of a long-term Community Vision which identifies the community’s values, priorities and preferences in relation to the management of the Yarra River corridor.

After engaging with over 2,500 Victorians in 2017 to find out what they value about the Yarra, an independent consultant selected 24 community members to write the 50-year community vision. The vision sets out the community’s long-term aspirations for the Yarra River corridor.

The actions within the Yarra Strategic Plan work to bring the community vision to life and realise the aspirations of the Wurundjeri Woi wurrung Cultural Heritage Aboriginal Corporation.

The Yarra River is feeling the effects of climate change and population growth. We’re facing big challenges over the next 100 years, which include:

• A dramatic and long-term decline in rainfall
• More frequent extreme weather events in Victoria, including droughts, floods and heatwaves
• Less water entering the waterways
• Increases in population and associated infrastructure

The Yarra Strategic Plan is a collaborative way for us to act together and a framework to put the Yarra River at the centre of our decisions.

These challenges are already being felt, with the amount of rainfall entering the Yarra River halving since 2012.

More intense storm events are resulting in poorer water quality, rapid changes to wildlife habitat, and reduced amenity and access to open space for communities.

Over the longer term, warming and drying climate trends will affect the plants and animals that can survive in and along the river.

All these changes will have a significant impact on the ability of the Yarra River corridor to adapt and thrive.

There are several Acts, policies and guidelines that include the Yarra River in their scope, however, this is the first ever integrated plan to put needs of the entire Yarra River corridor at the heart of decision making and land use planning.

The need for an integrated plan was identified by the Yarra River Protection Ministerial Advisory Committee (Yarra MAC) in its final report delivered in December 2016. The Victorian Government accepted this recommendation in the Yarra River Action Plan, released on 26 February 2017. The Action Plan is the government’s response to recommendations made by the Yarra MAC.

The commitment to develop a Yarra Strategic Plan is outlined in Action 14 in the Yarra River Action Plan.

Developing a draft Yarra Strategic Plan to share didn’t happen quickly or in isolation. For the past three years the Victorian Government and Melbourne Water as lead agency have consulted with Traditional Owners, landowners, government agencies and community stakeholders to form the draft Yarra Strategic Plan. In addition, we’ve worked with established interest groups, formed the Yarra River Community Assembly, and presented to the Birrarung Council.

All these engagements have provided feedback to shape the draft Yarra Strategic Plan. This has included:

• A community assembly of 24 individuals who drafted the 50-Year Community Vision
• Over 3,300 individual contributions to the draft Yarra Strategic Plan
• Over 300 comments on an interactive map of the Yarra River
• 1,000 people responded to a survey about their impressions of the Yarra River
• Multiple community workshops were hosted along the Yarra River
• Development of local community visions tailored to the reaches of the Yarra River

Public consultation on the draft Yarra Strategic Plan closed on 29 March 2020.

We have consulted with stakeholders and community on the Draft Yarra Strategic Plan in a number of ways. These included:

• Stakeholder briefings
• Focus groups by invitation
• Community pop-up events
• Story map and survey
• Written submissions

The Yarra Strategic Plan covers the Yarra River and land of any kind within 1 kilometre of its banks – from the Upper Yarra Reservoir downstream to the Port of Melbourne – referred to as the ‘Yarra River corridor’. Port lands are excluded from the Yarra Strategic Plan.

The main focus of the Yarra Strategic Plan is Crown land and state-owned land within 500 metres of the river. The Yarra Strategic Plan also recognises the network of parklands along the Yarra River – the Greater Yarra Urban Parklands – as one of Melbourne’s greatest open space assets and aims to manage and protect these into the future as a single, cohesive ecosystem – a living environmental, social and economic asset for Victoria.

The Yarra Strategic Plan has been prepared by the Yarra Collaboration Committee – the governance group overseeing development of the Yarra Strategic Plan. It’s made up of the 15 state and local agencies who manage the Yarra River corridor, along with Elders and representatives of the Wurundjeri Woi wurrung Cultural Heritage Aboriginal Corporation. The group exemplifies the transformational partnerships developed under the auspices of this work and demonstrates the serious commitment to cross-boundary management of the Yarra River.

