Thousands of hectares in the Strzelecki Ranges are being logged and replanted with exotic, invasive pine trees by Hancock Victorian Plantations (HVP), who lease the Crown land for logging. In the process, we believe HVP is also damaging ‘Protected Vegetation’ and threatened species.

We believe this breaches an agreement made with the State under section 69 of the Conservation, Forests and Lands Act 1987. Under the agreement, HVP has an obligation to:

• clause 2.1.2(c) - not cause or permit the planting of any flora other than local indigenous flora on the Land, and

• clause 5.1 - not cause damage to the Protected Vegetation on the Land.

The evidence

Our evidence appears to show HVP planting non-indigenous pines on the Land and damaging Protected Vegetation, including critically endangered species.

HVP’s own Forest Management and Stewardship Report (F2025) confirms the practice: “Prior to radiata pine becoming HVP’s preferred planting species a number of years ago across all sites, Strzelecki sites were planted with either radiata pine or shining gum” (p.37).

Our advocacy to Government

We have written to the Environment Minister — first to then Minister, Steve Dimopoulos, and again to his successors, Minister Erdogan, now Minister Symes — seeking answers on HVP’s compliance and the Department’s oversight of the agreement.

The Department (DEECA) responded “The department takes allegations of non-compliance seriously and is looking into the matters that you have raised”, but did not address whether consent had been given for the planting of pines. We still haven’t received any assurance the practice has stopped.

We have now made a formal complaint to the Secretary of DEECA, responsible for the Section 69 agreement, and are awaiting a response.

Ellen Sandell MP (Victorian Greens leader) separately raised the issue with a question in Parliament on 13 May 2026, which remains unanswered past its due date of 12 June 2026. And Georgie Purcell MLA (Victorian Animal Justice Party leader) raised the issue again in the Senate.

In August 2026 we wrote to Shadow Minister for Environment Nick McGowan MLC, asking for his help in getting a substantive response from the government. We await a response.

Part of a bigger picture

The issue of non-compliance with the Section 69 Agreement sits within the larger context of the vesting of Crown land in the Strzeleckis in the 1990s for timber production. That vesting was contested in the community, and after a long campaign, some areas were excised from the plantation estate to form the Cores and Links conservation reserves.

The classification of these forests as plantations is also contested. One ecologist has described an area marked as a plantation as indistinguishable from native forest; and we've found many more. Come and have a look and tell us what you think!

We are pursuing various lines of advocacy to ensure protection of the Strzeleckis - please reach out to us if you would like to discuss the issues further.