Earth Resources Regulation has taken steps to support the staged implementation of new national parks in central west Victoria.
The Regulator said that in June, the State announced its intent to create more than 75,000 hectares of new parks and reserves in the central west area, including three new national parks and seven new and expanded regional parks.
“The decision to create the new parks was made following a detailed investigation conducted by the Victorian Environmental Assessment Council (VEAC), which considered the natural and cultural values, recreational activities and other uses on public land in the area,” the Regulator said.
“New mineral exploration licences will no longer be granted in areas of the central west where national parks are being created,” it said.
“In areas that will become national park, Earth Resources Regulation has exempted that land from new licence applications under Victoria’s minerals law to provide immediate certainty for local communities and the minerals sector.”
The Regulator said the exemption supported the creation of national parks and covered areas to be included in the proposed Pyrenees, Wombat-Lerderderg and Mount Buangor National Parks.
It said 12 current mineral licence applications would be impacted by the exemptions and it had been in touch with each applicant to discuss options and amend applications.
“Mineral exploration is not permitted in national parks unless an exploration licence was issued prior to the park being established,” it said.
“Existing licences will not be impacted but will be subject to stringent regulatory requirements to protect the environment and public safety.”
The Regulator said recreational prospecting could continue prior to the creation of the national parks, but would not be permitted once the parks were established.
