Catchments are areas that water runs off and contributes to the water in a stream or stream system through run off or percolation. Many different activities can affect the volume and quality of the water in a catchment, including land use, noxious weeds, pest animals, and agricultural chemical runoff. In order to ensure the States plant and animal life are preserved, the management of these land uses is organised at a catchment level.

The primary piece of legislation which establishes the management structure for Victoria's catchments is the Catchment and Land Protection Act 1994 (Vic). The Catchment and Land Protection Act 1994 does this by:

• dividing the State into ten regions;
• establishing the Victorian Catchment Management Council to manage catchment resources on a State-wide basis;
• establishing Regional Catchment Management Authorities ('CMAs') for each of the ten land protection regions; and
• establishes controls for various noxious weeds and pest animals.

The Catchment Management Council’s main role is to supervising the various regional Catchment Management Authorities, act as an advisory council to the Minister for Environment and Climate Change ('the Minister') and promoting community awareness and understanding of catchment management issues; (see sections s6 and 9A of the Catchment and Land Protection Act 1994 (Vic)).

Despite the establishment of the Victorian Catchment Management Council and CMAs, it is the Secretary who retains primary responsibility for the enforcement of the Catchment and Land Protection Act 1994 by having the power to serve Land Use Conditions and Land Management Notices on landowners.

The Secretary is a legal term used under the Catchment and Land Protection Act 1994 (Vic) and theConservation Forests and Lands Act 1987 (Vic) which describes head of the Department of Sustainability and Environment.

• Short summary of the Catchment and Land Protection Act 1994 (Vic)

• Catchment Management Authorities (CMAs).

• Duties of landowners for catchment management.

• Catchment planning and strategies.

• Control of noxious weeds and pest animals.

• View the Catchment and Land Protection Act 1994 (Vic) on Austlii

• Victorian Government - Victorian Catchment Management Council

• Victorian Government - Department of Primary Industries; Regional Catchment Management Authorities

• Victorian Government - Department of Primary Industries; Catchment Region Homepage

• Victorian Government - Department of Sustainability and Environment - Ministers