The Rural Land Use Strategy:
- Responds to the City’s diverse rural circumstances
- Supports established rural industries such as agriculture and forestry
- Promotes emerging opportunities in intensive agriculture and rural tourism
- Addresses policy gaps recognising important environmental and landscape values which exist in Latrobe City
View the Rural Land Use Strategy(PDF, 29MB)
Key findings
- $82million in gross value of agriculture from milk, livestock, eggs and broilers (2011)
- Gross value of beef production in Latrobe has trebled over past 20 years
- 25% of Gippsland food manufacturing undertaken in Latrobe City
- Water reliability and climate change are likely to improve growing conditions into the future
- Rural areas are heavily fragmented with almost 4000 lots under 4 hectares
Strategy recommendations
New Farming Zone Schedules
- Farming Zone Schedule 1(Clause 35.07-1)(PDF, 228KB)
- Farming Zone Schedule 2 (Clause 35.07-2)(PDF, 227KB)
- Dwellings and Subdivision in Farming Zone Policy (Clause 22.02)(PDF, 228KB)
- Farming Zone Schedule 2 Precinct Maps(PDF, 5MB)
Introduces two schedules to the Farming Zone as follows:
- Commercial Agriculture - discouraging subdivision and dwellings to retain rural areas for farming.
- Mixed Farming - enabling niche farming hobby farms and rural lifestyle and other rural and recreational land uses.
Support Intensive Agriculture Investment
Capture growing interest and investment in intensive agriculture including access to water, energy, labour and access to large properties which are separated from sensitive uses. Land within coal and energy reserve zones and overlays are considered to provide particular opportunities.
- Intensive Agriculture Policy (Clause 22.01)(PDF, 209KB)
Food & Fibre processing
Leverage strategic advantages including access to national highways, rail network, energy, water and labour force that enables Latrobe City to play a region-wide role in the processing and manufacturing of farmed products.
Promote Agriculture & Forestry
Support and promote the agriculture and forestry industries through the protection of productive land, discouraging further fragmentation and identifying opportunities to support food and fibre processing and distribution.
Environment & Landscape
Protect the natural environment values which contribute to its attractiveness of Latrobe City as a place to live and work, as well as contributing to local identity. Important opportunities include the Strzelecki - Alpine Ranges biodiversity corridor, College Creek catchment and rare and endangered flora and fauna including the genetically unique Strzelecki koala.
Rural Tourism
Grow rural based tourism leveraging from the city’s attractive rural landscapes and environmental assets to provide a wider choice of tourism experiences including nature-based tourism, farm stays and bed and breakfasts.
- Proposed Rural Tourism Policy (Clause 22.03)(PDF, 221KB)
Rural Framework Plan
The Amendment proposes the introduction of a new Rural Framework Plan to the Latrobe Planning Scheme.
Rural Framework Plan
