A Supreme Court justice has ordered VicForests to temporarily halt the harvesting of fallen trees at a site in Victoria’s west, after a community group alleged it had not surveyed for threatened species. 

Wombat Forestcare began court proceedings last week seeking an injunction for the site in Wombat State Forest, alleging VicForests had not checked the area for species of owls, quolls and reptiles. 

This morning, Supreme Court Justice Melinda Richards ordered VicForests and its contractor to stop any work in the harvesting area until October 31.

She said Wombat Forestcare had established “serious questions to be tried” that planned timber harvesting in the coupe would not comply with VicForests’ code, in relation to surveying for endangered mountain skink and three species of forest owls. 

Justice Richards said she did not accept VicForests’ argument that the planned operations in the coupe, named “silver queen”, were necessary to reduce fire hazard in Wombat State Forest. 

“I have come to the view the evidence does not support that claim,” she said.

VicForests has been conducting salvage logging operations in Wombat State Forest to clear debris following wild storms in the area in 2021. 

More to come.