The Yarra River is one of Victoria’s most iconic waterways, integral to Melbourne’s identity and the liveability of the city. The river traverses more than 200 kilometres of urban and rural landscapes and across many thousands of hectares of private and public land.

In December 2015, the Minister for Planning and the then Minster for Environment, Climate Change and Water appointed the Yarra River Protection Ministerial Advisory Committee (Yarra MAC) to provide independent advice to government on the key issues and opportunities for the river, as well as improvements to the governance arrangements for its protection.

As part of its deliberations, the Yarra MAC is seeking feedback from the community on the key issues and opportunities for the river. This discussion paper has been developed to promote debate on how the Yarra River is managed and protected in the future. It outlines the key issues and proposes a new management model to protect the Yarra River.

Submissions close at 5pm on Friday 5 August 2016.