Myrtleford man found guilty, ordered to pay $43,030 for illegal firewood collection

Conservation Regulator Victoria said the man, 32, was found guilty of 14 offences under the Land Conservation (Vehicle Control) Regulations 2013, Wildlife Regulations 2013 and Forests Act 1958.

These related to illegally collecting firewood, destroying wildlife habitat and driving off-road in Stanley State Forest in 2021.

In Wangaratta Magistrates Court on Friday, he was ordered to pay $6500 in fines, $131.50 in statutory costs and $36,399.35 to cover the department's legal fees.

Two chainsaws seized were also forfeited.

The regulator said the man was captured on concealed cameras driving off-road through Stanley State Forest with a ute full of cut timber and a chainsaw on three separate occasions in September 2021.

This area is a special protection zone, home to threatened species like the brush-tailed phascogale, southern greater gliders and brown treecreepers.

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Authorised officers also caught the man chopping up a freshly felled dead tree into firewood rounds on a roadside near Bowmans Forest the following month.

Conservation Regulator Hume regulatory manager Greg Chant said anyone breaking firewood collection rules should see this case as a warning.

"You will be caught and the penalties are serious," he said.

"We will seize items used to collect firewood illegally including chainsaws, trailers and vehicles and seek to have them forfeited to the Crown."

Domestic firewood collection is only allowed in designated firewood collection areas during a set season.

"Designated firewood collection areas and firewood collection limits protect the environment, essential habitat for native animals and community firewood resources," Mr Chant said.

"Following these rules helps to maintain healthy forests that we can all benefit from now and into the future."

More details about firewood collection at vic.gov.au/collecting-firewood.

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