Protecting Hume's Green Wedge

Hume enjoys broad, sweeping green wedge areas across Sunbury, Clarkefield, Wildwood, Oaklands Junction, Yuroke, Diggers Rest, Bulla, Keilor, Greenvale and Attwood. This land supports significant values, including:

• geological features such as volcanic formations and deeply cut valleys and gorges
• natural waterways, wetlands and waterbodies
• biodiversity, including native vegetation and threatened species
• Aboriginal cultural heritage
• historic (European) heritage
• significant landscapes, views and rural character
• recreational, tourism, and mineral and stone resource opportunities.

Much of Hume’s green wedge land also has soils highly susceptible to erosion, particularly when disturbed, cleared of vegetation, or exposed to fast-flowing water.

Hume’s green wedge planning aims to support agriculture and protect and enhance the significant green wedge values through appropriate and sustainable land use and management.  Some activities are therefore prohibited or require a permit in green wedge zones, such as:

• materials recycling, refuse disposal and transfer stations
• transport terminals and vehicle stores
• offices and some types of retail premises
• sawmills, rural industry and some types of warehouses
• motor racing tracks
• any earthworks that involve the receipt, importation, stockpiling, or placement of more than 100m³ of fill.

Other restrictions may apply to land through planning overlays, restrictions placed on property titles, or through other environmental laws. Council’s planning requirements are additional to the requirements of other authorities under other legislation.