Victoria is the smallest mainland state in Australia. As of 2022^[update] it contained 5,081 separate protected areas with a total land area of 4,012,888 ha (9,916,060 acres) (17.64% of the state's area).^[1]

The parks are managed by Parks Victoria, a state government agency. There are also many smaller state areas which are subject to commercial activity such as logging.

National parks of Victoria State parks of Victoria Marine national parks of Victoria Marine and coastal parks of Victoria Marine sanctuaries of Victoria Other parks of Victoria

Main parks

National parks

National parks provide the highest level of protection to diverse natural areas. They usually contain the best and most unique examples of our natural values and biodiversity. There are 45 national parks in Victoria,^[2] totalling 2,910,738 ha (7,192,590 acres) (72.53% of the state's protected areas).^[1]

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National parks of Victoria

State parks

State parks help protect the state's natural values. They are very similar to national parks, however, the conservation values and landscapes they protect are smaller or less diverse. There are 26 state parks in Victoria,^[2] totalling 158,043 ha (390,530 acres) (3.94% of the state's protected areas).^[1]

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State parks of Victoria

Regional parks

Regional parks are found close to urban centres or major tourist routes. While still places of natural beauty, visitor recreation is the primary purpose of regional parks.

Metropolitan parks

Metropolitan parks are very similar to regional parks, however, are located in metropolitan Melbourne.

Indigenous Protected Areas

Indigenous Protected Areas (IPAs) are "areas of land and sea managed by Indigenous groups as protected areas for biodiversity conservation through voluntary agreements with the Australian Government".^[5]

There are 5 indigenous protected areas in Victoria, totalling 3,888 ha (9,610 acres) (0.1% of the state's protected areas).^[1] The following IPAs have been declared in Victoria:^[6][7][8]

• Budj Bim
  • Kurtonitj
  • Lake Condah
  • Tyrendarra
• Deen Maar
• Framlingham Forest

Historic and heritage

Parks Victoria is responsible for the largest and most diverse collection of heritage places on public land in Victoria. They manage more than 3,000 historic assets including cultural landscapes, buildings, infrastructure, significant trees, objects and artefacts, archaeological sites, and shipwrecks.

Historic and heritage parks

Historic or heritage parks are significant historic cultural landscapes of heritage value. There are 6 historic and heritage parks in Victoria^[9]

Historic and heritage areas

There are 75 historic and heritage areas in Victoria^[9] including:

Heritage River

There are 18 heritage rivers in Victoria, totalling 158,783 ha (392,360 acres) (3.96% of the state's protected areas).^[1] These are defined under the Heritage Rivers Act 1992 as parts of rivers and river catchment areas that have significant nature conservation, recreation, scenic or cultural heritage values

Marine protected areas

Victoria is the first jurisdiction in the world to create an entire system of highly protected marine national parks at the same time.^[12] As of 2020^[update] Victoria contained 30 separate marine protected areas with a total area of 121,242 ha (299,600 acres) (11.87% of the state's coastal waters).^[1] Marine national parks and sanctuaries contain important marine habitats and species, or encompass areas of significant natural features; and are highly protected areas in which no fishing, extractive or damaging activities are permitted.

Marine national parks

There are 13 marine national parks in Victoria,^[2] totalling 52,191 ha (128,970 acres) (43.05% of the state's protected waters)^[1].

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Marine national parks of Victoria

Marine sanctuaries

There are 11 marine sanctuaries in Victoria,^[2] totalling 864 ha (2,130 acres) (0.71% of the state's protected waters)^[1].

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Marine sanctuaries of Victoria

Coastal and marine parks

Coastal Parks and Marine Parks protect areas of coastal, intertidal or subtidal land. There are 6 marine (or marine & coastal) parks in Victoria, totalling 68,187 ha (168,490 acres) (56.24% of the state's protected waters).^[1] There are also 5 coastal parks in Victoria, totalling 45,284 ha (111,900 acres) (1.13% of the state's protected land areas).^[1]

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Marine and coastal parks of Victoria

• The former Point Cook Coastal Park (proclaimed in 1978) became part of the Point Cooke Marine Sanctuary.
• The former Cape Schanck Coastal Park (proclaimed on 1 December 1975) became part of the old Point Nepean National Park in 1988.

