{"id":"land-conservation-vehicle-control-act-1972","name":"Land Conservation (Vehicle Control) Act 1972","slug":"land-conservation-vehicle-control-act-1972","collection":"act","jurisdiction":"vic","status":"in_force","isInForce":true,"actNumber":null,"makingDate":null,"administeringDepartment":null,"currentVersion":{"id":176292,"registerId":"vic-land-conservation-vehicle-control-act-1972-current","compilationNumber":null,"startDate":"2026-04-05","status":"InForce","reasons":null,"registeredAt":null},"sections":[{"sectionNumber":"1","sectionType":"section","heading":"Land Conservation (Vehicle Control) Act 1972","content":"Version No. 021\n\n**Land Conservation (Vehicle Control) Act 1972**\n\n**No. 8379 of 1972**\n\nVersion incorporating amendments as at  \n15 December 2017\n\n**table of provisions**\n\n*Section Page*\n\n1 Short title and commencement 1\n\n2 Definition 1\n\n3 Regulations 2\n\n4 Proceedings for contravention of regulations 3\n\n5 Erosion hazard areas 4\n\nEndnotes 6\n\n1 General information 6\n\n2 Table of Amendments 8\n\n3 Amendments Not in Operation 10\n\n4 Explanatory details 11\n\n**Version No.** **021**\n\n**Land Conservation (Vehicle Control) Act 1972**\n\n**No. 8379 of 1972**\n\nVersion incorporating amendments as at  \n15 December 2017\n\nAn Act to make Provision with respect to Vehicular Traffic on Public Land, the Prevention of Soil Erosion of and Damage to Public Land, to amend the **Local Government Act 1958** and for other purposes.\n\n**BE IT ENACTED by the Queen's Most Excellent Majesty by and with the advice and consent of the Legislative Council and the Legislative Assembly of Victoria in this present Parliament assembled and by the authority of the same as follows (that is to say):**\n\n\t1 Short title and commencement\n\n(1) This Act may be cited as the **Land Conservation (Vehicle Control) Act 1972**.\n\n(2) The several provisions of this Act shall come into operation on a day or the respective days to be fixed by proclamation or successive proclamations of the Governor in Council published in the Government Gazette.\n\nS. 2  \namended by No. 41/1997 s. 27, substituted by No. 81/2001 s. 29.\n\n\t2 Definition\n\nIn this Act—\n\nS. 2 def. of *public land* amended by No. 51/2016 s. 29.\n\n***public land*** means—\n\n(a) any unalienated land of the Crown, including land temporarily or permanently reserved under the **Crown Land (Reserves) Act 1978**;\n\n(b) State forest within the meaning of the **Forests Act 1958**;\n\n(c) park, within the meaning of the **National Parks Act 1975**;\n\n* * * * *\n\n(e) land vested in any public authority, other than a municipal council.\n\n\t3 Regulations\n\n(1) Notwithstanding anything in any Act the Governor in Council may make regulations for or with respect to—\n\n(a) prohibiting or regulating traffic or any class or classes of traffic on public land; and\n\n(b) prohibiting or regulating the use of vehicles on public land.\n\n(2) Regulations under this section—\n\n(a) may be general or may be restricted in operation as to time place vehicles persons or circumstances whether any such time place vehicle person or circumstance is determined or ascertainable before at or after the making of the regulations;\n\nS. 3(2)(ab) inserted by No. 51/2016 s. 30(1).\n\n(ab) may confer a discretionary authority or impose a power or duty on any specified person or body or class of specified person or body;\n\n(b) may authorize the delegation of any powers duties or discretions under the regulations to any person or body having the management or control of any public land or any person in the service of any such person or body;\n\nS. 3(2)(c) amended by No. 51/2016 s. 30(2).\n\n(c) may prescribe penalties not exceeding 20 penalty units for any contravention of the regulations; and\n\n(d) shall have full force and effect notwithstanding anything in any regulation or by-law under any other Act.\n\nS. 4 (Heading) inserted by No. 51/2016 s. 31(1).\n\nS. 4 amended by No. 51/2016 s. 31(2).\n\n\t4 Proceedings for contravention of regulations\n\nProceedings for any contravention of a regulation under this Act may be taken—\n\nS. 4(a) substituted by No. 37/2014 s. 10(Sch. item 93).\n\n(a) by a police officer within the meaning of the **Victoria Police Act 2013**;\n\nS. 4(b) amended by No. 51/2016 s. 31(2).\n\n(b) in the case of a contravention of a regulation in relation to public land which is under the management or control of any person or body, by that person or body; or\n\nS. 4(c) amended by Nos 8702 s. 55(9), 41/1987  \ns. 103(Sch. 4 item 41.1), 51/2016 s. 31(3), substituted by No. 68/2016 s. 168.