Independent MP visits forest

A federal MP toured the Wombat Forest this month, speaking with local environmental advocates.

Dr Monique Ryan, the Independent Member for Kooyong, took part in a tour of the forest organised by the Victorian National Parks Association (VNPA) and Wombat Forestcare on Friday 14 April.

The latter group has campaigned for the last few years for the Wombat Forest to be included in a Wombat-Lerderderg National Park, and against logging in the forest which it calls “environmentally destructive salvage logging”.

The State Government has consistently denied that claim, stating the logging is being done to remove fallen and hazardous trees following the June 2021 storms.

Dr Ryan thanked the VNPA and Wombat Forestcare for the opportunity.

“I’m committed to working with conservation groups and the government to preserve environmental biodiversity and our beautiful native forests. I was grateful to Gayle Osborne from Wombat Forestcare and the representatives from the VNPA for generously showing me the Wombat Forest today,” she said.

“It’s a really important site with a number of threatened flora and fauna species.”

Despite the storm damage, much of the Wombat Forest was unscathed, and the tour took in a fern gully on Nolans Creek with tall gums and musk daisy bushes, where Greater Gliders thrive, and birds migrate to breed in spring.

A highlight of the tour was a visit to a location where another population of endangered Mountain Skinks was recently discovered by Wombat Forestcare citizen scientists.

Gayle Osborne, convenor of Wombat Forestcare, said it was wonderful to have the backing of a Federal MP.

“It is fantastic that Monique has shown so much interest and support. We were able to show them the habitat of two federally listed endangered species and talk about measures for their conservation,” Ms Osborne said.

“The number of endangered species in the Wombat Forest highlights the need for the State Government to hurry up and legislate the promised Wombat-Lerderderg National Park, and give them the protection they deserve.”