The short answer
If you teach or study VCE Outdoor and Environmental Studies, you may have heard the VEAC Act has been dropped from Unit 4 Outcome 2. It hasn't, at least not for 2026.
The Victorian Environmental Assessment Council (VEAC) was abolished on 30 June 2026. But in Notice to Schools 104, released on 15 October 2026, the VCAA confirmed the relevant key knowledge point remains examinable as published for this year's exam. Nothing changes for the 2026 cohort.
Here's what happened, what it means for your exam preparation, and what to watch for in 2027.
What happened to VEAC?
VEAC was abolished when the Entities Legislation Amendment (Consolidation and Other Matters) Bill 2025 took effect on 30 June 2026. Its functions have moved to the Commissioner for Environmental Sustainability.
For OES students, that's a significant shift. VEAC was the independent body that investigated public land use in Victoria and made recommendations to government, which is why the Victorian Environmental Assessment Council Act 2001 has been a popular choice for case study work.
Is the VEAC Act still examinable in the 2026 VCE OES exam?
Yes. The VCAA has stated there's no change to the key knowledge point or its scope for examination in 2026. As a reminder, Unit 4 Area of Study 2 asks students to know acts or conventions related to the management and sustainability of a specific outdoor environment, species or ecological community, including two of the following:
Flora and Fauna Guarantee Amendment Act 2019 (Vic)
Ramsar Convention (international treaty, 1971)
Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 (Cwlth)
Victorian Environmental Assessment Council Act 2001
Planning and Environment Act 1987 (Vic)
Students who've built their case study around VEAC can keep using it. Because the study design says "two of the following", and VEAC is one valid option among five.
What this means for teachers and students
For most classes, the practical advice is simple: keep going. A few points are worth building into revision over the next few weeks.
Don't switch acts now. If your students have studied VEAC alongside another act, there's no reason to start again this close to the exam.
Update the tense. Students should describe VEAC as a body that operated until 30 June 2026. Writing about it as a current organisation could read as out of date.
Keep the focus on impact. The strongest responses explain how VEAC investigations and recommendations shaped the management and sustainability of a specific outdoor environment.
Check your resources. Review notes, practice questions and marking guides for wording that presents VEAC as still operating.
What about 2027 and beyond?
We don't know yet. The VCAA has said further information on the implications for 2027 will be provided soon.
It's reasonable to expect the key knowledge point will be revised, but until the VCAA confirms the detail, it's worth holding off on rewriting your Unit 4 program. If you're planning 2027 units now, consider building case study material around one of the other four options so you're covered either way.
Frequently asked questions
Has the VEAC Act been removed from VCE OES?
Not for 2026. The VCAA confirmed in Notice to Schools 104 that the key knowledge point remains examinable as published for the 2026 exam.
Why was VEAC abolished?
VEAC was abolished through the Entities Legislation Amendment (Consolidation and Other Matters) Bill 2025, which took effect on 30 June 2026. Its functions were transferred to the Commissioner for Environmental Sustainability.
Can my students still write about VEAC in the 2026 exam?
Yes. VEAC remains one of the five acts or conventions students can choose from, and there's no change to its scope for examination this year.
Should we teach the VEAC Act in 2027?
Wait for VCAA advice. Further information on 2027 is expected soon.
Who can I contact at the VCAA?
Queries go to the Curriculum Manager, Health and Physical Education, at vcaa.vce.curriculum@education.vic.gov.au.
Final word
The abolition of VEAC is a good reminder that environmental management in Victoria keeps changing, and that's exactly the kind of current awareness examiners like to see. For 2026, though, the message is clear: the VEAC Act stays on the table, and students can approach Unit 4 Outcome 2 with confidence.
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