Native Vegetation and Wildlife

Golden Plains has a wonderful variety of wildlife and vegetation – find out more about them, and how you can help support native wildlife and vegetation.

Native Vegetation

Native vegetation includes all plants that are indigenous to Victoria, including trees, shrubs, herbs and grasses. This includes areas of bushland with trees, scattered paddock trees, and treeless areas of scrub or grassland. In fact, some of the rarest or threatened vegetation types such as native grasslands, and wetlands do not include trees at all. All native vegetation is protected in Victoria.

It can be difficult for people who are not trained botanists, horticulturalists or natural resource managers to identify areas of native vegetation that does not include trees. A person would be required to be skilled at identifying indigenous plant species, particularly when they are not flowering and also understand that some plants are only visible during certain times of the year.

For further information on permits to remove native vegetation go to:

Native Vegetation Information Sheet 

Removing native vegetation

All native vegetation is protected in Victoria. A Planning Permit is required if you want to remove, lop or destroy native vegetation. There are some limited exemptions from the requirement to obtain a Planning Permit. If you think you may need to remove, lop or destroy native vegetation, contact Council to check that you do not require a permit. Councils Natural Resource Officers regularly conduct site visits and property inspections to assess proposals that impact on native vegetation and can provide advice as to whether a Planning Permit is required. Do not damage, destroy or remove native vegetation dead or alive on your property before contacting Council, as penalties and costly remediation works can apply.

For further information on permits to remove native vegetation go to:

Native Vegetation Information Sheet or visit Planning Permits. 

Detailed guidance on native vegetation removal from the State Government can be found in the Guide to Exemptions.

Guide to Exemptions 

You can also see the detailed information held at the Department for Environment, Land, Water and Planning (DELWP) website.

Some of our native plants and vegetation communities are listed as rare and threatened due to habitat loss by land clearing, grazing by stock and competition by pest plants. Rare and threatened plant species are protected under State legislation (Flora and Fauna Guarantee Act 1988) and Federal legislation (Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999). Heavy penalties apply to people that deliberately damage or destroy rare and threatened plant species and their floristic communities.

Native wildlife

Golden Plains Shire is home to a variety of native animals ranging from mammals, birds, frogs, fish and reptiles. Contact Councils Natural Resources Officer to find out what native animals are found in your area.

Some of our native animals are listed as rare and threatened due to habitat loss by land clearing and predation and displacement by pest plants and animals.

All native animals in Victoria are protected under State legislation (Wildlife Act 1975), rare and threatened species are further protected under State legislation (Flora and Fauna Guarantee Act 1988) and Federal legislation (Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999). Heavy penalties apply to people that deliberately injure or destroy native wildlife.

More information on Victorian wildlife and its management, check out the Department for Environment, Land Water and Planning (DEWLP) website.

Other resources

Landholders looking to encourage native wildlife to their properties can do so by planting a range of native plant species to create suitable habitat, refer to Councils Indigenous Planting Guides for more information.

If you have existing native vegetation on your property you may consider the Land for Wildlife a program administered by the Department for Environment, Land, Water and Planning.

Environment and Sustainability

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