Victoria is made up of many diverse communities, reliant upon healthy natural environments for their social wellbeing and economic prosperity.

Caring for our marine and coastal environments through a range of activities not only fosters community appreciation of marine and coastal areas, but also protects and enhances Victoria's coastline.

Australia is home to the oldest continuing living culture in the entire world. Aboriginal Victorians provide important traditional knowledge in marine and coastal management – to care, heal and protect our marine and coastal environment.

Working together as a community, we can learn how to care for and improve Victoria’s marine and coastal environments for future generations.

Connecting people to marine and coastal environment health

A healthy environment is fundamental to our social and economic needs, human wellbeing and sustainable development.

The health of our marine and coastal cultural landscapes is the product of generations of economic activity, material culture and settlement patterns. Aboriginal people remain connected to Country and cultural landscapes continue across these artificial boundaries.

Assessing the health of our marine and coastal environments through our science reporting, means we can explore solutions for sustainable development, connecting people and our coasts and ocean.

We assessed activities undertaken by Victorian coastal communities and the liveability of those communities. For example, we looked at coastal settlements, cultural heritage, tourism, recreational fishing, commercial fisheries, aquaculture, resources and energy generation, agriculture and coastal infrastructure.

We also assessed environmental stewardship, an ethic of taking care of the natural environment. Many volunteer groups contribute to protecting, conserving and improving marine and coastal environment. At the community level this includes Traditional Owners caring for Country, farmers, fishers and others who rely on marine industries, and various volunteer groups involved in environmental protection. Government departments and agencies are also involved in stewardship activities through funding, policy making and program management.

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Wilsons Promontory National Park – Friends of the Prom volunteers
Image credit - Parks Victoria