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VCAT orders Council to Release Timber Harvest Plan
 as HVP Withdraw Appeal 

23 May 2025 - Strzelecki Ranges, Victoria

 VCAT orders Council to Release Timber Harvest Plan to Gippsland Forest Guardians as Hancock Victorian Plantations (HVP) Withdraws VCAT Appeal.

In a significant development for environmental transparency, Hancock Victorian Plantations (HVP) has withdrawn its appeal to the Victorian Civil and Administrative Tribunal (VCAT). VCAT have now ordered the release of the Timber Harvest Plan for Fellas Coupe at Turtons Creek to the Gippsland Forest Guardians (GFG).

Fellas Coupe area is home to several threatened species, including the critically endangered Slender Tree-fern, Pilotbird and Gang-gang cockatoo. GFG has raised concerns about HVP’s forestry practices, calling for 200 meter buffers around Slender Tree-ferns and have opposed HVP’s policy of converting native Mountain ash and Bluegum to pines .

The appeal to VCAT, lodged by HVP, contested the Office of the Victorian Information Commissioner’s decision to grant GFG access to the Timber Harvest Plan under Freedom of Information laws. HVP’s withdrawal came just a day before the scheduled hearing, ending a year-long legal battle.

GFG spokesperson Stuart Inchley expressed concern over the prolonged process stating, “We are pleased that VCAT has ordered the council to release the Timber Harvest Plan, but it’s pretty disappointing that HVP, having initiated this appeal last year, withdrew the day before, resulting in significant delay and use of public resources”

He further criticised the tactic, noting,

“Tactics such as late-stage withdrawal can have the effect of delaying outcomes and placing strain on community resources — a challenge often faced by smaller groups when engaging with large organisations.”

With the Timber Harvest Plan now accessible, GFG intends to scrutinise it to ensure the Code of Practice for Timber Production and the Flora and Fauna Guarantee Act have been taken into account.

“We’re hoping to shine some light on what environmental protections have been put in place. We want to make sure HVP are adequately protecting threatened species and that council, as the regulator, are ensuring this has been done.” Inchley remarked.

This outcome underscores the community’s right to access information about forestry operations on crown land and highlights the ongoing efforts of local conservation groups to protect Victoria’s unique biodiversity.

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Environmental Problems with
Forestry Giant

21 April 2025 - Strzelecki Ranges, Victoria

 An environmental audit of Hancock Victoria Plantations (HVP) forestry operations by Forestry Stewardship Council (FSC) approved auditors in the Strzelecki Ranges has uncovered multiple serious non-conformances. Three non-conformances were found, sparking concerns over the company’s commitment to sustainable practices. The auditors have evoked the ‘Precautionary Principle,’ effectively halting operations at Fellas coupe until the issues are resolved.

The audit was conducted as part of the annual review which included a complaint from the Gippsland Forest Guardians (GFG). It revealed HVP had failed to meet critical standards designed to protect biodiversity, including the regeneration of native forests and preservation of threatened species. The audit found that the company planned to replace native species with pine trees, which is contrary to Principle 10 of the FSC Standard. This principle mandates that harvested sites must be regenerated to pre-harvest or more natural conditions, a requirement HVP had voluntarily agreed to when they signed up for certification under the FSC.

“Planting pines in the middle of this high conservation value area would cause irreparable damage to the rainforest and threatened species like the critically endangered Slender Tree-fern,” said Local Conservationist, Stuart Inchley, spokesperson for the Gippsland Forest Guardians. “The current plans threaten what is now recognised as the most important habitat for Slender Tree-fern in Australia. We welcome the auditors findings and urge HVP to adhere to the high sustainability standards required by the FSC.”

Forestry Stewardship Council (FSC) is a globally recognised environmental, social, and governance (ESG) standard for the forestry industry, ensuring that certified organisations adhere to stringent sustainability and conservation practices.

The audit’s findings also highlighted procedural gaps in HVP’s approach to protecting rare and threatened species across their entire 240,000-hectare, including over 160,000 hectares of crown land. This has raised further concerns about the company’s overall commitment to maintaining environmental standards.

Local environmental groups are calling for strict enforcement of FSC principles, urging HVP to follow through on their promises to regenerate native species rather than replacing them with non-native pines.

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Turtons Creek Rainforest Survey Confirms National Significance

27 Feb 2025 

On Saturday Feb 22nd, an enthusiastic crowd gathered for a fascinating presentation by Karl Just and Dylan Osler, two of Victoria’s most highly regarded botanists and ecologists. The pair shared their findings from a comprehensive rainforest assessment of the Turtons Creek area, conducted across over 1,000 acres of protected forest, including three Trust for Nature properties and the Turtons Creek Scenic Reserve.

Covering 12 kilometres of rainforest gullies, the survey recorded rainforest extent and condition, threatened species, and other significant ecological aspects. Their findings confirmed the area’s national significance, with over 400 Slender Tree-ferns discovered confirming this area as Australia's stronghold for the critically endangered Slender tree-fern.

Ecologist Karl Just said:

"This is the largest population of the Slender tree-fern, Cyathea cunninghamii ever documented in Australia, where previously the largest population documented was 200 adult plants within the Tarra-Bulga National Park to the east. This area in Turtons creek is of national significance."

Another exciting discovery was the endangered Netted brake fern, found in the Strzelecki Ranges for only the second time, the first was back in 1975 and the endangered Brown’s mitre-moss was a new recorded for the Strzelecki ranges.

