Victorian Government response to McCrae Landslide Board of Inquiry

Introduction

On 14 January 2025, a significant landslide occurred in McCrae, destroying one property at 3 Penny Lane, damaging other properties nearby and seriously injuring a local council worker. This landslide followed earlier landslides and landslips in the McCrae area in January 2025 and November 2022.

The Victorian Government established the McCrae Board of Inquiry (Inquiry) in February 2025 and on 18 March 2025, appointed Renée Enbom KC to constitute the Inquiry. The Terms of Reference for the Inquiry are available here: Terms of reference | McCrae Landslide Inquiry(opens in a new window). In summary, the key objectives of the Inquiry were to:

determine the cause(s) of the McCrae Landslide;
determine the adequacy of measures taken to prevent and minimise landslides and landslips in the McCrae area, including reviewing responses to the 2022 and 2025 events; and
identify measures to be undertaken for the prevention or mitigation of the risk of similar landslide events occurring in McCrae in the future.

The Inquiry conducted 13 days of public hearings, received 86 public submissions and heard evidence from residents, local authorities, state government bodies and geotechnical experts.

Inquiry report

The Inquiry delivered its final report to the Governor on 9 September 2025 (see https://www.mccraeinquiry.vic.gov.au/report(opens in a new window)). The Report makes 30 recommendations. 12 are directed to Victorian Government, 3 are joint recommendations for the Mornington Peninsula Shire Council (Shire) and South East Water (SEW), 8 are for the Shire and 7 are for SEW.

The Victorian Government will engage with SEW and the Shire, where appropriate, to support their consideration of the recommendations directed to them.