Victoria is the smallest mainland state in Australia. it contained separate protected areas with a total land area of (17.64% of the state's area).

The parks are managed by Parks Victoria, a state government agency. There are also many smaller state areas which are subject to commercial activity such as logging.

Main parks

National parks

National parks provide the highest level of protection to diverse natural areas. They usually contain the best and most unique examples of our natural values and biodiversity. There are 45 national parks in Victoria, totalling (72.53% of the state's protected areas).

National parks of Victoria

State parks

State parks help protect the state's natural values. They are very similar to national parks, however, the conservation values and landscapes they protect are smaller or less diverse. There are 26 state parks in Victoria, totalling (3.94% of the state's protected areas).

State parks of Victoria

Regional parks

Regional parks are found close to urban centres or major tourist routes. While still places of natural beauty, visitor recreation is the primary purpose of regional parks.

Metropolitan parks

Metropolitan parks are very similar to regional parks, however, are located in metropolitan Melbourne.

Indigenous Protected Areas

Indigenous Protected Areas (IPAs) are "areas of land and sea managed by Indigenous groups as protected areas for biodiversity conservation through voluntary agreements with the Australian Government".

There are 5 indigenous protected areas in Victoria, totalling (0.1% of the state's protected areas). The following IPAs have been declared in Victoria:

Budj Bim

• Kurtonitj

• Lake Condah

• Tyrendarra

• Deen Maar

• Framlingham Forest

Historic and heritage

Parks Victoria is responsible for the largest and most diverse collection of heritage places on public land in Victoria. It manages more than 3,000 historic assets including cultural landscapes, buildings, infrastructure, significant trees, objects and artefacts, archaeological sites, and shipwrecks.

Historic and heritage parks

Historic or heritage parks are significant historic cultural landscapes of heritage value. There are 6 historic and heritage parks in Victoria

Historic and heritage areas

There are 75 historic and heritage areas in Victoria including:

Heritage River

There are 18 heritage rivers in Victoria, totalling (3.96% of the state's protected areas). These are defined under the Heritage Rivers Act 1992 as parts of rivers and river catchment areas that have significant nature conservation, recreation, scenic or cultural heritage values

Marine protected areas

Victoria is the first jurisdiction in the world to create an entire system of highly protected marine national parks at the same time. Victoria contained separate marine protected areas with a total area of (11.87% of the state's coastal waters). Marine national parks and sanctuaries contain important marine habitats and species, or encompass areas of significant natural features; and are highly protected areas in which no fishing, extractive or damaging activities are permitted.

Marine national parks

There are 13 marine national parks in Victoria, totalling (43.05% of the state's protected waters).

Marine national parks of Victoria

Marine sanctuaries

There are 11 marine sanctuaries in Victoria, totalling (0.71% of the state's protected waters).

Marine sanctuaries of Victoria

Coastal and marine parks

Coastal Parks and Marine Parks protect areas of coastal, intertidal or subtidal land. There are 6 marine (or marine & coastal) parks in Victoria, totalling (56.24% of the state's protected waters). There are also 5 coastal parks in Victoria, totalling (1.13% of the state's protected land areas).

Marine parks of Victoria

• The former Point Cook Coastal Park (proclaimed in 1978) became part of the Point Cooke Marine Sanctuary.

• The former Cape Schanck Coastal Park (proclaimed on 1 December 1975) became part of the old Point Nepean National Park in 1988.

Reference areas

Reference areas are tracts of public land containing viable samples of one or more land types that are relatively undisturbed. There are 144 reference areas in Victoria, totalling (2.81% of the state's protected areas) and all but are located inside other protected areas including:

Other nature areas

Wilderness and Nature parks

Wilderness parks are large areas with native plant and animal communities that are relatively unaffected by humans. They are managed for conservation, with no facilities provided for visitors and no vehicles are permitted. There are 3 wilderness parks in Victoria, totalling (5% of the state's protected areas).

There is 1 nature park in Victoria, totalling (0.05% of the state's protected areas).

Wilderness & Nature parks of Victoria

Wilderness zones

There are 19 wilderness zones in Victoria, totalling (15.98% of the state's protected areas) and all but are located inside other protected areas.

• Bowen

• Buchan Headwaters

• Cape Howe

• Chinaman Flat

• Cobberas

• Galpunga

• Genoa

• Indi

• Minook

• Mount Cowra

• Mount Darling – Snowy Bluff

• North Wyperfeld

• Razor-Viking

• Sandpatch

• Snowy River

• South Wyperfeld

• Sunset

• Tingaringy

• Wilsons Promontory

Natural catchment area

There are 25 natural catchment areas in Victoria, totalling (3.77% of the state's protected areas).

Remote and natural area

There are 24 remote and natural areas in Victoria, totalling (7.55% of the state's protected areas).

Other reserves

In Victoria, there are a total of 2776 nature reserves, totalling (11.64% of the state's protected areas) divided is the following different groups:

1. Bushland Reserve

There are 1592 bushland reserves in Victoria, totalling (1.13% of the state's protected areas).

1. Cave Reserve

There are 9 cave reserves in Victoria, totalling (0.01% of the state's protected areas).

1. Conservation park / reserve

There are 13 conservation parks / conservation reserves in Victoria, totalling (0.52% of the state's protected areas).

1. Flora & Fauna Reserve

There are a total of 186 flora and/or fauna reserves in Victoria, totalling (2.98% of the state's protected areas).

1. Geological Reserve

There are 14 geological reserves in Victoria, totalling (0.01% of the state's protected areas).

1. Gippsland Lakes Reserve

There are 39 gippsland lakes reserves in Victoria, totalling (0.18% of the state's protected areas).

1. Nature Conservation Reserve

There are 263 nature conservation reserves in Victoria, totalling (3.41% of the state's protected areas).

1. Natural Features and Scenic Reserve

There are 49 natural features reserves in Victoria, totalling (0.26% of the state's protected areas). There are 50 scenic reserves in Victoria, totalling (0.24% of the state's protected areas). There are 24 combined natural features and scenic reserves in Victoria, totalling (0.49% of the state's protected areas).

1. Streamside Reserve

There are 259 streamside reserves in Victoria, totalling (0.2% of the state's protected areas).

1. Tall Trees Reserve

There is 1 tall trees reserve in Victoria, totalling .

1. Wildlife Reserve

There are 277 wildlife reserves in Victoria, totalling (2.2% of the state's protected areas).

1. Some of the nature reserves include:

2. Dexter's Bush

3. Deep Lead Nature Conservation Reserve

4. Jackass Flat Nature Conservation Reserve

5. Kurrawonga Reserve

6. Long Forest Flora & Fauna Reserve

7. Marble Gully - Mount Tambo Nature Conservation Reserve

8. Mount Elizabeth Nature Conservation Reserve

9. Mount Hope Nature Conservation Reserve

10. Mullinger Swamp Wildlife Reserve

11. The Spit Wildlife Reserve

12. Snape Reserve

13. Yellingbo Nature Conservation Reserve

See also

• Protected areas of Australia

• Royal Botanic Gardens, Melbourne

References

External links

• Parks Victoria

• Victoria National Parks

• Travel Victoria – National & state parks

• Travel Victoria – Metropolitan parks

• Travel Victoria – Coastal & marine parks