Yarra River Protection (Wilip-gin Birrarung murron) Act 2017 (No. 49 of 2017).

The main purposes of this Act are a) to provide for the declaration of the Yarra River and certain public land in its vicinity for the purpose of protecting it as one living and integrated natural entity; and (b) to provide for the development and implementation of a Yarra Strategic Plan as an overarching policy and planning framework in relation to the Yarra River and certain land in its vicinity; and (c) to establish the Birrarung Council to provide advice to the Minister in relation to Yarra River land and other land, the use or development of which may affect Yarra River land, and other matters, and to report annually to the Minister on the implementation of a Yarra Strategic Plan by responsible public entities; and (d) to set out principles to which responsible public entities must have regard when performing functions or duties or exercising powers in relation to Yarra River land or other land mentioned in paragraph (c); and (e) to provide for the declaration of an area of land as a state significant urban natural entity to be known as the Greater Yarra Urban Parklands.
The objects of this Act are (a) to recognise the importance of the Yarra River, and its parklands and associated public places, to the economic prosperity, vitality and liveability of Melbourne and the Yarra Valley, including (i) the ecological health, and the cultural, social, environmental and amenity values of the Yarra River and the landscape in which the Yarra River is situated; and (ii) the environmental significance of the biodiversity corridor along the Yarra River; and (b) to recognise that Crown land and freehold land owned by the State, that is adjacent to the Yarra River and which is used as public open space or as a park, is part of the one living and integrated natural entity, and to protect that land; and (c) to establish an overarching policy and planning framework to coordinate and harmonise planning for the use, development and protection of the Yarra River, its parklands and other land in its vicinity; (d) to establish the Birrarung Council to advocate for protection and preservation of the Yarra River.
Part 2 sets out Yarra protection principles; general principles; environmental, social and cultural principles; and management principles. Part 3 concerns Yarra River land and other land; the Governor in Council, on the recommendation of the Minister, by order published in the Government Gazette, may declare an area of land to be Yarra River land. Under Part 4 the Act requires the preparation of a Yarra Strategic Plan to guide the future use and development of the Yarra Strategic Plan area; and identify areas for protection within the Yarra Strategic Plan area, but before preparing the initial Yarra Strategic Plan, the lead agency must develop a long-term community vision document for Yarra River land. The long-term community vision document must set a vision for a period of at least 50 years that identifies the unique characteristics of Yarra River land; and community values, priorities and preferences in relation to that land or specific areas or segments of that land, including preferences for future land uses, protection and development of that land. Follow then provisions on public consultation for preparing Yarra Strategic Plan the draft. Under Part 5 the Act establishes the Birrarung Council, and provides for functions and administration. Part 6 considers the Greater Yarra Urban Parklands declaration.