Victorian Volcanic Plain Bioregion Strategic Overview
This Strategic Overview for the Victorian Volcanic Plain - May, 2003, was produced in collaboration between R. Taylor, P. Wierzbowski, A. Moorrees and K. W. Lowe - Parks Flora, Fauna Division, DSE; J. Ross - Environmental Consultant, New Zealand and L. Ahern - Nature Scope Pty Ltd. The Victorian Volcanic Plain bioregion covers 2.3 million hectares extending over 32 local government areas and five catchment management regions. It stretches from Portland in the west to Craigieburn in the east and from Clunes in the north to Colac in the south. It has a unique and relatively early history of European settlement due partly to the ease of access of the open grassland plains. The landscape has been radically altered within the last 150 years. Most of the region is private freehold dominated by agriculture and there are small blocks of public land. The native vegetation of the Victorian Volcanic Plain bioregion is one of the most depleted in the State. Only 4.5% still has a cover of native vegetation, and less than 1.2% is in formal reserves. Eleven species of indigenous flora and fauna are extinct, whilst of the remaining species, 171 species are considered threatened including 90 plants (47 dicotyledons, 39 monocotyledons and 4 ferns and allies) and 81 animals (9 mammals, 54 birds, 4 reptiles, 1 amphibian, 9 fish and 4 invertebrates). The bioregion is characterised by a volcanic plain vegetated mainly by native grasses and woodlands with many natural wetlands; more than 40% of these have been altered significantly but some internationally and nationally important wetlands remain. Lake Corangamite is the largest permanent and saline lake in continental Australia. Twenty-four river systems transect the Victorian Volcanic Plain bioregion - apart from the Surrey River, most river reaches in the Victorian Volcanic Plain bioregion are in marginal to poor condition principally due to siltation from accelerated erosion, nutrient run-off from agricultural land and grazing.
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© The State of Victoria, 1996 - 2008.
This document was last reviewed on 24/09/2008