Peri-urban growth, planning and bushfire in the Melbourne city-region

Abstract

Population growth in the peri-urban areas to the north of Melbourne has been significant over the past two decades. This has occurred in existing urban centres and across the rural landscape. Recent bushfires (February 2009) in this region have resulted in the highest casualties recorded in Australian bushfires and have caused considerable community trauma, dislocation and anxiety. This paper uses research establishing the patterns and level of new housing development in these areas to explore processes of planning, housing development and increased community risk in these regions. The paper explores the role of planning in the expansion of these vulnerable peri-urban communities and analyses responses to bushfire management within the planning process, identifying implicit understandings of risk and responsibility and inadequacies in policy formulation and decision making.