Otway Basin resource and land use planning model
Otway Basin preliminary model
A resource and land use planning model was developed for the Otway Basin, using a multi-criteria analysis. The methodology is outlined here. The preliminary model and methodology were tested with the Victorian Gas Program’s independent Stakeholder Advisory Panel as well as local government planners and other state government agencies, to ensure relevant data was captured.
Consultation and workshops in south west Victoria
Three stakeholder workshops and seven community workshops were held across the south west region during October and November 2019. Residents and other participants were invited to share local knowledge, values and insights.
A total of 150 people attended the workshops. Common concerns raised included food security and protection of agricultural land, environmental risks, particularly to water supplies, gas markets and domestic gas reservation policies and how searching for new fossil fuels fits in a climate change context. The engagement feedback on the model informed updates including additional datasets being added to the preliminary model, and further refinement to the scoring framework.
Final Otway Basin model
The final model (Figure 1) provides visualisation of land uses and landscape sensitivities across south west Victoria; and demonstrates constraints and opportunities for potential multi and sequential land use.
The model indicates that there are no areas without any constraints in the Otway Basin. Therefore, all areas require appropriate planning and management if development were to take place.
Areas and/or features identified in the Otway Basin model as highly constrained included:
- areas already prohibited and restricted through existing legislation
- areas within and surrounding townships and residential zones
- areas along rivers and near water bodies and coastal areas
- vegetation, habitat or species of environmental importance
- cultural heritage or landscape values of significance
- areas with exposure to natural or environmental hazards such as fire, flood or other
- other current or potential land use conflicts and constraints identified through the resource and land use planning model as having environmental, cultural, economic, and/or social significance.
The model is dynamic and can be built on and reanalysed as required. Any potential future onshore conventional gas exploration and development can be informed by this regional assessment.
A technical report about the Otway Basin Resource and Land Use Planning model will be released in the near future.
For more information
- Resource and Land Use Planning Frequently Asked Questions
- A fact sheet developed for the Resource and Land Use Planning community workshops can be viewed below.
- Information about the preliminary Gippsland Basin Resource and Land Use Planning model.
Page last updated: 02 Jun 2021