Extractive resources

Strategic Extractive Resource Areas

Victoria’s population is projected to exceed 10 million people by 2050. As Victoria grows and more houses, schools, hospitals, roads, and renewable energy projects are delivered, the demand for quarry resources, including rock and sand, will significantly increase.

We need to protect quarries close to where the demands for resources are, to reduce transport costs and minimise emissions, helping to make construction projects more affordable and sustainable.

It is also important to ensure ‘sensitive’ land use and developments, such as houses, schools, sports grounds, shops and wineries, are not built too closely to land where quarrying may occur.

Securing quarry resources within Strategic Extractive Resource Areas (SERAs) is a priority action in the Joint Ministerial Statement on Extractive Resources 2025 and supports Victoria’s Housing Statement: The decade ahead 2024-2034.

To discover more about how we are planning to ensure the future supply of quarry material for Victoria, visit the Resources Victoria website.

To find out more about the consultation that informed Amendment GC263 and to view the consultation summary report and submissions, go to the Strategic Extractive Resources Areas in Cardinia, Hume and Baw Baw Engage Victoria page.

How to check if a property is in or near a SERA

VicPlan is an interactive, web-based mapping tool for viewing, searching and reviewing planning zones, overlays and spatial data across Victoria. To check if a property is within or near a SERA.

1. Click on the link below and select the ‘Layers’ tab.
2. Tick the ‘Overlays’ box and click on the ‘+’ sign
3. Tick the ‘Land Management’ box and click on the ‘+’ sign,
4. Tick the ‘State Resource Overlay’ box.
5. Enter a property address in the search field and click on the magnifying glass.

If the land is affected by the State Resource Overlay (Schedule 1)(SRO1) it is within a SERA. If the land is affected by SRO2 or SRO3, the land is within a SERA ‘buffer’ area.

Click here to access VicPlan

Extractive industry operation

In March 2022, we introduced changes to all planning schemes in Victoria via Amendment VC219 to support the ongoing operation of extractive industry across Victoria and increase amenity protection for nearby accommodation in rural zones.

Amendment VC219 introduced a permit requirement for accommodation, building and works associated with accommodation located within 500m from the nearest title boundary of land on which a work authority has been applied for or granted under the Mineral Resources (Sustainable Development) Act 1990.

Find out more about amendment VC219.

More information about extractive and mining activities in Victoria can be found at GeoVic - Earth Resources.

Identifying land with a work authority

Mapping information on work authorities can be found at VicPlan. VicPlan is a maping service for property information, including whether a work authority application has been made or approved under the Mineral Resources (Sustainable Development) Act.

1. Go to VicPlan
2. Select the ‘Map’ menu at top of screen
3. Select ‘Layer Catalog’
   
4. Select from the list  ‘Extractive Industry Work Authorities’
5. Tick ‘Extractive Industry Work Authorities – Applications’ and ‘Extractive Industry Work Authorities - Current’ and select ‘OK’.
   
6. Enter an address in the search field.
7. The results will show:
   • Property information under the ‘Property Information’ tab at the bottom of the page
     
   • Work authority information under the ‘Layers’ tab at the bottom of the page. Current /approved (granted) work authorities are shown in orange and work authority applications are shown in blue.
     

Identifying accommodation within 500 m of land with a work authority

1. Complete the steps 1 - 7 above to locate land with a work authority.
2. Select the ‘Tools’ menu at the top of screen.
3. Select ‘Distance’ and ‘Enable Snapping’.
   
4. Double click the boundary of the land and the end point. The map will provide the distance between the two points.

For help using VicPlan, go to Using VicPlan.

Page last updated: 27/04/26