The Yarra River has been significant to its Traditional Owners, the Wurundjeri Woi wurrung People, for thousands of years. The Victorian Government worked closely with the Wurundjeri Woi wurrung Cultural Heritage Aboriginal Corporation to deliver the Yarra River Protection (Wilip-gin Birrarung murron) Act 2017 (the Act). This legislation enshrines in law the protection of the Yarra River corridor and acknowledges the significance of the river to the Wurundjeri Woi wurrung people, highlighting their ongoing role in its management. Reflecting this role, a significant amount of content in the draft Yarra Strategic Plan has been contributed by the Wurundjeri Woi wurrung Cultural Heritage Aboriginal Corporation.

The eight local councils along the Yarra River are playing an active role in the preparation of the Yarra Strategic Plan. This includes documenting all the work being done by each local council to protect and manage the Yarra River in their municipality. The final Yarra Strategic Plan will include and Implementation Plan with actions that can be undertaken by councils, such as detailed planning studies for local areas along the river. The eight councils are:

• Banyule City Council,
• Boroondara City Council,
• Manningham City Council,
• Melbourne City Council,
• Nillumbik Shire Council,
• Stonnington City Council,
• Yarra City Council and
• Yarra Ranges Shire Council.

Once community feedback has been received on the draft Yarra Strategic Plan, a final Yarra Strategic Plan will be prepare, with a detailed implementation plan included. The implementation plan will specify roles and responsibilities for all partner organisations involved in the protection and management of the Yarra River. It will include actions for State Government and its agencies, including the Department of Environment, Land, Water and Planning, Melbourne Water, Parks Victoria and the Department of Transport. It will also include actions for local councils along the river corridor.

The Wurundjeri Woi wurrung Cultural Heritage Aboriginal Corporation will work in partnership with government agencies on actions aligned with their aspirations as Traditional Owners.

In the 2019-20 financial year, a combined $80 million in investment is being delivered by state and local government agencies that own or manage land within the Yarra River corridor.

This investment will deliver great ecological, social, cultural, spiritual and community benefit to the Yarra River. These investments range from delivering improved cycling connections to protecting the habitats of native species, waterway improvements and land restoration initiatives.

State and local government agencies will continue their efforts to look after the Yarra River and its parklands. These commitments are described in ten key publications which are listed in draft Yarra Strategic Plan.

Part 1 of the Yarra Strategic Plan identifies additional priority actions that will require collaborative effort and investment over the next 10 years, building on the efforts of individual organisations as we work towards the 50-Year Community Vision together.

The Land Use Framework is the spatial representation of how we will work towards the Yarra Strategic Plan’s four performance objectives and the Yarra River 50 Year Community Vision – over the next 10 years. It provides broad directions for land use and development to protect the Yarra River corridor and its significant values.

The Land Use Framework responds to the requirements outlined in sections 20 and 21 of the Yarra River Protection (Wilip-gin Birrarung murron) Act 2017 and complements the other projects and actions that will be delivered through the Yarra Strategic Plan.

To reflect the unique characteristics of the Yarra River, and align with the 50 Year Community Vision, the land use framework provides directions for land use and development across four reaches:

• Upper rural: Upper Yarra Reservoir to Healesville
• Lower rural: Healesville to Warrandyte
• Suburban: Warrandyte to Dights Falls
• Inner city: Dights Falls to Westgate Bridge.

The Land Use Framework includes an analysis of current land use, pressures and threats along the Yarra River corridor. It then outlines directions for future land use and development and identifies new areas for protection and significant places where we can work to improve parklands, biodiversity outcomes, cultural heritage and community access.

Following approval of the final Yarra Strategic Plan, the Land Use Framework will be given effect in eight local planning schemes:

• Banyule
• Boroondara
• Manningham
• Melbourne
• Nillumbik
• Stonnington
• Yarra
• Yarra Ranges

It will also be implemented into planning policy by updating of the existing Yarra River protection policy (at clause 12.03-1R of the Victoria Planning Provisions).