The event attracted 80 attendees, including neighbours, representatives of community groups, with councillors Mayor John Schelling and Deputy Mayor Sarah Gilligan among the group. The presentation sparked some great discussions with many people expressing concern about HVP forestry operations and the impacts to our threatened species and rainforest communities.

The survey was made possible through funding from the Wettenhall Environment Trust and the Friends of Turtons Creek, with support from the Tarwin River Forest, Gippsland Threatened Species Action Group, and Gippsland Forest Guardians.

The collaborative effort highlighted the dedication of local conservationists working to protect vital rainforest habitats for endangered species such as the Slender Tree-fern Gang-gang Cockatoos, Pilotbirds, Blue-winged Parrots, and the Strzelecki Burrowing and South Gippsland Spiny Crayfish.

Watch Karl's presentation on YouTube
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HVP go to VCAT to keep forest plans secret

24 October 2024 - South Gippsland, Victoria

Local conservation group, Gippsland Forest Guardians (GFG) are calling on Hancock Victorian Plantations Pty Ltd (HVP) to be open and transparent with their plans for forestry on our Crown land.

Under Freedom of Information laws the Office of the Victorian Information Commissioner decided in favour of releasing the Fellas Coupe Timber Harvest Plan to the Gippsland Forest Guardians but HVP have now appealed to VCAT to stop council releasing the documents.

Spokesperson for GFG, Stuart Inchley said:

“We have requested the Timber Harvest Plan to see whether adequate measures have been put in place to protect endangered species such as the critically endangered Slender Tree-fern and areas of cool temperate rainforest. We are also interested to learn what surveying has been done to identify other threatened species such as the Strzelecki burrowing crayfish, Pilotbird, Gang-gang cockatoo and Powerful owl, some of the threatened species recorded in the area.”

He added:

“HVP are operating on our Crown land in this coupe and management decisions made by HVP today could negatively affect our region’s biodiversity forever. We believe the community has a right to know what is being planned for our public land.“

Timber harvest plans are required to be submitted to local council who are responsible for regulating plantations and ensuring forestry operations comply with the timber code of practice.

The code states that a timber harvest plan must include details such as biodiversity impact, mapping of high conservation value areas, measures to protect relevant environmental and cultural heritage values, and methods to minimise impacts on water quality and river health from timber harvesting.

Stuart added:
"The Gippsland Forest Guardians are seeking to see the plan to ensure these protections are being adequately addressed. We believe there should be transparency around forestry on our Crown land."

South Gippsland Shire Council CEO Kerryn Ellis said,
“While I am regretfully not able to comment in detail on the specifics of this matter as it is the subject of current legal proceedings, Council remains committed to protecting our natural environment through the avenues at our disposal”.

Anthony Amis from Friend of the Earth said:
“This decision will be an important one for other community and conservation groups who are looking to get access to information about forestry operating on our public land. It should not have to come to this. HVP are supposedly certified by the Forest Stewardship Council, who like to boast that certified forests are managed to strict environmental and social standards. This dispute proves that the complete opposite is true.”

The Gippsland Forest Guardians have been joined as a party by VCAT in order to support the Information Commissioners decision to release the document. The hearing is set for 22nd of May 2025.

Download  Sentinel times article
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Clearing of High Conservation Value Roadside Sparks Outrage in South Gippsland

15 January 2025 

In November 2023, residents of Turtons Creek were shocked to discover the extensive clearing of high conservation value roadside vegetation, including mature Messmate and Blackwood trees, along Dollar-Woorarra West Road. Approximately an acre of native vegetation, bordering cool temperate rainforest, was removed from the South Gippsland Council road reserve, allegedly without the required permits.

The Gippsland Forest Guardians, a local conservation group, contacted the Council to inquire whether a permit had been issued for the clearing. According to the Council, no permit had been granted, and they said they would investigate. However, one year later, no action has been taken, prompting criticism from residents and conservationists.

“This council road reserve is classified by council as high conservation value and given the highest priority for protection by South Gippsland Council,” said Stuart Inchley, a spokesperson for the Gippsland Forest Guardians. “It borders rainforest containing critically endangered species, including the Slender Tree-Fern, listed under the Flora and Fauna Guarantee (FFG) Act and is home to many other endangered species. The clearing is clearly seen on google earth (below) and is a huge scar in the middle of protected vegetation. We want to know why the Council has failed to act and no one has been held accountable.”

The Turton’s Creek area has drawn significant attention due to its ecological importance, having recently gained recognition for the discovery of Australia’s largest population of the critically endangered Slender Tree-fern.

The clearing of the council land was carried out at the same time as logging operations started in Fellas Coupe timber harvest area.


The Council has faced mounting criticism for its lack of enforcement. South Gippsland Conservation Society President Ed Thexton said:

"We believe the Council should use the full extent of their powers to protect native vegetation. There are well established guidelines about native vegetation removal with the primary goal being avoidance. Those responsible for this obvious flouting of the regulations need to be taken to task.  Inaction is unacceptable and the community deserves answers and a swift and targeted response. Many people get fined for doing a lot less than what we witness here.

We have lost so much of our remnant forests in South Gippsland we need action against these vandals so that the message is sent to others that such destruction will not be tolerated.”


South Gippsland Councillor Sarah Gilligan said:
 
“While I wholeheartedly share your concerns about the destruction of native vegetation, I can’t comment on the specifics of this particular matter as it’s a process that is still underway.”

The Gippsland Forest Guardians are urging residents to contact local councillors and demand action. “This is a test of the Council’s commitment to protecting the environment” said Mr. Inchley.


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