Environment and heritage

With more than 30,000 hectares of land across Victoria and many historic rail buildings and structures, we are dedicated to the preservation and protection of the state’s assets. We recognise we have a great resource and a great responsibility to the people of Victoria.

We work to protect the state’s rich transport heritage and build a sustainable transport future and land management, environmental protection and historic preservation are a key part of this. Each year, we invest in working to rehabilitate, protect and enhance transport land and assets.

Our business has established conservation and remediation programs, which we deliver in partnership and with under guidance from the Victorian Government, rail operators, the Environment Protection Authority (EPA), Heritage Victoria and other agencies and local communities. Our key roles and functions include:

Biodiversity conservation

We protect and manage the conservation of some of Victoria’s most threatened ecosystems, which fall within the rail corridor. We manage the protection of significant natural habitats, and resolve issues related to contamination as a result of historical land use.

We work in partnership with Landcare Australia, Keep Australia Beautiful, local community groups, councils and service organisations to provide for long term management of significant biodiversity and indigenous species as well as rehabilitation. Our programs include revegetation, weed removal and control, seeding and education.

We develop biodiversity management plans to aid in the management of areas of high value and maintain internal databases to assist us with the identification of biodiversity values. Our Corporate Biodiversity Management Plan is the overarching document that sets our policy and processes on biodiversity management.

We protect and manage the conservation of some of Victoria’s most threatened ecosystems, which fall within the rail corridor. We manage the protection of significant natural habitats, and resolve issues related to contamination as a result of historical land use.

We work in partnership with Landcare Australia, Keep Australia Beautiful, local community groups, councils and service organisations to provide for long term management of significant biodiversity and indigenous species as well as rehabilitation. Our programs include revegetation, weed removal and control, seeding and education.

We develop biodiversity management plans to aid in the management of areas of high value and maintain internal databases to assist us with the identification of biodiversity values. Our Corporate Biodiversity Management Plan is the overarching document that sets our policy and processes on biodiversity management.
Contaminated land and remediation

We work to understand the environmental condition of land that we manage where it has been impacted by contamination from historical rail related use and poor environmental management practise. We work with industry contaminated land experts to assess potential environmental and human health risks through an environmental land assessment program.

We manage the impacts and risks to human health by putting in place management controls. This ensures we can protect the land and the health of people by ongoing monitoring and assessment or by remediating the land.

Remediation programs are undertaken either voluntarily or with oversight from an EPA-appointed Environmental Auditor. Environmental remediation programs are managed by our in-house environmental team and we also work closely with environmental remediation experts, key stakeholders and local communities.

We work to understand the environmental condition of land that we manage where it has been impacted by contamination from historical rail related use and poor environmental management practise. We work with industry contaminated land experts to assess potential environmental and human health risks through an environmental land assessment program.

We manage the impacts and risks to human health by putting in place management controls. This ensures we can protect the land and the health of people by ongoing monitoring and assessment or by remediating the land.

Remediation programs are undertaken either voluntarily or with oversight from an EPA-appointed Environmental Auditor. Environmental remediation programs are managed by our in-house environmental team and we also work closely with environmental remediation experts, key stakeholders and local communities.
Heritage preservation

VicTrack supports the preservation of Victoria's rail and tram heritage through our annual Heritage Program, which allocates $1 million each year to the restoration of state heritage-listed buildings and structures.

A long term Heritage program has been set and endorsed by a VicTrack Committee with representation from Heritage Victoria, several of our Board members and a specialist architect.

The Community Use of Vacant Rail Buildings program further supports the restoration of old rail assets, to return them for use to communities. VicTrack also manages many of Victoria's important heritage locations, including the Hawthorn Tram Depot and the Newport Workshops.

VicTrack supports the preservation of Victoria's rail and tram heritage through our annual Heritage Program, which allocates $1 million each year to the restoration of state heritage-listed buildings and structures.

A long term Heritage program has been set and endorsed by a VicTrack Committee with representation from Heritage Victoria, several of our Board members and a specialist architect.

The Community Use of Vacant Rail Buildings program further supports the restoration of old rail assets, to return them for use to communities. VicTrack also manages many of Victoria's important heritage locations, including the Hawthorn Tram Depot and the Newport Workshops.
Sustainability at VicTrack
As a government agency, we work towards the highest standards in sustainability as part of our ongoing business operations.

We work to protect and manage the environment to meet our legal obligations and also improve our environmental performance.

We have set clear objectives and key priorities for our organisation through our
- Environmental Sustainability Policy and
- Environmental Sustainability Strategy 2021-2025
Our overall vision for environmental sustainability balances social, environmental and economic considerations in our decision making in order to become a leader in sustainable environmental management.

More information
Our annual reports show our progress on environmental and sustainability commitments
As a government agency, we work towards the highest standards in sustainability as part of our ongoing business operations.

We work to protect and manage the environment to meet our legal obligations and also improve our environmental performance.

We have set clear objectives and key priorities for our organisation through our
- Environmental Sustainability Policy and
- Environmental Sustainability Strategy 2021-2025
Our overall vision for environmental sustainability balances social, environmental and economic considerations in our decision making in order to become a leader in sustainable environmental management.

More information
Our annual reports show our progress on environmental and sustainability commitments

Downloadable forms

Provide details of groundwater wells installed on VicTrack land using our bore register form.

Provide a summary of flora and fauna data collected on VicTrack land using our biodiversity form.

Provide a summary of pre-contact cultural heritage data collected on VicTrack land using our cultural heritage form.