\n\n(c) by a person appointed as an authorised officer for the purposes of this Act under—\n\n(a) Part 9 of the **Conservation, Forests and Lands Act 1987**; or\n\n(b) Part 3 of the **Victorian Fisheries Authority Act 2016**; or\n\nS. 4(d) inserted by No. 8702 s. 55(9), repealed by No. 51/2016 s. 31(4).\n\n* * * * *\n\n\t5 Erosion hazard areas\n\nS. 5(1) amended by Nos 52/1994 s. 97(Sch. 3 item 19), 76/1998  \ns. 12(1)(a).\n\n(1) The Governor in Council on the recommendation of the Secretary may by proclamation published in the Government Gazette—\n\n(a) declare any public land to be an erosion hazard area; and\n\n(b) revoke or vary any such declaration.\n\nS. 5(2) amended by Nos 52/1994 s. 97(Sch. 3 item 19), 76/1998  \ns. 12(1)(a).\n\n(2) The Secretary shall not make a recommendation under subsection (1) in respect of land under the management or control of any person or body except at the request of that person or body.\n\nS. 5(3) amended by Nos 41/1987 s. 103(Sch. 4 item 41.3), 76/1998  \ns. 12(1)(b), 70/2013 s. 4(Sch. 2 item 25), 51/2016 s. 32(1), 53/2017 s. 80.\n\n(3) Public land may be described in a proclamation under subsection (1) by reference to a plan or map kept in the Central Plan Office and where it is so described a copy of the plan or map shall be kept—\n\n(a) by any person or body having the management or control of the land; and\n\n(b) at all police stations in the vicinity of the land.\n\n(4) Any copy of a plan or map kept pursuant to subsection (3) shall at all reasonable times be open for inspection by any member of the public without fee.\n\nS. 5(5) amended by No. 51/2016 s. 32(2).\n\n(5) Except with the written permission of the proper authority, a person within an erosion hazard area shall not—\n\n(a) have in his possession or use any motorized vehicle;\n\n(b) remove or damage any vegetation;\n\n(c) take or remove any sand gravel rock clay or earth;\n\n(d) interfere with any erosion prevention works; or\n\n(e) cause any water or other fluid to be drained or to flow over the area.\n\nPenalty: 20 penalty units.\n\nS. 5(6) substituted by No. 76/1998  \ns. 12(2).\n\n(6) In this section—\n\n***proper authority***—\n\n(a) in relation to public land vested in or under the management or control of a person or body means that person or body; and\n\n(b) in relation to any other public land means the Minister;\n\n***Secretary*** means the body corporate established by Part 2 of the **Conservation, Forests and Lands Act 1987**.\n\nS. 6  \nrepealed by No. 9863 s. 2(Sch.).\n\n* * * * *\n\n\n\nEndnotes\n\n1 General information\n\nSee [www.legislation.vic.gov.au](http://www.legislation.vic.gov.au) for Victorian Bills, Acts and current Versions of legislation and up-to-date legislative information.\n\nThe **Land Conservation (Vehicle Control) Act 1972** was assented to on 19 December 1972 and came into operation on 17 September 1973: Government Gazette 5 September 1973 page 3103.\n\nINTERPRETATION OF LEGISLATION ACT 1984 (ILA)\n\nStyle changes\n\nSection 54A of the ILA authorises the making of the style changes set out in Schedule 1 to that Act.\n\nReferences to ILA s. 39B\n\nSidenotes which cite ILA s. 39B refer to section 39B of the ILA which provides that where an undivided section or clause of a Schedule is amended by the insertion of one or more subsections or subclauses, the original section or clause becomes subsection or subclause (1) and is amended by the insertion of the expression \"(1)\" at the beginning of the original section or clause.\n\nInterpretation\n\nAs from 1 January 2001, amendments to section 36 of the ILA have the following effects:\n\n• Headings\n\nAll headings included in an Act which is passed on or after 1 January 2001 form part of that Act. Any heading inserted in an Act which was passed before 1 January 2001, by an Act passed on or after 1 January 2001, forms part of that Act. This includes headings to Parts, Divisions or Subdivisions in a Schedule; sections; clauses; items; tables; columns; examples; diagrams; notes or forms. See section 36(1A)(2A).\n\n• Examples, diagrams or notes\n\nAll examples, diagrams or notes included in an Act which is passed on or after 1 January 2001 form part of that Act. Any examples, diagrams or notes inserted in an Act which was passed before 1 January 2001, by an Act passed on or after 1 January 2001, form part of that Act. See section 36(3A).