Agency
Ministry for Conservation
VA 551
1973 - 1983
Agency names
Officially known as: Ministry for Conservation
Establishment and Functions
The Ministry for Conservation was established in 1973 under the provisions of the Ministry of Conservation Act 1972 (No.8364). The Ministry was essentially responsible for co-ordinating the activities of a number of agencies (such as the Soil Conservation Authority, Land Conservation Council, Environment Protection Authority, Royal Melbourne Zoological Gardens and the National Parks Service) all of which are concerned with conservation and environment protection and the management and utilization of land and living aquatic resources. The Fisheries and Wildlife Division of the Chief Secretary's Department (VA 475) was also transferred to the new Ministry together with a number of research institutes, for example the Arthur Rylah Institute for Environmental Research and the Marine Science Laboratories.
The Ministry was responsible for policy development and providing advice to the Minister on the following matters:
environment protection and pollution control
soil conservation
fisheries and wildlife
land conservation
national parks
foreshore protection (the Port Phillip Authority also being part of the Conservation portfolio from 1973 to 1981)
marine research
zoological gardens
archaeological survey from 1975 when the Victorian Archaeological Survey was transferred to the Ministry from the Chief Secretary's Department (VA 475)
animal protection from 1979 to 1981, this function also being inherited from the Chief Secretary's Department (VA 475) and subsequently transferred to the Department of Agriculture (VA 618).
In 1983 the Ministry was abolished. The majority of its responsibilities were assumed by the Department of Conservation, Forests and Lands (VA 1034). Other functions, for example archaeological survey, environment protection and land conservation, became the responsibility of the Department of Planning and Environment (VA 1024).
Location of Records
Some records have been transferred to the Public Record Office, although no central records of the Ministry are included.
See also List of Holdings 2nd edition 1985, sections 3.6.11 (Fisheries and Wildlife), 3.6.12 - 3.6.19 (National Parks), 3.6.20 (Royal Melbourne Zoo) and 3.6.22 (Soil Conservation).
The Ministry for Conservation was established in 1973 under the provisions of the Ministry of Conservation Act 1972 (No.8364). The Ministry was essentially responsible for co-ordinating the activities of a number of agencies (such as the Soil Conservation Authority, Land Conservation Council, Environment Protection Authority, Royal Melbourne Zoological Gardens and the National Parks Service) all of which are concerned with conservation and environment protection and the management and utilization of land and living aquatic resources. The Fisheries and Wildlife Division of the Chief Secretary's Department (VA 475) was also transferred to the new Ministry together with a number of research institutes, for example the Arthur Rylah Institute for Environmental Research and the Marine Science Laboratories.
The Ministry was responsible for policy development and providing advice to the Minister on the following matters:
environment protection and pollution control
soil conservation
fisheries and wildlife
land conservation
national parks
foreshore protection (the Port Phillip Authority also being part of the Conservation portfolio from 1973 to 1981)
marine research
zoological gardens
archaeological survey from 1975 when the Victorian Archaeological Survey was transferred to the Ministry from the Chief Secretary's Department (VA 475)
animal protection from 1979 to 1981, this function also being inherited from the Chief Secretary's Department (VA 475) and subsequently transferred to the Department of Agriculture (VA 618).
In 1983 the Ministry was abolished. The majority of its responsibilities were assumed by the Department of Conservation, Forests and Lands (VA 1034). Other functions, for example archaeological survey, environment protection and land conservation, became the responsibility of the Department of Planning and Environment (VA 1024).
Location of Records
Some records have been transferred to the Public Record Office, although no central records of the Ministry are included.
See also List of Holdings 2nd edition 1985, sections 3.6.11 (Fisheries and Wildlife), 3.6.12 - 3.6.19 (National Parks), 3.6.20 (Royal Melbourne Zoo) and 3.6.22 (Soil Conservation).
Jurisdiction: Victoria
