Victorian Consolidated Legislation

Wildlife Act 1975 - SECT 32

PART V WILDLIFE MANAGEMENT CO-OPERATIVE AREAS, PROHIBITED AREAS, AND SANCTUARIES

Wildlife Management Co-operative Areas

32. Wildlife Management Co-operative Areas



(1) The Governor in Council on the recommendation of the Minister by Order
published in the Government Gazette may declare any locality to be a Wildlife
Management Co-operative Area for every kind or taxon of wildlife specified in
the Order for the period of time specified in the Order.

(2) An Order shall not be made under subsection (1) in respect of any private
land unless the owner or occupier thereof has first applied to the Minister in
writing for such land to be declared a Wildlife Management Co-operative Area
and the Minister has caused not less than one month's notice of intention to
make the Order to be published in some newspaper circulating generally in the
locality and in respect of any lands of the Crown unless the Minister has
first consulted with the Minister administering the Water Act 1989.

(3) In respect of land declared under subsection (1) to be a Wildlife
Management Co-operative Area the Secretary may prepare a scheme of operations
the objects of which shall be the management, study, control of hunting, or
preservation, of the kinds or taxon of wildlife specified in the Order or
which exists in the area and the maintenance, restoration or improvement of
the wildlife habitat thereon and such scheme, when approved by the Minister,
shall be the working plan for the Wildlife Management Co-operative Area to
which it relates.

(4) The working plan for any Wildlife Management Co-operative Area may be
prepared in consultation between the Secretary, interested organizations, and
the owner or occupier of any lands which pursuant to the provisions of this
section have been declared to be a Wildlife Management Co-operative Area and
upon the owner or occupier of such lands consenting to the working plan, the
working plan shall be submitted to the Minister for approval, and when
approved by the Minister shall bind the land to which it relates for the
period specified in the Order and in the case of private land may be enforced
against any owner or occupier for the time being as if it were an agreement in
writing executed by him.

(5) The plan may contain provisions requiring the involvement and
participation of officers of the Department within the meaning of the
Conservation, Forests and Lands Act 1987 with such interested organizations,
owners or occupiers for the carrying out of works or of any act or operation
in furtherance of the objects of the working plan.

(6) A working plan may, with the consent of the owner or occupier of any lands
to which the working plan relates to the proposed amendments being first
obtained and the approval in writing of the Minister, be amended from time to
time and thereafter the working plan as so amended shall be the working plan
for the Wildlife Management Co-operative Area to which it relates.

(7) Any dispute arising with respect to a working plan under this section
between the Department within the meaning of the
Conservation, Forests and Lands Act 1987 and any other Government Department
or authority, board, or like body incorporated by Act of Parliament for a
public purpose shall be determined by the Governor in Council whose decision
thereon shall be final.