Parks Victoria is the national park management agency for the state of Victoria in Australia. Re-established under the Parks Victoria Act 2018 with clear objectives and functions, we now act as a strengthened park management agency for the community and the environment. We care for 18% of Victoria’s landmass (4.1 million hectares), managing this estate in partnership with Traditional Owners, government and non-government organisations, park neighbours, friends’ groups (volunteers) and the broader community.
What habitats, ecosystems and biomes do you work with?
We manage a diverse network of parks, home to over 4,300 native plant species and 948 native animal species. The parks include some of Victoria’s largest and most undisturbed ecosystems – landscapes like the Alps, the Mallee, grasslands, inland waters and wetlands. It covers Victoria’s marine national parks and sanctuaries that protect a wide array of marine life. Within this network, there are thousands of Aboriginal and post-European cultural and heritage sites, a range of historic gardens, several local ports and major rivers, many piers and around 70% of Victoria’s coastline. Parks Victoria is also the local port manager for Port Phillip Bay, Western Port and Port Campbell, and the waterway manager for the Yarra and Maribyrnong rivers.
What are your most pressing conservation challenges?
The impacts of climate change are having huge ramifications for conservation management
particularly with regards to the changes to habitats of threatened species. Other conservation challenges for Parks Victoria include dealing with the frequency and intensity of wild fires and storms,
