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The objectives of these Regulations are—
to provide for the effective management of game species and game hunting in Victoria; and
to make further provision for the procedure for granting and administering game licences; and
to make further provision for open and close seasons and bag limits; and
to regulate methods of hunting; and
to provide for the identification, possession and handling of game; and
to make further provision for specified hunting areas.
These Regulations are made under sections 22A, 58C and 87 of the Wildlife Act 1975.
These Regulations come into operation on 7 September 2024.
The Wildlife (Game) Interim Regulations 2023[1] are revoked.
In these Regulations—
adult hunter means a person who is 18 years of age or over and who is the holder of a game licence;
agreed activity has the same meaning as in section 79 of the Traditional Owner Settlement Act 2010;
bag limit, in relation to a taxon of game, means the bag limit prescribed by these Regulations for that taxon of game;
blank ammunition means ammunition that is not cartridge ammunition;
cartridge ammunition has the same meaning as in section 3(1) of the Firearms Act 1996;
deer hunting dog means a dog from a breed listed in Part 3 of Schedule 4;
downed, in relation to a game bird, means the bird—
has been brought to the ground as a result of being shot; or
has been shot on the ground;
Reg. 5 def. of Easter period inserted by S.R. No. 20/2026 reg. 4(1).
Easter period means the period commencing 30 minutes after sunset on the Thursday before Good Friday and ending 30 minutes before sunrise on the first Thursday after Easter Monday in that same year;
electronic acoustic lure means an electronic device made or constructed to emit—
a sound that resembles or represents a sound made by a game bird; or
a call resembling the call of a game bird—
but does not include a mouth-blown or shaker style caller;
established pest animal has the same meaning as in the Catchment and Land Protection Act 1994;
game bird means any taxon of bird listed in Schedule 10;
game bird farm means a farm operated by the holder of a game bird farmer licence within the meaning of the Wildlife Regulations 2024[2];
ground includes land, water and any vegetation or other thing on the land or water;
gundog means a dog from a breed listed in Part 1 of Schedule 4;
Hog Deer tag means a tag that is issued in accordance with regulation 71;
Reg. 5 def. of hound amended by S.R. No. 20/2026 reg. 4(2).
hound means a dog from a breed referred to in Part 2 of Schedule 4 that conforms to—
the maximum height specified in that Part of that Schedule for that breed; and
the following standard that applies to that breed, other than any specification relating to height in that standard—
Extended Breed Standard of the Beagle, published by the National Beagle Council (Australia) and the Australian National Kennel Council, as formulated, issued, prescribed or published from time to time;
Bloodhound Breed Standard, published by the Australian National Kennel Council, as formulated, issued, prescribed or published from time to time;
Harrier Breed Standard, published by the Australian National Kennel Council, as formulated, issued, prescribed or published from time to time;
Extended Breed Standard of the Black and Tan Coonhound, published by the Australian National Kennel Council, as formulated, issued, prescribed or published from time to time;
Breed Standard of the Bluetick Coonhound, published by the Australian National Kennel Council, as formulated, issued, prescribed or published from time to time;
hound possessor means a person who keeps or harbours a hound or has a hound in the person's care, whether the hound is at large, is restrained or is in confinement;
motor boat means a boat which has at least one motor fitted or attached which, when operating, is capable of propelling the boat, and includes any craft known as an "airboat" or "hovercraft";
park has the same meaning as in the National Parks Act 1975;
possession, in relation to shot, a magazine, ammunition, a firearm or a spotlight, includes any of the following—
physical possession of the shot, magazine, ammunition, firearm or spotlight;
custody or control of the shot, magazine, ammunition, firearm or spotlight;
access to the shot, magazine, ammunition, firearm or spotlight, either solely or in common with others;
prescribed permanent identification device has the same meaning as in the Domestic Animals Act 1994;
recognised deer habitat means an area referred to in Schedule 5;
registered hound means a hound that is registered by the Game Management Authority under regulation 26(1);
Sambar Deer Hunting with Hounds Test means a test that is conducted by the Game Management Authority under regulation 18(1);
secured in a vehicle, in relation to a firearm, a magazine, ammunition or shot, means—
in the case of a vehicle with a boot or storage area (that is not a glove box), being in a securely fastened case or container locked in the boot or stowed in a storage area of the vehicle that is not readily accessible by an occupant of the vehicle; or
in the case of a vehicle without a boot or other storage area (that is not a glove box), being in a securely fastened case or container stowed in a part of the vehicle that is not readily accessible by any occupant of the vehicle;
spotlight means—
a source of artificial light; or
an infrared device; or
a night viewing device; or
a thermo‑imaging device—
but does not include—
a domestic source of light used for domestic purposes; or
an emergency source of light used for emergency purposes; or
a light fitted to a motor vehicle that complies with any requirement in the Road Safety (Vehicles) Regulations 2021[3] relating to a light of that kind;
State Game Reserve means an area classified as a State Game Reserve under section 15(2) of the Act;
take means to gain possession or control of wildlife by any means and also includes causing, permitting or assisting in taking wildlife;
the Act means the Wildlife Act 1975;
toxic shot means shot which is not of a class or type described in Schedule 6;
traditional owner group agreement means an agreement under Part 6 of the Traditional Owner Settlement Act 2010;
traditional owner group entity has the same meaning as in the Traditional Owner Settlement Act 2010;
Waterfowl Identification Test means a test that is conducted by the Game Management Authority under regulation 16(1);
waterway means—
a river, creek, stream or watercourse; or
a natural channel in which water regularly flows, whether or not the flow is continuous; or
a channel formed wholly or partly by the alteration or relocation of any such river, creek, stream, watercourse or channel.
