Birrarung’s Planning Protection Framework encourages decision-makers to look beyond avoiding harm and consider how proposals can make a positive contribution to the long-term health, wellbeing and resilience of Birrarung.

The Protection Principles specifically encourage decisions that both:

  • improve public health and wellbeing
  • deliver environmental net gain.

This means decision-makers should seek to avoid trade-offs where improvements in one area are achieved at the expense of another and instead pursue integrated outcomes wherever possible.

Every decision is an opportunity to leave the river and her lands in a better state than before.

Achieving this requires proponents and decision-makers to think beyond impact avoidance and mitigation and identify opportunities to enhance environmental, cultural, social and recreational outcomes.

This may include opportunities to:

  • protect, restore and enhance habitat and biodiversity
  • improve water quality and waterway health
  • strengthen connections to Country
  • improve public access and opportunities for recreation
  • support cultural values and practices
  • deliver broader environmental and community benefits.
Photograph shows a person looking out over a river winding through dense eucalyptus forest.
Photograph shows a person looking out over Birrarung (the Yarra River) winding through dense eucalyptus forest.

Page last updated: 30/10/26