\n\n• Punctuation\n\nAll punctuation included in an Act which is passed on or after 1 January 2001 forms part of that Act. Any punctuation inserted in an Act which was passed before 1 January 2001, by an Act passed on or after 1 January 2001, forms part of that Act. See section 36(3B).\n\n• Provision numbers\n\nAll provision numbers included in an Act form part of that Act, whether inserted in the Act before, on or after 1 January 2001. Provision numbers include section numbers, subsection numbers, paragraphs and subparagraphs. See section 36(3C).\n\n• Location of \"legislative items\"\n\nA \"legislative item\" is a penalty, an example or a note. As from 13 October 2004, a legislative item relating to a provision of an Act is taken to be at the foot of that provision even if it is preceded or followed by another legislative item that relates to that provision. For example, if a penalty at the foot of a provision is followed by a note, both of these legislative items will be regarded as being at the foot of that provision. See section 36B.\n\n• Other material\n\nAny explanatory memorandum, table of provisions, endnotes, index and other material printed after the Endnotes does not form part of an Act.  \nSee section 36(3)(3D)(3E).\n\n2 Table of Amendments\n\nThis publication incorporates amendments made to the **Land Conservation (Vehicle Control)** **Act 1972** by Acts and subordinate instruments.\n\n–––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––\n\n**National Parks Act 1975, No. 8702/1975**\n\n| Assent Date: | 16.5.75 |\n| --- | --- |\n| Commencement Date: | 1.12.75: Government Gazette 26.11.75 p. 3888 |\n| Current State: | All of Act in operation |\n\n\n**Statute Law Revision (Repeals) Act 1982, No. 9863/1982**\n\n| Assent Date: | 5.1.83 |\n| --- | --- |\n| Commencement Date: | 5.1.83: s. 1(2) |\n| Current State: | All of Act in operation |\n\n\n**Conservation, Forests and Lands Act 1987, No. 41/1987**\n\n| Assent Date: | 19.5.87 |\n| --- | --- |\n| Commencement Date: | S. 103(Sch. 4 items 41.1–41.3) on 1.7.87: Government Gazette 24.6.87 p. 1694 |\n| Current State: | This information relates only to the provision/s amending the **Land Conservation (Vehicle Control) Act 1972** |\n\n\n**Catchment and Land Protection Act 1994, No. 52/1994**\n\n| Assent Date: | 15.6.94 |\n| --- | --- |\n| Commencement Date: | S. 97(Sch. 3 item 19) on 15.12.94: s. 2(3) |\n| Current State: | This information relates only to the provision/s amending the **Land Conservation (Vehicle Control) Act 1972** |\n\n\n**Environment Conservation Council Act 1997, No. 41/1997**\n\n| Assent Date: | 11.6.97 |\n| --- | --- |\n| Commencement Date: | S. 27 on 1.7.97: Special Gazette (No. 75) 1.7.97 p. 1 |\n| Current State: | This information relates only to the provision/s amending the **Land Conservation (Vehicle Control) Act 1972** |\n\n\n**Conservation, Forests and Lands (Miscellaneous Amendments) Act 1998, No. 76/1998**\n\n| Assent Date: | 10.11.98 |\n| --- | --- |\n| Commencement Date: | S. 12 on 15.12.98: s. 2(5) |\n| Current State: | This information relates only to the provision/s amending the **Land Conservation (Vehicle Control) Act 1972** |\n\n\n**Victorian Environmental Assessment Council Act 2001, No. 81/2001**\n\n| Assent Date: | 4.12.01 |\n| --- | --- |\n| Commencement Date: | S. 29 on 31.12.01: s. 2(3) |\n| Current State: | This information relates only to the provision/s amending the **Land Conservation (Vehicle Control) Act 1972** |\n\n\n**Statute Law Revision Act 2013, No. 70/2013**\n\n| Assent Date: | 19.11.13 |\n| --- | --- |\n| Commencement Date: | S. 4(Sch. 2 item 25) on 1.12.13: s. 2(1) |\n| Current State: | This information relates only to the provision/s amending the **Land Conservation (Vehicle Control) Act 1972** |\n\n\n**Victoria Police Amendment (Consequential and Other Matters) Act 2014, No. 37/2014**\n\n| Assent Date: | 3.6.14 |\n| --- | --- |\n| Commencement Date: | S. 10(Sch. item 93) on 1.7.14: Special Gazette (No. 200) 24.6.14 p. 2 |\n| Current State: | This information relates only to the provision/s amending the **Land Conservation (Vehicle Control) Act 1972** |\n\n\n**Crown Land Legislation Amendment Act 2016, No. 51/2016**\n\n| Assent Date: | 18.10.16 |\n| --- | --- |\n| Commencement Date: | Ss 29–32 on 19.10.16: s. 2 |\n| Current State: | This information relates only to the provision/s amending the **Land Conservation (Vehicle Control) Act 1972** |\n\n\n**Victorian Fisheries Authority Act 2016, No. 68/2016**\n\n| Assent Date: | 15.11.16 |\n| --- | --- |\n| Commencement Date: | S. 168 on 1.7.17: s. 2(2) |\n| Current State: | This information relates only to the provision/s amending the **Land Conservation (Vehicle Control) Act 1972** |\n\n\n**Parks and Crown Land Legislation Amendment Act 2017, No. 53/2017**\n\n| Assent Date: | 24.10.17 |\n| --- | --- |\n| Commencement Date: | S. 80 on 15.12.17: Special Gazette (No. 433) 12.12.17 p. 1 |\n| Current State: | This information relates only to the provision/s amending the **Land Conservation (Vehicle Control) Act 1972** |\n\n\n–––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––\n\n3 Amendments Not in Operation\n\nThere are no amendments which were Not in Operation at the date of this publication.\n\n4 Explanatory details\n\nNo entries at date of publication.","sortOrder":0}],"analysis":{"issue_detection":{"absurdities":[],"contradictions":[]},"summary":{"complexity_score":3,"scope_assessment":{"changed":false,"description":"Based on the available metadata, the Act appears to remain focused on its original 1972 purpose of controlling vehicles on land for conservation outcomes. There is no indication from the version history provided that the scope has materially shifted from its original intent, though the incomplete text prevents a definitive assessment of any amendments made over time."},"complexity_factors":["The legislation is a relatively narrow, single-purpose Act focused on one specific area of regulation (vehicle use on land for conservation)","Enacted in 1972, likely uses older legislative drafting style which can be harder to interpret","The text provided is heavily truncated — full complexity of operative provisions, penalties, and enforcement mechanisms cannot be assessed","Interaction with other Victorian land management and conservation laws may add complexity in practice","Score is conservative due to incomplete source text — actual complexity could be higher"],"plain_english_summary":"The Land Conservation (Vehicle Control) Act 1972 is a Victorian law that restricts use of vehicles on natural and public land to protect the environment. It lets authorities limit or ban vehicle access to prevent vegetation loss, erosion and wildlife disturbance, affecting recreational riders, landowners and conservation managers.\n\nThe supplied legislative text is incomplete, so specific rights, penalties and enforcement details cannot be determined here."},"kimi_summary":{"content_quality":"ok","complexity_score":3,"scope_assessment":{"changed":false,"description":"The legislation remains focused on its original purpose of controlling vehicle traffic on public land and preventing soil erosion. While there have been numerous amendments over 45 years, these have been technical updates (changing agency names, updating penalty units, expanding enforcement officer categories) rather than substantive expansion of scope. The core mechanism - regulations for vehicle control plus special erosion hazard area declarations - remains unchanged from 1972."},"complexity_factors":["Short statute with only 5 operative sections (one repealed)","Minimal defined terms - only 'public land', 'proper authority', and 'Secretary' are defined","Simple conditional structure with straightforward prohibitions and permissions","Some cross-referencing to other Acts (Crown Land Reserves Act, Forests Act, National Parks Act, Conservation Forests and Lands Act) but these are standard definitional references","No nested exceptions or complex logical structures","Amendment history is extensive but does not complicate the operative text significantly"],"plain_english_summary":"This is a Victorian law that gives the government power to control vehicle use on public land to prevent environmental damage.\n\n**What it does:**\n- **Controls vehicles on public land**: The Governor in Council (the state executive) can make regulations to ban or restrict vehicles on Crown land, state forests, national parks, and land owned by public authorities.\n- **Protects erosion hazard areas**: Special areas can be declared \"erosion hazard areas\" where you need written permission to use motor vehicles, remove vegetation, take soil or rocks, or interfere with erosion prevention works.\n- **Enforcement**: Police, land managers, and authorised officers can prosecute people who break the rules.