If a traditional owner group entity has entered into a traditional owner group agreement, any provision of these Regulations (other than a provision specified in subregulation (2)) that provides for an offence to carry out an agreed activity under that agreement does not apply to a member of a traditional owner group—
who is bound by the agreement; and
who carries out the agreed activity to which the offence relates in accordance with the agreement and on land to which the agreement applies.
For the purposes of subregulation (1), the following provisions are specified—
regulation 36;
regulation 37(1), (2) and (3);
regulation 40(1), (2) and (3);
regulation 45;
regulation 49(1);
regulation 51(1);
regulation 53(1), if the member hunts, takes or destroys game using an electronic acoustic lure to attract game;
regulation 53(4), if the member causes, permits or assists in the hunting, taking or destroying of game using an electronic acoustic lure to attract game;
regulation 54(1) and (2);
regulation 55(1) and (3).
The Game Management Authority may give written permission to a person to carry out an activity specified in the permission for the purposes of the following regulations—
regulation 41;
regulation 42;
regulation 46;
regulation 62;
regulation 68.
The Secretary may give written permission to a person to carry out an activity specified in the permission for the purposes of regulation 47.
A person applying for a game licence must do so in the form provided for that purpose by the Game Management Authority.
A person who is applying for a game licence must—
set out in the application—
the applicant's name; and
the applicant's residential address; and
the applicant's telephone number (if any); and
the applicant's email address (if any); and
details of any findings of guilt against the applicant for offences under the Act, the Firearms Act 1996, the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act 1986, the National Parks Act 1975 or any corresponding law of another State or a Territory relating to game hunting during the 10 years preceding the application; and
the taxon or taxa of game for which the licence is required; and
provide with the application—
evidence to verify the applicant's name and residential address; and
Example
A copy of the person's driver's licence.
the fee to be paid for the licence under regulation 9; and
any information required by the Game Management Authority for the purposes of determining the application.
Subject to subregulations (2) and (3), the fees to be paid to the Game Management Authority by an applicant for a game licence referred to in Column 1 of the Table of game licence fees is the amount set out opposite that licence in Column 2 of the Table.
Table of game licence fees
Column 1 Licence | Column 2 Fee |
|---|---|
A game licence that allows the hunting, taking or destroying of game birds | 5⸱44 fee units per year or part year |
A game licence that allows the hunting, taking or destroying of deer | 5⸱44 fee units per year or part year |
A game licence that allows the hunting, taking or destroying of game birds and deer | 9⸱2 fee units per year or part year |
A game licence that allows the hunting, taking or destroying of non‑indigenous game birds on a game bird farm | Nil |
A game licence that allows the hunting, taking or destroying of deer by a non‑resident of Australia | 5⸱44 fee units per part year |
A game licence that allows the hunting, taking or destroying of game birds by a non‑resident of Australia | 5⸱44 fee units per part year |
A game licence that allows the hunting, taking or destroying of game birds and deer by a non‑resident of Australia | 9⸱2 fee units per part year |
A game licence for one open season that allows the hunting, taking or destroying of duck by a person who is 12 years of age or over but under 18 years of age | Nil |
A game licence for one open season that allows the hunting or taking of Sambar Deer with the use of hounds or the destroying of Sambar Deer by a person who is 12 years of age or over but under 18 years of age | Nil |
If an applicant for a game licence satisfies the Game Management Authority that the applicant is an eligible recipient within the meaning of the State Concessions Act 2004, the fee to be paid for a game licence is half that of the fee to be paid under subregulation (1).
Despite subregulation (1), the fee for a game licence for an applicant who is under 18 years of age is nil fee units.
A person who holds a game licence referred to in Column 1 of the Table of game licence fees in subregulation (1) who applies to have the licence varied to another kind of game licence listed in that Column must pay the difference, if any, between the fees for the relevant categories of game licence listed in the Table in addition to the variation fee payable under regulation 10.
The fee for an application for a variation of a game licence is 1 fee unit.
The Game Management Authority may issue a game licence to replace a game licence which has been stolen, lost, damaged or destroyed.
A holder of a game licence who applies for a replacement game licence may be required by the Game Management Authority—
to set out in the application—
the licence holder's name; and
the licence holder's residential address; and
the licence holder's telephone number (if any); and
the licence holder's email address (if any); and
to provide with the application—
evidence to verify the licence holder's name and residential address; and
any information required by the Game Management Authority for the purposes of issuing a replacement game licence; and
a fee of 1 fee unit.
If the Game Management Authority has granted a game licence to a person, the Game Management Authority may issue a document to that person as evidence of that fact.
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