Parks & Reserves

Parks and reserves were established in Victoria from the 1850s onwards. Victoria's National Parks are managed by Parks Victoria. There are 3.7 million hectares of forests in the parks and reserves system. National Parks make up most of the land reserved under the National Parks Act 1975. State parks and wilderness parks are also declared under the Act. In addition, Victoria has a variety of other reserves, such as Metropolitan Parks and Marine National Parks which provide important contributions to the total conservation framework.

A key feature of Victoria's parks and reserves is the diversity of ecosystems protected. Victoria is a small state by Australian standards, but Victoria's natural habitats range from alpine to semi-arid, from coastal environments to temperate rainforests and rolling grasslands. This diversity is reflected in Victoria's parks and reserve system where areas have been selected on the basis that all of the State's major ecosystem types are represented and protected.

Victoria's diverse parks and reserves not only contribute to the total Australian National Reserve System but also to a global conservation network with areas within Victoria designated as Ramsar wetlands and Biosphere Reserves.