Parwan Employment

Parwan Employment

The Victorian Planning Authority is undertaking planning for the Parwan Employment precinct in collaboration with the Moorabool Shire Council.

This precinct is on Wadawurrung Country and part of the Barwon South West Grampians region.

Background information

The Victorian Planning Authority (VPA) is a State Government statutory authority within the Department of Transport and Planning that reports to the Minister for Planning.

The VPA’s main task is to make sure Melbourne and Victoria’s regions remain great places to live and work. This requires vision and long-term planning to ensure our growing population has equitable access to employment, public transport, attractive public spaces and affordable housing.

Our key priorities include unlocking land for new homes and communities, facilitating housing diversity and affordability, job creation and better development of new communities in growing and established areas.

We do this by working closely with councils, government agencies and the planning and development community on integrated land use and infrastructure coordination for new communities and strategically important precincts.

The Minister for Planning has appointed the Victorian Planning Authority (VPA) to lead this project from conception to finalisation. Throughout the project, we will work closely with Moorabool Shire Council, State Government agencies and local community members to ensure the plan considers and reflects their input.

The Bacchus March Urban Growth Framework (UGF) identifies new areas for jobs, housing and infrastructure, while protecting valuable cultural and environmental assets. With Bacchus Marsh’s population anticipated to more than double to 50,000 residents by 2041, this plan will ensure growth is logical, sequenced and holistic. The framework was approved by the Minister for Planning in November 2018.

The Parwan Employment Precinct holds significant economic and employment potential for Bacchus Marsh, with the ability to attract significant levels of new industrial and agribusiness investment and businesses that value-add and complement the Bacchus Marsh irrigation district.

Project information

Once approved, development within the precinct will gradually occur over the next few decades. 

Council is the responsible authority for the PSP and will be responsible for the planning application process that will deliver outcomes as outlined in the PSP and DCP. 

Developers are responsible for preparing and lodging planning applications that must be generally in accordance with outcomes of the PSP and DCP. 

General information about the Victorian Grassland Earless Dragon (VGED) can be found at the Zoos Victoria website.

Additionally, for specific inquiries and details potential VGED populations and surveys, the Victorian Planning Authority (VPA) is collaborating with the Department of Energy, Environment and Climate Action (DEECA).

You can contact DEECA for further information via:

Next steps

Surveys will be conducted for potential Victorian Grassland Earless Dragon (VGED) populations in the precinct.

While waiting for the results of those surveys, the Victorian Planning Authority (VPA) will continue to resolve technical reports that are underway and not dependent upon the survey results. Once completed, these reports will be published on our website.

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Project Status Update – May 2025

The Victorian Planning Authority (VPA) is formally recommencing planning for the Parwan Employment Precinct, after the project was paused in 2023.  

The first stage is to update our biodiversity assessment to include an assessment of the habitat of the Victorian Grassland Earless Dragon (VGED).  This assessment is scheduled for April and May and will be fully funded by the VPA. 

The VGED is Australia’s most imperilled reptile and was thought to be extinct until its rediscovery in January 2023. The VGED is protected as a Matter of National Environmental Significance (MNES) under the Commonwealth Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 (EPBC Act) and as a critically endangered species under the Victorian Flora and Fauna Guarantee Act 1988.   

The Parwan Employment Precinct (PEP) project area contains potential habitat for VGED which triggers assessment requirements under both Commonwealth and State environmental protection regimes – see map below. 

VPA map representing the location of the Victorian Grassland Earless Dragon on properties in the Parwan Employment precinct

In the coming months, we will be focused on finalising the VGED habitat assessment and rescoping the project to inform landowners with updated information on the timeframes and process for delivering the project. 

Previous Project Status Updates

Supporting Documentation

Parwan Employment Precinct - Scoping Study (Urban Enterprise) July 2022
Parwan Employment Precinct - Scoping Study (Urban Enterprise) July 2022 PDF  Version