More than 65,000 hectares of new national parks are going to be created in the central west of Victoria following the introduction of the Parks and Lands Public Bill into state parliament today. The move marks one of the most significant expansions of public land in recent years, giving Victorians more spaces to explore, relax, and connect with nature.
The legislation will deliver the Mount Buangor, Pyrenees, and Wombat-Lerderderg national parks, alongside the Cobaw and Hepburn conservation parks. Bendigo Regional Park will also see an expansion, while the Mirboo North Immediate Protection Area will gain permanent protection as a new Conservation Park.
These areas were recommended following the 2021 Victorian Environmental Assessment Council’s Central West Investigation Final Report, ensuring the parks meet both ecological and community needs.
“We’re protecting what Victorians love most about our great outdoors, so that they can continue to experience and enjoy nature and attract more visitors to the regions,” Minister Dimopoulos said. “The new parks provide safe homes for our famous wildlife and boost local regional economies by keeping Victoria at the top of every visitor’s bucket list.”
The parks will safeguard Victoria’s iconic native flora, including Mount Cole Grevillea and Pyrenees Gum, as well as rare and threatened species such as the Powerful Owl, Barking Owl, Swift Parrot, and Southern Greater Glider.
The Yellingbo Landscape Conservation Area in the Yarra Valley, home to the critically endangered helmeted honeyeater, will be formally renamed Liwik Barring Conservation Area, meaning “Ancestors Trail” in the Woi Wurrung language of the Wurundjeri People.
Victorians will be able to enjoy a wide range of recreational activities across the parks, including bushwalking, camping, horse riding, four-wheel driving, dog walking, fishing, and seasonal deer hunting, which also supports ecosystem protection by controlling deer populations.
For more information, visit forestsandreserves.vic.gov.au
