Planning for our waterways

Amendment VC278 has made several changes to the Planning Policy Framework, namely:

• Updated two state policies, Clause 12 and 14 to ensure a consistent approach to waterway protection across Victoria.
• Introduced a series of Significant Landscape Overlays to 17 waterways across metro Melbourne.
• Extended, updated and made the interim Significant Landscape Overlays for Waterways of the West permanent (Moonee Ponds Creek, Maribyrnong River and Werribee Rivers)
• Updated and made the interim Significant Landscape Overlays for Rivers of the Barwon permanent (Barwon, Leigh Moorabool and Yarrowee Rivers)

Clause 12.03-1S ‘River and riparian corridors, waterways, lakes, wetlands and billabongs’ has been updated to specify spatial parameters for applying the policy and to clarify the decision guideline.

Clause 14.02-1S ‘Catchment planning and management’ has been updated to increase the minimum setback from a waterway from 30 metres to 50 metres.

The state policies apply to all waterways across Victoria.

The new Significant Landscape Overlays apply to:

• Cherry Creek
• Darebin Creek
• Deep Creek
• Edgars Creek
• Emu Creek
• Gardiners Creek (Kooyongkoot)
• Jacksons Creek (biik wurdha)
• Koonung Creek (Koonung Koonung)
• Koroit Creek
• Maribyrnong River
• Merri Creek (Merri Merri)
• Moonee Ponds Creek
• Plenty River (Kurrum)
• Skeleton Creek
• Steele Creek
• Stony Creek
• Werribee River (Wirribi Yaluk).

Updated Significant Landscape Overlays apply to Barwon River, Leigh River, Maribyrnong River, Moonee Ponds Creek, Moorabool River, Werribee River and Yarowee River.

Municipal areas where these new or updated controls apply include:

• Ballarat
• Banyule
• Boroondara
• Brimbank
• Colac Otway
• Darebin
• Golden Plains
• Hobsons Bay
• Hume, Surf Coast
• Greater Geelong
• Macedon Ranges
• Manningham
• Maribyrnong
• Melbourne
• Melton
• Merri-bek
• Mitchell
• Moonee Valley
• Moorabool
• Monash
• Nillumbik
• Stonnington
• Whitehorse
• Whittlesea
• Wyndham
• Yarra

Significant Landscape Overlays have been applied to the nominated waterways. A Significant Landscape Overlay is made up of 5 components:

• A statement of significance
• The landscape character objectives
• Permit requirement (also known as permit triggers)
• Application requirements and
• Decision guidelines

These components protect waterways by:

• Clearly outlining the landscape values and significant elements of each waterway that need to be protected.
• Stating objectives and the outcomes to be achieved through the Significant Landscape Overlay.
• Setting out the requirements needed to protect the landscape character of the waterway, for example, managing the encroachment of buildings or works into the sensitive waterway corridor.
• Providing a clear list of application requirements to support informed decision making.
• Providing decision guidelines to help decision makers reach balanced, informed decisions.

The Significant Landscape Overlay recognises waterways as integrated and living entities as it is general in nature and can be applied at a regional level across municipal boundaries.

It also allows for a statement of significance in which the values of the landscape, including traditional owner landscape values, and use language where appropriate can be recognised.

The controls introduced through Amendment VC278 are permanent.

The previous interim controls for Rivers of the Barwon (Barwon, Leigh, Moorabool and Yarrowee Rivers) and Waterways of the West (Moonee Ponds Creek, Maribyrnong River and Werribee River) have also been made permanent. They have also been reviewed and updated to better align with feedback and the new controls.

The controls have been developed through a volume of technical work, building on work previously undertaken for Birrarung (Yarra River), Waterways of the West and Rivers of the Barwon.

Technical landscape and planning assessments were undertaken, which included mapping, site visits and desktop analysis, as well as researching and understanding each individual waterway.

Extensive consultation was also undertaken with the relevant government agencies, municipal councils, community groups as well as working with Traditional Owners.

Through these processes, an informed and integrated planning response was developed.

The controls were developed with input from Traditional Owners, in particular Wurundjeri Woi Wurrung. Amendment VC278 takes several steps in reflecting Traditional Owner values, including acknowledging waterways corridors as single and living entities with intrinsic cultural values and use of Aboriginal language for places, where known.

The government’s 2022 election commitment nominated 14 waterways for additional protection. These waterways, located within the Waterways of the West and Birrarung (Yarra River) catchments, are supported by action plans that include initiatives to protect additional metropolitan waterways.

Protecting these waterways is essential to safeguard natural environments and community amenity as the city continues to grow.

DTP undertook community consultation between February and March 2025 for a period of 6 weeks. Through this consultation over 1,300 responses were received with clear support for the introduction of stronger controls.

DTP also collaborated closely with Wurundjeri Woi-wurrung Cultural Heritage Aboriginal Corporation on the drafting of the Significant Landscape Overlays, and particularly in developing the statements of significance for each waterway and the mapping of the corridors

Municipal councils were another key stakeholder who participated in workshops as the project scope was developed and were briefed at key milestones.

Regular discussions with other stakeholders such as Suburban Rail Loop Authority, Parks Victoria, Department of Energy, Environment and Climate Action, Melbourne Water, River Keepers and Management Groups also informed the program.

Although the controls were gazetted on 23 December 2025, they will not come into effect until 20 January 2026.