Resources Victoria has launched a new round of spring inspections aimed at ensuring mine and quarry operators are meeting their legal obligations to manage operational risk.
The regulator is focusing on whether work authority holders and licensees around Cann River, Swifts Creek, Orbost and Lakes Entrance are delivering on the commitments in their approved work plans – a key requirement for protecting nearby communities, infrastructure and the environment.
Chief inspector of Resources Victoria, Renee Palmer, said the November program continues the regulator’s focus on proactive risk oversight.
“Appropriately managing risk is part of operating a mine or quarry under Victorian law and is crucial to protecting nearby communities, infrastructure and the environment,” Palmer said.
“During November, sites in the state’s far east will be reminded of their responsibilities to manage risks and deliver the commitments in their work plans.”
The inspections follow a series of visits in June, when the regulator identified a range of compliance issues across multiple sites. Problems included inadequate signage, unsecured gates and fencing, inappropriate fuel management, derelict equipment left on site and poor waste storage.
Palmer said operators found to be falling short of their obligations will be required to act.
“Operators will be required to address any risks that are being inappropriately managed,” she said.
Resources Victoria said the targeted inspection campaign is part of an ongoing effort to ensure safe and compliant operations across the state’s mining and quarrying sectors.
This also comes after the body stepped up its regulatory presence in 2025, inspecting more than 350 mines and quarries across 50 local government areas between February and the end of June.
The large-scale effort was aimed at assessing how well operators are managing risk and meeting their obligations, while also helping to build public confidence in the safety and sustainability of the state’s resources sector.
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