The Land Use Framework’s maps and directions for future land use and development will work with other statutory controls, including interim Yarra River Protection planning controls introduced in 2017, to ensure that the Yarra River is at the centre of planning and decision-making in the corridor.

Implementation of the Land Use Framework in this way means that planning permit and amendment proposals within the Yarra Strategic Plan area must be consistent with the Yarra Strategic Plan.

Not all content in the Land Use Framework will become part of planning policy, with a range of actions and initiatives in the Land Use Framework delivered through different means. Future project opportunities identified in the Land Use Framework will require further investigation by the Yarra Collaboration Committee partners and be subject to separate engagement and consultation with the community.

As such, even projects which may have a statutory planning component will not be implemented through planning schemes immediately.

Your feedback on the Draft Yarra Strategic Plan and the Land Use Framework in particular, will help us refine the directions for land use and development and influence the protection of the Yarra River corridor. Submissions will be used to update the Draft Yarra Strategic Plan, then be referred to a panel, together with the updated version of the plan, for independent consideration.

The Yarra River Protection (Wilip-gin Birrarung murron) Act 2017 requires a panel process be undertaken so that submissions relating to Part 2 – Land Use Framework can be independently considered.

Prior to referral to the panel, submissions made on Part 2 – Land Use Framework will be thoroughly reviewed and where agreed, incorporated into the updated version of the plan. Submissions which are not fully adopted will be further considered by the panel. The panel will be appointed by the Minister for Water and be administered by Planning Panels Victoria. Its operation will be similar to a planning panel under the Planning and Environment Act 1987 and like a planning panel, the panel process for the Yarra Strategic Plan will be independent.

While the panel will not be requested to consider specific amendments to any planning scheme in the Yarra Strategic Plan area, its recommendations will inform the finalisation of the YSP and the preparation of subsequent planning scheme amendments.

The panel will hold public hearings, providing an opportunity for submitters, should they wish, to present their submissions and call any expert evidence. Following completion of the public hearings, the panel will prepare and submit a report and any recommendations it thinks fit to the Minister for Water.

Consistent with the Yarra River Protection (Wilip-gin Birrarung murron) Act 2017, the final decision on the content of the Land Use Framework will be made by the Minister for Water.

The dates for the panel hearings are as follows:

• 27 April 2020 - Directions Hearing.
• Week commencing 25 May 2020 - Public Hearing commences.

The dates, times and locations will be confirmed with submitters following exhibition of the draft Yarra Strategic Plan on the Engage Victoria website.

The Directions Hearing will be an opportunity for the panel to consider any preliminary or procedural matters, including the circulation of further information and expert witness reports, and to make arrangements for the public hearing (including the hearing timetable) and provide an opportunity for submitters to ask any questions about the panel process. These details will be communicated to parties that have lodged a submission referred to the panel.

A planning scheme amendment to implement the Yarra Strategic Plan and the Land Use Framework will be drafted and implemented following the panel process and subsequent finalisation of the plan.

Any planning scheme amendment to implement the approved Yarra Strategic Plan will be subject to the Minister for Planning’s consideration under Part 3 of the Planning and Environment Act 1987.

Usually a planning panel is appointed under the Planning and Environment Act 1987 by the Minister for Planning to hear submissions made about amendments to a planning scheme. The panel makes recommendations or provides advice about whether or not the amendment should be adopted and the form in which it should be adopted.

The Yarra Strategic Plan panel will be appointed by the Minister for Water under the Yarra River Protection (Wilip-gin Birrarung murron) Act 2017 and be asked to consider submissions referred to it.

Similar to a planning panel, the panel process for the Yarra Strategic Plan will be independent.

The metropolitan planning strategy, Plan Melbourne 2017-2050, recognises the significance of the Yarra River and its parklands to the identity, liveability and prosperity of Melbourne and the Yarra Valley.

The Land Use Framework builds on Plan Melbourne policy to protect and enhance the Yarra River and its parklands by establishing performance objectives and directions which will can help us start to realise the Yarra River 50 Year Community Vision. The Victorian Government will ensure alignment between the Yarra Strategic Plan’s Land Use Framework and land use framework plans currently being prepared for each metropolitan region as part of Plan Melbourne.