Greater Bendigo NP and local state forests illegal firewood hotspots

Greater Bendigo National Park and Bendigo's state forests are hotspots for the activity, which is increasingly being done at night by commercial operators, according to the agency, which is responsible for overseeing wildlife and biodiversity as well as timber harvesting.

The national park, due to its proximity to town and accessibility to a lot of people, is an obvious target, the regulator's Loddon Mallee program manager, Glenn Smith, told the Bendigo Advertiser.

The agency had also investigated the illegal felling of trees and take of wood from areas around Rushworth, Metcalfe and Taradale.

Hundreds of trees had been illegally felled and taken from these areas.

At Mansfield Swamp Wildlife Reserve, south-east of Rochester, an estimated 50 per cent of old mature red gums had been lost due to the theft of timber.

"These trees are critical wildlife habitat,'' Mr Smith said.

"Many native animals rely on hollows in both standing and fallen trees, and a lot these areas that are being targeted by firewood collectors also contain Aboriginal scarred trees.

"If these trees are cut, an important piece of Aboriginal cultural heritage is lost forever."

A recent media report revealed that Victoria's Lower Goulburn National Park, an hour and three quarters north-east of Bendigo, was Victoria's biggest target for illegal firewood removal.

Gippsland and the Grampians were identified as other hotspots.

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While there may be some people who unwittingly break the law and others who do so on a small scale out of financial hardship, increasingly regulators were encountering people "cutting at night".

They often removed their car's registration plates and made attempts to conceal their identities.

"Last year we had a man stop his vehicle in front of a camera, open the boot and grab his drill, then remove the registration plates from his vehicle and trailer,'' Mr Smith said.

"We then see him a bit later leave the area loaded with wood. It's these people that clearly know they are doing the wrong thing."

Mr Smith said the Conservation Regulator conducts regular patrols, which can occur at any time, while Forest Fire Management Victoria is also involved in policing the forest areas.

They often removed their car's registration plates and made attempts to conceal their identities.

"Last year we had a man stop his vehicle in front of a camera, open the boot and grab his drill, then remove the registration plates from his vehicle and trailer. We then see him a bit later leave the area loaded with wood."

Mr Smith said the Conservation Regulator and Forest Fire Management Victoria conduct regular patrols, which can occur at any time.

"A lot of people might think we finish work at 4.30 but we might patrol into the evening to see who's around at that time, and we do patrol on weekends as well."

The agencies also use cameras in public land areas and act on tip-offs from the public.

"The community are our eyes and ears as well, and we do follow up," Mr Smith said.

With many illegal harvesters selling firewood online, particularly through Facebook Marketplace, he urged the public to check their supplier was legitimate.

Legitimate businesses will have an ABN and should be able to provide a receipt, he said.

Last year the Conservation Regulator laid 625 charges and issued 85 infringement notices for firewood offences in Victoria.

These included charges laid against a couple of people in recent years for the illegal take of wood from the Mansfield Swamp Wildlife Reserve, Mr Smith said.

Last December Parks Victoria and the Conservation Regulator executed multiple search warrants on persons of interest in relation to the illegal take of firewood from the Metcalfe State Forest.

Authorised officers can issue on-the-spot fines of $740, with a maximum penalty of $9,246 and/or a year in prison if prosecuted in court.

By law firewood can be collected for home use in Victoria in designated state forest locations only by local residents during specific seasons.

Around Bendigo region, the collection areas are in the Wellsford State Forest, the Myers Flat State Forest and the Knowsley State Forest (West Pieper firewood collection area).

The 2023 seasons are from Wednesday, March 1 to Friday, June 30 (autumn) and September 1 to November 30 (spring).

Suspected illegal firewood collection can be reported on 136 186.

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