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Progress on the amendment of the Lower Limestone Coast Water Allocation Plan (the Plan) is well underway as the Limestone Coast Landscape Board approaches a year of amending the Plan.
In the most recent update to water licensees and the community, the Limestone Coast Landscape Board highlighted some of the key policy changes currently under consideration and open for feedback. These include reviewing sustainable allocation and introducing consumptive pools into the Plan.
“Amendment will mean that the Plan will change and the process to determine the necessary changes will involve extensive consultation,” said Limestone Coast Landscape Board Manager of Planning and Engagement Dr Liz Perkins.
“I would like to remind the community that we are still in the early days of the amendment process and no decisions have been made regarding what the revised plan will look like. “
“There will still be many opportunities to be involved and contribute to the process,” Dr Perkins said.
Seven Stakeholder Advisory Group meetings have been held since amendment begun. The Stakeholder Advisory Group is comprised of representatives from the community, environment, primary production, and industry sectors.
The most recent meeting was a collaboration between the Limestone Coast Landscape Board and the South Eastern Water Conservation and Drainage Board and was held in Millicent in December 2024.
Minutes and updates from the Group meetings are published regularly on the Lower Limestone Coast Water Allocation Plan project page.
Another key focus of the January update was addressing common misinformation around the amendment process.
“We acknowledge that the supporting information for the amendment can be complex and sometimes misunderstood, and that misinformation is at times being spread to undermine the process.”
“We are setting the record straight. The project page provides accurate and current information to support the community to have meaningful input into the Plan.”
The dedicated Lower Limestone Coast Water Allocation Plan project page is supporting the amendment to provide an opportunity for everyone to keep up to date and drill down for more information on focus areas for possible revision.
"Broad community consultations were held across the region in 2024, and we are heading back out to the community and providing another round of community consultation sessions in March 2025."
“We encourage people in the Lower Limestone Coast to start connecting to the process so they can have their say and contribute in a meaningful way,” said Dr Perkins.
