Around 40 locals turned out to “Slender Sunday” at Turtons Creek, a community event to celebrate and raise awareness for one of Australia’s oldest and rarest plants—the critically endangered Slender Tree-fern.
Hosted by Gippsland Threatened Species Action Group and Gippsland Forest Guardians, the event marked the launch of a bold new grassroots proposal: the Tarwin River Rainforest Refuge. The proposed refuge aims to protect the rainforest-lined creeks in Fellas coupe, a section of crown land, currently licensed to Hancock Victoria Plantations (HVP), that conservationists hope will be reserved as a Slender Tree-fern sanctuary and ecological biolink.
The event follows the release of a recent Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) audit into HVP’s forestry operations and complaints made specifically about Fellas Coupe. According to the audit, three significant non-conformances were identified. The FSC audit has led to a temporary suspension of operations under the FSC’s precautionary principle.
“This area isn’t just a plantation,” said Stuart Inchley of Gippsland Forest Guardians. “It’s the heart of the largest known population of Slender Tree-ferns in the country. It’s also one of the last remaining cool-temperate rainforest habitats in the region. Protecting it is urgent.”
The FSC non-conformances related to HVP not properly documenting conservation zones and protection areas for rare and threatened species and their habitats. It also highlighted concerns about the plan to replant logged areas with pine trees—raising further compliance gaps against the FSC standard which require regenerating harvested areas to pre-harvest or more natural conditions. In this case, the coupe was entirely native species.
“The FSC has found that planting pine trees is not consistent with their strong standard” Inchley said. “We’re asking HVP to work with the community to now formally reserve this area, replant it with native species, and support a vision for a rainforest refuge for our Slender Tree-ferns that connects vital habitat for other species like the Gang-gang Cockatoo and Strzelecki Koala.”
Sunday’s event featured local music, guided nature walks, expert talks on threatened species, and family-friendly activities. Community members made hand-printed T-shirts, shared stories, and explored the ancient rainforests that make Turtons Creek unique.
“We’re not anti-forestry,” said one local attendee. “But we expect forestry operations—particularly those on our crown land—to uphold best-practice conservation, especially when it comes to threatened species. If FSC standards don’t protect something as rare as the Slender Tree-fern, then we need to ask what they’re really protecting.”
With the FSC audit now publicly available and community momentum building, organisers say the time is right for Hancock Victorian Plantations and the Victorian Government to engage with the proposal.
“The Tarwin River Rainforest Refuge is an opportunity to show leadership,” Inchley said. “Locals, scientists, the Victorian National Parks Association, Friends of the Earth and many others are supporting this. Now we need action that reflects the level of community care.”