GIPPSLAND Forest Guardians spokesman, Stuart Inchley of Turtons Creek, has hailed the announcement by Hancock Victoria Plantations (HVP) this week that they will stop logging the nearby Fellas Track site as a welcome step in the campaign to protect the critically endangered Slender Tree-fern.
HVP made a statement on its website on Monday, September 22, 2025 that “the area will no longer be managed for timber production and will instead be regenerated to native forest”.
According to Mr Inchley, this marks a significant shift in management and comes after extended advocacy from the Gippsland Forest Guardians (GFG) and the local community, who have long called for protection of Fellas coupe due to the site’s high conservation values.
“HVP’s decision to return the site to native forest is a welcome step in the right direction. This will create the conditions that Slender Tree-ferns and rainforest need to survive. And it is great for our local Gang-gangs… the Mountain ash that are to be retained are already 50 years old, so will start getting the hollows that Gang-gangs need to breed much sooner.”
He added: “We would like to thank everyone who has worked to better protect our local threatened species. To those of you who helped with donations, wrote letters, signed petitions, and came out to see the Slender Tree-ferns and to experience these ancient and precious forests— we say thank you.”
Fellas coupe will now protect 174 hectares of forest including wet Mountain ash forest, Cool Temperate Rainforest and rare Warm Temperate Rainforest.
Additionally, HVP has also decided not to harvest a 19-hectare area marked for logging, including Mountain Ash, further safeguarding local biodiversity and enhancing connectivity for native species.
According to Gippsland Forest Guardians, Fellas track is home to the Slender Tree-fern (Cyathea cunninghamii), a critically endangered and locally significant species that caught South Gippsland’s attention in 2023.
Slender Tree-ferns were found in Fellas coupe and further botanical surveys revealed Turtons Creek to be the home of Australia’s largest population of the beautiful but critically endangered tree-ferns.
GFG raised the alarm when HVP were found to be harvesting to within metres of these ferns when expert government advice recommended a 200-metre buffer zones.
Concerns have been raised over the past few years about HVP operations, including questions around adherence to FSC standards and local laws, with the clearing of native vegetation on Council Land adjacent to Fellas Coupe causing much community concern.
Fellas coupe supports a range of rare and threatened species, including the Gang-gang Cockatoo, Blue-winged Parrot, and Pilotbird. It also contains a large population of the critically endangered Slender Tree-fern and the rare Netted Brake within its surrounding Cool Temperate Rainforest. Together, these values highlight the site’s high conservation value.
HVP statement
Here’s what HVP Plantations said on its website about ‘Fellas Track’ estate at Turtons Creek on September 22, 2025:
“HVP Plantations (HVP) operates with respect for our people, stakeholders, and the environment. This commitment is reflected in our independent, third-party forest management certifications.
“Operations engagement: Over the past 18 months, we’ve engaged with a range of stakeholders regarding a harvesting operation at Fellas Track, Turtons Creek. Recently we reconnected with neighbours including the Gippsland Forest Guardians to learn more about how we can address their interests and concerns about this site.
“Plans for the future: This engagement has been valuable, and HVP has now decided that this site will no longer be managed for timber production. Instead, the harvested area will be regenerated to native forest.
“Additionally, we have decided to not harvest a 19-hectare area of eucalypt plantation also at this site. As we explore future plans for this site, we look forward to engaging with affected stakeholders to understand their concerns, needs and rights.”
For more information go to https://www.hvp.com.au/