TAKE ACTION
Feedback on the draft design closed on Monday 28 April 2025.
Koalas, migratory Swift Parrots and stunning Brittle Greenhoods. Epic rides and walks. The You Yangs Regional Park is a total gem. We’re glad it’s getting some attention.
Parks Victoria has a new plan called Future investment in the You Yangs and Serendip Sanctuary. The thing is, the plan is missing key elements that would really help look after the park.
Key issues to raise with the draft concept
The draft plan includes millions for infrastructure but nothing for protecting the natural wonders that make the You Yangs so special. Please feel free to adapt these key points in your brief submission.
- By neglecting nature in the plan, Parks Victoria isn’t upholding its legal duty of care
Parks Victoria are guardians of our landscapes, shared spaces and the web of life that cleans our water and air. This duty is grounded in legislation and ethical stewardship. They are responsible for the health of alpine peaks to coastal shores to the You Yangs. They must include First Nations knowledge in how they look after land and sea. Balancing human enjoyment with nature protection is a core part of their work.
- The You Yangs Regional Park needs educational signage
Interpretive signage is more than a way to identify plants or landmarks. Well made signs reveal the intricate connections between geology, wildlife and human history. They make scientific knowledge accessible to all visitors. Bridging the gap between seeing and understanding inspires people to appreciate nature’s complex magic.
- The park needs weed management works and wash down facilities
No weed management works are included as part of the draft. The You Yangs is defined by the spectacular slab of granite rising from sprawling woodlands. But its original vegetation is in a painful decline. Taking care of the area’s unique habitats –Hills Herb-rich, Alluvial Terraces Herb-rich and Granitic Hills woodlands – should be a priority for Parks Victoria.
At the moment Boneseed, a weed of national significance, is suffocating local wildflowers and plants.
The uptake of bike riding and other recreation is eroding habitat and spreading damaging weeds and pathogens like Phytophthora.
The spread of Phytophthora cinnamomi from infected sites into parks and reserves, including roadsides, under the control of a state or local government authority is listed as a Threatening Process under our national nature laws (EPBC Act 1999) and state nature laws (The Flora and Fauna Guarantee Act 1988).
There is no detail on the wash stations that will be used. Wash down facilities at trailheads are essential defenses for our natural playgrounds. Seeds, spores and pathogens like Phytophthora hitch rides on tires and frames. These silent invadors devastate native plants, disrupt wildlife habitats and alter landscapes. By rinsing before hitting the trails, cyclists become active defenders of nature. Clean bikes mean healthier trails with less erosion and degradation.
- Indigenous plantings to protect the range’s breathtaking views from big infrastructure.
The You Yangs regional park is protected by a Significant Landscape Overlay. This planning tool is used to protect and boost the character of Victorian landscapes. It identifies areas of significant importance and aims to care for and enhance their special features.
Several massive projects have been proposed or approved in the area, like the Barwon Solar Farm and the expansion of Little River Quarry. Parks Victoria should consider plantings to ameliorate the views of these projects throughout the park.
Good to know
Victoria is the most cleared state in Australia. We have the highest number of threatened plants and animals by sub-region in the country.
You Yangs Regional Park is part of an Aboriginal cultural landscape in the traditional Country of the Wadawurrung People.
Resources
• Remnant Native Vegetation Investigation (VEAC, 2011)
• About Boneseed (Osteospermum moniliferum)
• You Yangs Regional Park
