Walhalla is a unique part of Victoria with a historic mining heritage. The town has less than 20 permanent residents and in 1998, it became the last “town” in Victoria to get connected to electricity grid. There is still no mobile telephone or terrestrial television reception within Walhalla. This small Gippsland town was established during the Gold-rushes of the mid 1800s and has boomed and busted in spectacular fashion.

Today, Walhalla provides its visitors with a beautiful living snapshot of the Victorian Gold Era. It offers an authentic visitor experience, representing the juxtaposition between the natural and built environment. The area is rich in natural attractions and Walhalla provides a base from which visitors can explore the region. Every year, over 100,000 people visit Walhalla, with a growing interest from international and interstate visitors.

Committees of Management

Crown Land reserves throughout Victoria have historically been managed by Committees of Management (COM). This system of administration has evolved to include community groups, councils and statutory bodies. Importantly, members of the public have been involved in the management of Crown land reserves for over 150 years. Today, all committees appointed under the Crown Land (Reserves) Act 1978 manage their reserve on behalf of the Minister for Environment and Climate Change, and have responsibility and authority to manage, improve, maintain and control their reserve.

The Walhalla Board of Management Incorporated (“The Board”) is a Committee of Management (COM) that manages four Crown Land Reserves in Walhalla.

Some of the Crown Reserves are protected under the Heritage Act and other regulations as detailed in the following table:

The Board members are all volunteers and bring a wide range of skills, experience and abilities in the management and development of the Reserves. The current Board members include:

• Graham Goulding - Chairperson
• David Balfour - Deputy Chairperson
• Yolanda Reynolds - Correspondence Secretary
• Diane Burns - Meeting Secretary
• Graeme Mc Coubrie - Treasurer
• Kath Taylor - Assistant Treasurer
• Andrew Webster
• Nic Pryke
• John Buchecker

The Board meets regularly and in cooperation with Parks Victoria and the Department of Sustainability & Environment (DSE) is chartered to deliver the best possible outcomes for the Crown Reserves and the Walhalla township as a whole.

Further information on the Board, its strategies, processes, policies and procedures are listed here:

• Walhalla LTE Tourism Mine Management Plan & Safety Control Measures
• Board Introduction and Strategy 2010-2015
• Board Charter
• Board Code of Conduct