The Acheron- Rainforest Site Of National Significance

The Upper Acheron River Catchment contains undisturbed old growth stands of Cool Temperate Rainforest, Mountain Wet Forest, Wet Schlerophyll forest and Riparian Forest. The Acheron Valley, is also notable for its significant populations of the endangered Leadbeaters Possum, rare Powerful Owl, Brushtailed Phascogale and sooty owl. Important areas of Cool Temperate Rainforest provide breeding habitat for the rarely seen Pink Robin. The area is also a critical link between the protected Maroondah and O'Shannassy catchments and contains a site of long term research on aquatic invertebrate communities.

The Frontier

This logging coupe is adjacent to the core rainforest area inside a rainforest priority zone
(class 3), and it contained prime Leadbeater's Possum habitat. The Frontier logging coupe has now been completed and will be burnt the following year. Photos of this area post burning will be posted when available.

Mount Vinegar Roadline (Recommenced)

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The picture on the left was taken on 7th of January 2004 at the beginning of the Mt Vinegar Roadline, shown here pushing through regenerating forest. The image on the right shows the point at which the Mt Vinegar road was halted 590m from Carters Gap Road, stopping before previously unlogged mountain ash forest. Following discussions with the Victorian Rainforest Network and various officials from the Department of Sustainability and the Environment (DSE) the DSE have agreed to shorten the Mount Vinegar Road by 1.5KM. In addition, a total of 754 Ha's of mountain ash and rainforest has been a excluded from further logging until at least 2007.

Poley's End

The logging coupe shown below was located next to a well developed rainforest stand which thrived along the cooler south-facing gully. Logging operations penetrated into the prescribed 60m buffer of protective natural forest, in breach of the Code of Forest Practice (s.2.3.7ii) and the Regional Forest Management Plan.

Other areas scheduled for logging this summer include:

The Rock

The Rock coupe lies near the boundary of the Yarra Ranges National Park. This scheduled logging coupe has had a 60m buffer of protective forest applied in the field, following a joint DSE-VRN field inspection involving an expert rainforest botanist. Note: the blue tape marks denote the coupe boundary without the 60m buffer.

The Flat

Situated just 100m away from the Acheron Way, this coupe will be visible from the road.

Pioneer Creek- Rainforest Site of National Significance

The Pioneer Creek National Rainforest Site of Significance contains Cool Temperate Rainforest, Wet Schlerophyll, Damp Schlerophyll, Shrubby Foothills and Riparian forest. The site contains the very rare Tall Astelia (listed as vulnerable by the Flora and Fauna Guarantee Act), a cool temperate rainforest and riparian thicket species largely confined to the area. Logging operations can increase sediment deposition, introduce harmful weeds and disease (Myrtle Wilt), and elevate the intensity and rate of spread of wildfires which threaten Tall Astelia and its supporting habitat communities.

Road pushed through an emerging rainforest stand just inside the Pioneer Creek
Rainforest Site of National Significance. Note the hundreds of logs
used to surface the swampy rainforest floor.

Myrtle Beech and ferns intermingle under giant mountain ash.
This photo was taken inside the proposed Upper Kobiolke Creek coupe.

The nationally significant Upper Kobiolke Creek area has a history of poor rainforest and protected species management, with a logging road destroying an extremely rare colony of Tall Astelia a few years ago. The roading blunder prompted an internal DSE review of roading operations and planning procedures.