The Great Outdoors Taskforce and Eminent Panel for Community Engagement spoke to thousands of Victorians from 2022 to 2025 through regional forums and statewide workshops, and analysed detailed submissions and public survey responses from almost 20,000 people.
Their recommendations are the foundation of a $30 million investment in Victoria’s great outdoors.
To look at new ways to care for our forests, the government is investing $4 million to pilot Healthy Forest Plans in Orbost and Noojee. This investment directly responds to a core recommendation from the Great Outdoors Taskforce and will support communities, including Traditional Owners, to work together to plan how we can best keep our forests resilient, valued, accessible and open for all to enjoy.
Another $4 million will deliver more on-ground field staff to help guide and educate forest visitors, encourage positive behaviours, and work with communities to support the needs of local and visiting users.
Better management of our forests will be supported by a new Public Land Act that will modernise the legislation to make sure we protect what the community values most about our forests, including recreation experiences and the environment. The Act will also support investment in public land by streamlining outdated processes and approvals that get in the way of good opportunities.
Almost $20 million will be invested to drive recreation and tourism in regional communities including upgrading facilities like toilets, campsites and signage and making it easier for businesses to operate on public land.
The investment will also fund:
- A social enterprise to design, construct and maintain tracks and trails in the Gippsland region
- Upgrades to the Cheynes Bridge Recreation Area in Heyfield
- Enhancements to the Buckland Valley Visitor Experience Area
- Implementation of the next stages of the Yackandandah Creek Masterplan
Since commercial native timber harvesting in state forests ended in 2024, DEECA has started work to regenerate 1,200 hectares of forests, and to rebuild our seed store – critical to restoring forests after major disturbance. The government is now investing another $3.2 million to remove pests and weeds to protect and enhance our native flora and fauna.
View the Government’s full response to the Great Outdoors Taskforce and Eminent panel for Community Engagement.
Page last updated: 23/10/25