Reference areas

Reference areas are tracts of public land containing viable samples of one or more land types that are relatively undisturbed. There are 144 reference areas in Victoria, totalling 112,628 ha (278,310 acres) (2.81% of the state's protected areas) and all but 23,032 ha (56,910 acres) are located inside other protected areas^[1] including:

Other nature areas

Wilderness and Nature parks

Wilderness parks are large areas with native plant and animal communities that are relatively unaffected by humans. They are managed for conservation, with no facilities provided for visitors and no vehicles are permitted. There are 3 wilderness parks in Victoria,^[2] totalling 200,699 ha (495,940 acres) (5% of the state's protected areas).^[1]

There is 1 nature park in Victoria, totalling 1,925 ha (4,760 acres) (0.05% of the state's protected areas).^[1]

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Other parks of Victoria

Wilderness zones

There are 19 wilderness zones in Victoria, totalling 641,441 ha (1,585,040 acres) (15.98% of the state's protected areas) and all but 131 ha (320 acres) are located inside other protected areas.^[1]

Natural catchment area

There are 25 natural catchment areas in Victoria, totalling 151,368 ha (374,040 acres) (3.77% of the state's protected areas).^[1]

Remote and natural area

There are 24 remote and natural areas in Victoria, totalling 302,990 ha (748,700 acres) (7.55% of the state's protected areas).^[1]

Other reserves

In Victoria, there are a total of 2776 nature reserves, totalling 467,092 ha (1,154,210 acres) (11.64% of the state's protected areas)^[1] divided is the following different groups:

Bushland Reserve

There are 1592 bushland reserves in Victoria, totalling 45,305 ha (111,950 acres) (1.13% of the state's protected areas).^[1]

Cave Reserve

There are 9 cave reserves in Victoria, totalling 532 ha (1,310 acres) (0.01% of the state's protected areas).^[1]

Conservation park / reserve

There are 13 conservation parks / conservation reserves in Victoria, totalling 20,994 ha (51,880 acres) (0.52% of the state's protected areas).^[1]

Flora & Fauna Reserve

There are a total of 186 flora and/or fauna reserves in Victoria, totalling 119,632 ha (295,620 acres) (2.98% of the state's protected areas).^[1]

Geological Reserve

There are 14 geological reserves in Victoria, totalling 436 ha (1,080 acres) (0.01% of the state's protected areas).^[1]

Gippsland Lakes Reserve

There are 39 gippsland lakes reserves in Victoria, totalling 7,129 ha (17,620 acres) (0.18% of the state's protected areas).^[1]

Nature Conservation Reserve

There are 263 nature conservation reserves in Victoria, totalling 136,909 ha (338,310 acres) (3.41% of the state's protected areas).^[1]

Natural Features and Scenic Reserve

There are 49 natural features reserves in Victoria, totalling 10,402 ha (25,700 acres) (0.26% of the state's protected areas)^[1].
There are 50 scenic reserves in Victoria, totalling 9,649 ha (23,840 acres) (0.24% of the state's protected areas)^[1].
There are 24 combined natural features and scenic reserves in Victoria, totalling 19,799 ha (48,920 acres) (0.49% of the state's protected areas).^[1]

Streamside Reserve

There are 259 streamside reserves in Victoria, totalling 7,895 ha (19,510 acres) (0.2% of the state's protected areas).^[1]

Tall Trees Reserve

There is 1 tall trees reserve in Victoria, totalling 14 ha (35 acres).^[1]

Wildlife Reserve

There are 277 wildlife reserves in Victoria, totalling 88,396 ha (218,430 acres) (2.2% of the state's protected areas).^[1]

Some of the nature reserves include

• Deep Lead Nature Conservation Reserve
• Jackass Flat Nature Conservation Reserve
• Long Forest Flora & Fauna Reserve
• Marble Gully - Mount Tambo Nature Conservation Reserve
• Mount Elizabeth Nature Conservation Reserve
• Mount Hope Nature Conservation Reserve
• Mullinger Swamp Wildlife Reserve
• The Spit Wildlife Reserve
• Yellingbo Nature Conservation Reserve