TWO Gippsland men who travelled almost 300 kilometres to illegally cut down trees in a state forest near Bendigo have each been fined $11,000.
The 54-year-old Drouin man and 45-year-old Yarragon man were convicted in the Latrobe Valley Magistrates’ Court on Tuesday, September 8, after pleading guilty to charges relating to felling trees on public land for commercial gain, damaging wildlife habitat and public land, and obstructing an Authorised Officer.
In May 2025, investigators from the Conservation Regulator’s Taskforce Ironbark detected the men loading freshly cut ironbark into a tipper truck in the Tarnagulla State Forest, west of Bendigo.
The truck was loaded with more than six cubic metres of cut sections of ironbark.
The men were intercepted in an area of forest that is known as habitat for the critically endangered swiftparrot, which depends on ironbark trees for food and shelter.
“These offenders travelled nearly 300 kilometres from Gippsland to Central Victoria to illegally cut down trees for firewood, and this court outcome sends a clear message that distance is no barrier to being detected,” Conservation Regulator Loddon Mallee Regulatory Program Manager, Glenn Smith, said.
“The trees cut down in this case were part of Central Victoria’s ironbark forests, which provide important habitat for native wildlife, including the threatened swift parrot.
“Taskforce Ironbark will continue to identify, investigate and prosecute those who cut down trees for profit, at the direct expense of our forests and the wildlife that rely on them.”
As Authorised Officers were attempting to seize their vehicles and machinery, the men dumped the load of illegally cut wood on the ground and drove away from the scene.
The court heard the men had travelled from Gippsland with the truck, a trailer and skid steer loader to remove trees from the forest to sell as firewood.
Following an investigation, the Conservation Regulator, supported by Victoria Police, executed a search warrant at a property in Drouin in August 2025. Officers seized a tipper truck and a mobile phone.
In sentencing, the Magistrate described the offending as serious with aspects of the conduct showing a blatant disregard for the law.
Taskforce Ironbark is a statewide operation led by the Conservation Regulator in partnership with Parks Victoria, targeting criminal groups removing commercial quantities of trees from Victoria’s public land.
More than 9000 trees are illegally cut down in Victoria’s state forests, reserves and parks each year, with many sold on as firewood to unsuspecting buyers.
Firewood collection from public land for personal use is only permitted in designated areas during the autumn and spring firewood collection seasons.
Anyone who witnesses suspicious firewood activity is encouraged to contact Crime Stoppers Victoria on 1800 333 000 or via: crimestoppersvic.com.au
Information can be provided anonymously.