\n\n**Who it affects:**\n- Anyone driving or riding vehicles on public land in Victoria\n- Land managers like Parks Victoria, the Department of Environment, and other public authorities\n- People visiting national parks, state forests, and Crown land reserves\n\n**Why it matters:**\nThis law protects Victoria's natural environment from damage caused by off-road vehicles. Uncontrolled vehicle use causes soil erosion, damages vegetation, and destroys sensitive habitats. The law provides a flexible framework where specific rules can be made for different places and circumstances without needing new laws each time.\n\n**Key features:**\n- **Public land** is broadly defined to include Crown land, state forests, national parks, and land vested in public authorities (but not council land).\n- **Regulations** can be tailored to specific places, times, vehicle types, or circumstances.\n- **Penalties** of up to 20 penalty units (roughly $3,300 in today's money) apply for breaches.\n- **Erosion hazard areas** require explicit permission from the land manager for certain activities."},"flash_summary_failed":{"failed":true,"reason":"Unauthenticated. Configure AI_GATEWAY_API_KEY or use a provider module. Learn more: https://ai-sdk.dev/unauthenticated-ai-gateway","source":"analysis-cron"},"flash_summary":{"complexity_score":5,"scope_assessment":{"changed":true,"description":"The Act's scope has been altered by later amendments that broadened authorities and enforcement routes and clarified cross‑agency roles. Notable changes in the text: expansion/definition of \"public land\" (s 2), explicit broad regulation and delegation powers for the Governor in Council (s 3(1)–(2)), allowance for authorised officers and varied enforcement pathways (s 4, with references to the Conservation, Forests and Lands Act 1987 and Victorian Fisheries Authority Act 2016), and the erosion hazard proclamation and prohibition regime (s 5). Amendment Acts listed in the schedule (for example Nos 51/2016, 68/2016, 37/2014 and others) modified who may act, delegation and procedural requirements, so practical scope and administrative duties differ from the original 1972 text."},"complexity_factors":["Broad, primary regulatory power vested in the Governor in Council to prohibit or regulate vehicle traffic and use on public land (s 3(1)) increases discretion and rule‑making impact.","Wide definition of \"public land\" that cross‑references other statutes (Crown Land (Reserves) Act 1978, Forests Act 1958, National Parks Act 1975) creates cross‑statutory interaction (s 2).","Regulations may be time/place/vehicle/person specific and may confer discretionary authorities, and may be delegated to land managers (s 3(2)(a),(ab),(b)), increasing operational complexity and variable compliance standards.","Erosion hazard proclamation regime requires Secretary recommendation and Governor proclamation, with mapping and public inspection requirements, adding administrative steps and record‑keeping (s 5(1),(3),(4)).","Offences and civil enforcement can be pursued by multiple actors (police, land managers, authorised officers), producing overlapping enforcement pathways and potential coordination issues (s 4).","Prescribed penalty (20 penalty units) is fixed in the Act for erosion area breaches but enforcement discretion and delegated powers affect sanction application (s 5(5); s 3(2)(c)).","Numerous later amendments and references to other Acts (see amendment history) mean interpretation requires checking amendment instruments and related legislation."],"plain_english_summary":"This Act gives the Governor in Council power to make regulations controlling vehicular traffic and the use of vehicles on defined \"public land\" (including Crown land, State forest, parks and land vested in public authorities). It also allows proclamations of erosion hazard areas that, without written permission, prohibit motorised vehicles and other damaging acts enforceable by a penalty.\n\nEnforcement may be taken by police, land managers or authorised officers; the Secretary recommends erosion proclamations and the regulations may delegate powers to land managers, creating multiple decision‑makers and compliance duties for land users."}},"importantCases":[],"_links":{"self":"/api/acts/land-conservation-vehicle-control-act-1972","history":"/api/acts/land-conservation-vehicle-control-act-1972/history","analysis":"/api/acts/land-conservation-vehicle-control-act-1972/analysis","conflicts":"/api/acts/land-conservation-vehicle-control-act-1972/conflicts","importantCases":"/api/acts/land-conservation-vehicle-control-act-1972/important-cases","documents":"/api/acts/land-conservation-vehicle-control-act-1972/documents"}}