Region: Ovens

Legal Number: LEGL/93-125/1

Plantation: Bright

Conservation Priority: Med/High

Plantation within Australian Newsprint Mill (ANM) Ltd area of supply.


Plantation within Carter Holt Harvey (now owned by International Paper) area of supply.


93-125 March 01: View looking north west straight down gully line from Eurobin Gap, at about 45 degree angle. No protection afforded to these natural drainage lines.

Plantation within Dominance Industries (Alpine MDF Industries) area of supply.

Plantation within D & R Henderson/Monsbent area of supply.

Proclaimed Water Catchment Area: This plantation area is located in the Ovens River (Wangaratta) Water Supply Catchment.

North East Victoria Plantation Map here

This plantation was very likely to be aerially sprayed with 2,4,5-T between 1968 and 1977. The Dioxin TCDD may still exist in soil in this plantation. For more historical data on 2,4,5-T click here. For more information concerning the continuing health crisis concerning 2,4,5-T please forward to here.

Herbicides Used by Hancock in Pine Plantations - North East Region Victoria

Herbicide Label Rate max as kg/ha Used to control Notes Application
Carfentrazone-Ethyl 0.036      
Clopyralid 2.55 Woody Weeds Highly Toxic/Potential Ground water Contaminant air or ground
Glyphosate 3.6 Herbaceous and woody weeds, noxious weeds    
Hexazinone 4 Woody Weeds Ground Water Contaminant Aerial, ground, spot
Metsulfuron-Methyl 0.06 Woody Weeds, Noxious Weeds Potential Ground Water Contaminant Aerial, ground or spot
Triclopyr 3 Woody and Noxious Weeds   Ground, spot, basal bark

 

MURRAY RIVER SUPPLIES WATER TO YARRAWONGA, COBRAM, BARMAH, ECHUCA , KERANG, PIANGIL, SWAN HILL, ROBINVALE, MILDURA

Also see: 2003 April Updates

THREATENED FISH NOTES - KIEWA RIVER: Murray Cod found in Kiewa River. River needs environmental flows. Yackandandah Creek has populations of Mountain Galaxias and Blackfish, however stream levels do fluctuate and the creek is very temperamental to slight changes upstream. Mountain Galaxias (Galaxias olidusi) taxonomy is under review. Outcome could determine a separate species in the North East.

THREATENED FISH NOTES - OVENS RIVER: Most important river in Victoria in regard to the survival of the Murray Cod. Murray Cod spawn almost as far up as Myrtleford and the Ovens supplies recruitment for the Murray River as well. The Ovens has no dams and is a river of extreme national significance. Trout Cod are now being found in the Ovens and may set up a self sustaining spawning population. Trout Cod have been successfully stocked into Ovens and upper Ovens, downstream of Myrtleford and going up the King River - past Moyhu. All the tribs of the Ovens are important for native fish including King, Buffalo and Buckland Rivers.

Responsible Authority: Alpine Shire Council

Plantation Catchment (Plantation LEGL consists of 5 seperate plantations):
a) Many tribs (more than 30) into Happy Valley Creek/Ovens River
b) HW and many tribs of Morgan Creek/Running Creek/Kiewa River. Plantation covers 800 hectares.
c) (One Mile Creek plantation). Many tributaries One Mile Creek/Ovens River
d) Numerous tribs of Porepunkah Gully/Ovens River; 3-4 tribs into Havilah Crk/Happy Valley Creek/Ovens River
e) One major trib Havilah creek

Catchment Managment Authority: North East Catchment Management Authority

Hancock Watch site visit Mar 01/Apr 03:
a) Did not enter site - took photo from main road. No logging taking place in either March 01 or April 03.

b) Did not enter site - took photo from main road. no logging taking place - time constraints. April 03: Visited the south west portion of this plantation and travelled along Rolland Road. No visible signs of logging activity.

c) did not enter site - took photo from main road. no logging taking place - time constraints

d) Logging had just been carried out on northern most slope of this plantation (Happy Valley Creek side). The slopes at this site were extremely steep and there was no evidence of any kind of buffer zones. The scars from this logging site can be seen 10km along the Happy Valley Road. This site should be retired from intensive timber production. Erosion potential very high and was probably the most severe case of logging seen during this north east visit. Over the Eurobin Gap heading south it was evident that harvesting had been carried out in a number of other plantations that constitute this plantation. Generally the slopes were less severe and there was examples of remnant vegetation along creeks still present. There also appeared to be some wildings escaping into gully lines of native vegetation as well as blackberry infestation. Slopes on the northern side of the south facing plantations were generally steep. Perhaps too steep for sustainable pine production. April 03: Entire site had been replanted with pine. It appeared that some gullies may have not been planted, but these gullies were dominated with weed species. Large piles of soil were observed at the top of Eurobin Gap (at the head of gully) next to the water tank. In the event of heavy rainfall this could all wash down the gully line. Just down from Eurobin Gap (in the Porepunkah Gully catchment) it was evident that roading was erodiing and slumping severely. These problems probably breach the Code of Forest Practices. Much of the Porepunkah Gully catchment had been clearfelled over the past two years. