The regions of Victoria vary according to the different ways that the AustralianstateofVictoria is divided into distinct geographic regions. The most commonly used regions are those created by the state government for the purposes of economic development.
Others regions include those made for land management, such as agriculture or conservation, and for the gathering of information, such as statistical or meteorological. Although most regional systems were defined for specific purposes and given specific boundaries, many regions have similar names and extents according to the different regionalisations. As a result, the names and boundaries of regions can vary and overlap even in popular usage.
Local government regions / statistical areas level 4[edit]
The approximately 80 local government areas of Victoria are grouped into 17 regions also known by the ABS as "statistical areas level 4".[7] The non-Melbourne areas are: North West, Warrnambool and South West, Bendigo, Ballarat, Geelong, Shepparton, Hume, Latrobe - Gippsland, Mornington Peninsula. Melbourne is divided into: Melbourne - Inner, Melbourne - Inner East, Melbourne - Inner South, Melbourne - North East, Melbourne - North West, Melbourne - Outer East, Melbourne - South East, Melbourne - West.
The Australian Bureau of Meteorology defines regions for its own purposes, some of which share names with the economic regions, even though the exact boundaries may not correlate.[8] As of November 2014, they are: Mallee, Wimmera, Northern Country, North East, East Gippsland, West & South Gippsland, Central, North Central, South West, Alpine and Melbourne.
The Country Fire Authority (CFA) divides Victoria into nine fire districts. From west to east, and north to south: Mallee, Wimmera, South West, Northern Country, North Central, Central, North East, East Gippsland, West & South Gippsland.[10]
In the Northern Country/North Central region, the terms Central Murray, Lower Goulburn, Goulburn Valley, Upper Goulburn and Southern Riverina are sometimes used.
In the Northeast region, the terms Victorian Alps, Upper Murray, Victorian High Country, Alpine region, Victorian Snowfields, Australian Alps, and Bogong High Plains are sometimes used.
In the Western District of Victoria, the terms Central Highlands/Tablelands, the Pyrenees, The Grampians, and the Goldfields and the Spa Country (both overlapped with Central Victoria) are sometimes used.
In the Southwest region, the terms The Otways, West Coast, Shipwreck Coast, Great Ocean Road, and the Surf Coast are sometimes used.
^"Australia's bioregions (IBRA)". Department of Sustainability, Environment, Water, Population and Communities. Commonwealth of Australia. 2012. Retrieved 13 January 2013.