- Published:
- Friday 12 December 2025 at 9:00 am
The 41-year-old from Diamond Creek appeared in the Seymour Magistrates’ Court yesterday (Thursday 11 December), pleading guilty to 3 charges related to the illegal felling and taking of timber from public land to sell on the black market.
In the early hours of Monday 14 July, Conservation Regulator and Victoria Police Officers intercepted the man and another alleged offender loading freshly felled and cut timber into a trailer in bushland near Clonbinane, south-east of Broadford.
Officers found a sophisticated setup lit up by a portable flood light. Trees had been pre-marked with reflective spray paint, and equipment included felling wedges, wood splitters and two chainsaws.
A felled native tree was located a short distance away. The stump, approximately half a metre in diameter, was surrounded by more than 90 pieces of cut and split wood on the ground.
The man told officers that he was collecting firewood to keep his home warm. However, analysis of the man’s phone activity indicated he was in the business of selling firewood via social media.
The pre-dawn operation followed an investigation into the removal of a large number of trees from the Wandong Regional Park and Mount Disappointment State Forest.
It formed part of Taskforce Ironbark, a statewide initiative led by the Conservation Regulator and Parks Victoria to disrupt the theft and illegal trade of firewood from Victoria’s public land.
In sentencing, Magistrate Vaughan said, “The Court must take a dim view in relation to these matters,” noting that this type of offending causes “irreparable damage to nature and the environment”.
More than 9,000 trees are illegally cut down in Victoria’s State forests, reserves and parks each year, with criminal operators often removing large quantities and selling them to unsuspecting buyers.
As organised groups are known to fell trees under the cover of darkness, Taskforce Ironbark patrols are taking place at all times of the day and night and on both weekdays and weekends.
Domestic firewood collection from public land for personal use is only permitted in designated areas during the autumn and spring firewood collection seasons. Suspected illegal firewood activity can be reported to 136 186. For more information, visit vic.gov.au/sourcing-firewood(opens in a new window)
Quotes attributable to Acting Hume Regulatory Operations Manager Stephen McMonigle:
'Illegal firewood collection strips wildlife habitat from our forests, parks and reserves, removing critical shelter that native species need to survive.'
'Taskforce Ironbark is continuing to target organised groups who destroy wildlife habitat for profit. With support from Victoria Police and Parks Victoria, we are cracking down on the black market firewood trade.'
'Our continued prosecution of offenders in the courts sends a clear message – we are committed to investigating the unlawful removal of firewood from public land and holding those responsible to account.'
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