Police investigate illegal tree felling in Mount Duneed

August 13, 2021 BY James Taylor

Arborists estimated the gum in Rice Nature Reserve was 40 years old.

AN 18-METRE eucalyptus tree was illegally cut down on public land near Mount Duneed, and Torquay Police are investigating.

The Surf Coast Shire’s parks team discovered the 18-metre river red gym had been felled at the Rice Nature Reserve on July 26.

Its 74cm diameter trunk was cut through about a metre above the ground and no attempts were made to cut it up further.
Council officers believe the offender was an inexperienced chainsaw operator and might have been lucky to have avoided serious injury.

Arborists estimated the gum was about 40 years old.

Police are hoping to hear from any people who might have seen or heard suspicious activity at the reserve, off Horseshoe Bend Road, before the damage was discovered by council officers.

Anyone with information can phone Constable Bill Dow at Torquay Police on 5264 3400.

The offender may face prosecution for criminal damage, which carries maximum penalties including jail.

The felled tree was cut up and chipped by council’s arborist team.

The collection of firewood on public land and roadsides is both restricted and controlled all year round for environmental protection and safety reasons.

Penalties apply for collecting firewood from roadsides within the Surf Coast Shire, but the Department of Environment, Land, Water and Planning (DELWP) allows seasonal collection of firewood for domestic use from different locations in regional state forests.

It is important anyone seeking to collect firewood checks DELWP’s website at the Forest Fire Management Victoria website for details as substantial penalties apply if you do not follow the firewood collection rules for public land.

The spring firewood season opens on September 1 and runs until November 30.

Regional Roads Victoria and the Surf Coast Shire do not permit firewood collection from the roadsides they manage due to traffic management requirements and the environmental value of vegetation along roadside verges.

For more information, phone DELWP on 13 61 86.