Western Port Catchment Committee

Overview

The Western Port Catchment Committee (WPCC) is a community/agency liaison group with an interest in the sustainability of the Western Port catchment region. Originally established by the Port Phillip & Western Port Catchment Management Authority, the group has continued to meet independently since 2003. Now supported by the Biosphere Foundation and Melbourne Water, its secretariat is located at the Biosphere Foundation's office in Hastings.

The WPCC provides a networking forum to:

  • Promote an exchange of information and ideas between agencies, authorities and community.
  • Help identify new and emerging issues and contribute to problem solving processes.
  • Provide constructive feedback and comments on issues of local, regional and international importance.
  • Advocate, support and help facilitate programs for the protection and enhancement of the Western Port environment.
  • Assist Melbourne Water and the Port Phillip & Western Port Catchment Management Authority to identify priorities within the catchment.
  • Help initiate, facilitate, promote and maximize locally important on-ground projects.

For further information, please contact WPCC executive officer Ian Stevenson.

Agenda Thursday 18 April 2013

9.30 -12.00, Koo Wee Rup Community Centre

Please note the different venue to usual. The KWR Community Centre is located in Rossiter Road Koo Wee Rup. Turn left into the car park about 500 metres past the hospital, opposite the road section between Sybella Avenue and Charles Street. Agenda:

  • Workshop re Draft Port Phillip & Western Port Regional Catchment Strategy
  • Presentation from Mike Lean, the new CEO Port Of Hastings Authority. Mike will present on the new organisational structure, objectives and future plans for the port.

Regional Catchment Strategy background

The new Port Phillip and Western Port Regional Catchment Strategy aims to protect the environmental assets that are the cornerstones of healthy and resilient ecosystems – native vegetation, native animals, waterways and wetlands, the hinterland, coasts and marine waters. The Strategy is designed to:

  • Set specific, measurable targets for the future condition of environmental assets as the basis for action, accountability , monitoring, reporting and improvement.
  • Identify and acknowledge organisations that providing leadership to attain the targets.
  • Provide a guide for local decision-making and action to achieve outcomes that have region-scale significance.
  • Optimise the use of resources available for environmental works by fostering collaboration and coordination between the strategy's target leaders and other organisations, groups and communities.
  • Set well-defined environmental targets that can inform economic and social planning.

Members' announcements welcome. New faces welcome. Please contact Ian Stevenson for morning tea catering purposes, apologies or queries.

News

Past presentations

Deciding for the Coast – Federally funded project for the four Western Port councils re climate change planning issues, Greg Hunt, Executive Officer South-eastern Councils Climate Change Alliance, September 2011: Presentation, project summary

Westernport Green Wedge Management Plan and the release of the 2011 discussion paper, Lisa Brassington, Strategic Planner, Cardinia Shire Council, September 2011: Presentation, further information

Presentations from the Western Port Science Review. According to Prof Mick Keough, who coordinated the review, Western Port has been "off the radar" and there is much that we don't know.

Biodiversity Law Update, June 2010
Nicola Rivers EDO Policy and Law Reform Director

EPA – A Modern & Accountable Regulator?, April 2010
Cheryl Batagol, Chair EPA Victoria

Useful links

 

On this page

Meetings

Meetings are held every two months from 9.30am–12.00pm at Balla Balla Community Centre, Casey Indoor Leisure Complex, 65 Berwick-Cranbourne Road, Cranbourne (Melway 134 B6).

Free parking is available outside the centre, located to the west of the greater library/aquatic centre complex.