The Gippsland Integrated Natural Resources Forum presents 18 Natural Assets that symbolise the richness and diversity of Gippsland.
I am pleased to present this fourth annual Report Card on the environmental condition and stewardship of some of Gippsland’s key natural assets. These assets are central to some of our major industries, support vibrant communities and many have environmental values of national and international note.

The Forum aims to provide an honest and credible assessment, across all land tenures, for different land uses, across the whole of Gippsland. This year, we have separated Wilson’s Promontory from Corner Inlet to better reflect the attributes of these assets. The Latrobe Group Aquifer has been added this year to bring focus to one of our important underground natural assets that is under severe threat.

There are different pressures on our natural assets, including climatic conditions, our land use choices and direct damage caused by humans that has occurred over a period of 200 years. We expect the rate of improvement in environmental condition to be slow, and in many cases the results of our investment and restoration work will not be evident for some decades.

We are making good progress on the stewardship of most assets with the release of the first environmental flows for the Thomson, removal of alpine grazing in Alpine National Park and the continued excellent work to reduce offsite impacts of the Macalister Irrigation District on the Gippsland Lakes. We are confident that all of these efforts will result in improved environmental condition in the coming years.

We have more work to do. Corner Inlet, Latrobe Group Aquifer and Coastal Living assets are under threat and require some urgent attention to improve stewardship in the coming years.

Major challenges for the year ahead include the finalisation of the Central Region Sustainable Water Strategy (and its implications for Gippsland), development of the Gippsland Region Sustainable Water Strategy, preparing ourselves for climate change impacts, facing the energy challenge and continuing to plan for population increases, particularly in our coastal and metropolitan fringe areas.

I acknowledge the support of a range of organisations in the preparation of this Report Card and welcome feedback on its content and usefulness.

Keith Hamilton
Chair - Gippsland Integrated Natural Resources Forum