Work is play with recreation and leisure

What is recreational water?

Healthy waterways and catchments support the wellbeing of all Victorians. Benefits include improved health and wellbeing, opportunities for social interaction and a meaningful connection with place and the environment. Recreation around waterways also provides opportunities for tourism, which is an important part of our economy. Tourism brings people from across Victoria, Australia and the world to our waterways and businesses.

Victoria’s waterways and their surrounding landscapes are used for many leisure and recreational activities. Popular activities include:

• fishing
• boating
• sporting (water skiing, canoeing, kayaking, windsurfing, sailing)
• camping
• hiking and walking
• biking
• bird watching
• social gatherings.

Water agencies manage many of Victoria's recreational areas and waterways. A variety of works are performed to enable visitors to enjoy their sites. This might include installing and maintaining picnic grounds, toilet facilities, boat ramps and mooring facilities, bird hides and safe walking or cycling paths.

This work is done while balancing the competing interests of waterways. This is to find the balance of social benefits with the economic uses and the environmental needs of the water catchment areas they lie within. Many of these water storages supply water for drinking and agriculture. They are also important habitat for biodiversity. Because of this, visitors should check to see if there are limits on what recreational activities are allowed within them. This information is available on water corporation websites.

Geospatial technology is being used at popular sites such as Lake Eildon. This technology will create online interactive maps to highlight recreational opportunities and facilities. Legislation is also used to end commercial fishing in the Gippsland Lakes. This prioritised fish stock for recreational fishing.