Know the Regulations
In Victoria, there is approximately 30,000 kilometres of Crown water frontage for recreational users to enjoy. Crown water frontages are a public asset and recreational use by the public is permitted.
Some Crown water frontages are licensed for riparian management purposes or to allow adjacent landholders to graze livestock on the frontage. Other Crown water frontage is unlicensed.
An unlicensed Crown river frontage is Crown land which has a frontage to a waterway and is not licensed under the Land Act 1958. It may, however, be licensed under the Forests Act 1958.
Before you set up camp, it’s important to be aware of the regulations surrounding the land you’re planning to camp on.
Licensed and unlicensed Crown water frontages
There are different regulations for camping on licensed and unlicensed Crown water frontage. You can find out if you’re on a licensed Crown water frontage by using the MapShare website.
Camping on licensed Crown water frontages
The Land Act 1958 was recently amended by the Victorian Government to allow camping on certain Victorian river frontages. These changes apply to Crown land where a licence has been granted to the adjoining landowner for grazing. Designated camping sites on licensed areas will be assessed as suitable for camping and opened by the State Government.
The Victorian Government will be opening up suitable, designated licensed Crown water frontage sites. As these sites are opened, they will be available on the Department of Environment, Land, Water and Planning website.
The Department of Environment, Land, Water and Planning have supplied a summary of the rules for camping on designated Crown water frontage campsites which can be viewed in the table below.
CAMPING
WASTE DISPOSAL
CAMPFIRES & FIREWOOD
GENERAL BEHAVIOUR
- Camping permitted only in designated areas
- No camping within 20 metres of the waterway
- No camping within 200 metres of any nearby residence
- Maximum stay 14 nights.
- Portable toilets must be at least 50 metres from the waterway (and not on private property)
- If not disposed of in a portable toilet, human waste and toilet paper must be buried more than 100 metres from the waterway (and not on private property)
- All rubbish and belongings must be taken with you on departure.
- Campfires may be permitted in some designated areas – check the details of each area for campfire rules
- Firewood collection is prohibited
- No cutting, felling, picking, damaging or destroying of vegetation, whether alive or dead.
- No dogs allowed
- Do not enter or cross private land without permission
- Leave any gate as found
- Do not interfere with or disturb livestock.
Camping on unlicensed Crown water frontages
When camping on unlicensed Crown water frontages, you must not camp for more than 28 days.
The Land (Regulated Watercourse Land) Regulations 2021
The Victorian Government recently amended the Land Act 1958 to allow camping on designated Victorian Crown water frontages. These changes apply to Crown land where an adjoining landowner has a grazing licence.
Camping will only be permitted on designated campsites deemed suitable for camping by the Victorian Government.
The full regulations can be downloaded via the button below.
The regulations are also available below.
The objectives of these Regulations are:
(a) to regulate the recreational use of certain regulated watercourse land; and
(b) to provide for the care, protection and management of certain regulated watercourse land; and
(c) to provide for the management of camp
Definitions
In these Regulations —
camp means to use or have present in an area, for accommodation purposes, whether occupied or not— In these Regulations
(a) equipment including a tent, sleeping bag, swag, tarpaulin or any form of accommodation, shelter or temporary structure; or
(b) a vehicle, vessel or any other moveable form of accommodation, whether or not it is in a condition that enables it to be moved;
Riparian management works means works to protect regulated land;
Examples: Riparian management works include planting of vegetation and revegetation of land.
vegetation means any alga, fungus or plant or part of an alga, fungus or plant, in any stage of biological development and whether alive or dead;
Regulation
Description
Part 6—Use of regulated land
Division 1—General behaviour
21 Introduction and planting of vegetation
(1) A person must not knowingly bring vegetation onto regulated land.
Penalty: 20 penalty units.
(3) Subregulation (1) does not apply if a person brings vegetation onto regulated land that is—
(a) firewood; or
(b) a manufactured wooden object.
23 Soil, sand, gravel and rocks
(1) A person must not dig or cut any soil, sand, gravel or rock or similar material on regulated land.
Penalty: 15 penalty units.
(2) A person must not bring onto, or remove from, regulated land any soil, sand, gravel or rock or similar material.
Penalty: 15 penalty units.
24 Good order
1) A person must not behave on regulated land in a manner that is likely to be a nuisance to any person.
Penalty: 20 penalty units.
25 Interference with structures
A person must not move, displace or interfere with any building, gate, fence, barrier, sign or other structure or works on regulated land.
penalty: 20 penalty units.
26 Closure of gates
A person must immediately close a gate on regulated land that the person has opened.
Penalty: 10 penalty units.
Division 2 – Hygiene and waste
31 Disposal of human waste
(1) A person must not deposit or leave behind faeces on regulated land or in any watercourse, bog, bore, dam or spring unless the person—
(ii) if there is no determination made under subregulation (4), by burying the faeces 100 metres or more from any watercourse, bog, bore, dam or spring.
Penalty: 20 penalty units.
(b) deposits the faeces in a portable toilet located 50 metres or more from any watercourse, bog, bore, dam or spring
32 Disposal of soap and detergent
(1) A person must not use or dispose of any soap, detergent or similar substance on regulated land—
(b) if there is no determination made under subregulation (2), less than 50 metres from any watercourse, bog, bore, dam or spring.
Penalty: 5 penalty units.
33 Removal of waste and personal property
A person who uses regulated land for recreation must, before vacating the regulated land, clear from the regulated land all waste and personal property for which the person is responsible.
Penalty: 10 penalty units.
Division 3 – Campfires
34 Campfires prohibited—land subject to riparian management works
A person must not light, cause to be lit or maintain a campfire on any part of regulated land that contains riparian management works.
Penalty: 20 penalty units.
39 Campfires prohibited—land being cultivated
A person must not light, cause to be lit or maintain a campfire on any part of licensed regulated land that is being cultivated.
Penalty: 20 penalty units.
40 Campfires prohibited except in areas set aside
(1) A person must not light, cause to be lit or maintain a campfire on any area of licensed regulated land unless that person does so in an area set aside under subregulation (2).
Penalty: 20 penalty units.
Sections 66A, 66B and 66C of the Forests Act 1958 contain offences relating to campfires and barbeques that apply to regulated land that is in a fire protected area
Part 7—Use of licensed regulated land
Division 1—General behaviour
36 Animals
(1) Subject to subregulation (2), a person who uses or intends to use licensed regulated land for recreation must not bring a dog onto that licensed regulated land unless the dog is—
(a) a gundog within the meaning of the Wildlife (Game) Regulations 20122 and—
38 Camping offences
(1) A person must not camp on licensed regulated land set aside for camping under regulation 37—
(b) if there is no determination made under subregulation (4), less than 20 metres from any watercourse, bog, bore, dam or spring.
Penalty: 10 penalty units.
(2) A person must not camp on the licensed regulated land set aside for camping under regulation 37—
(b) if there is no determination made under subregulation (4), less than 200 metres from any dwelling.
Penalty: 10 penalty units.
(3) A person must not camp in or otherwise occupy the same area of licensed regulated land for more than—
(b) if there is no determination made under subregulation (4), 14 consecutive nights.
Penalty: 10 penalty units.
Part 8—Use of unlicensed regulated land
43 Camping offences
3) A person must not camp in or otherwise occupy the same area of unlicensed regulated land for more than—
(b) if there is no determination made under subregulation (4), 28 consecutive nights.
Penalty: 10 penalty units.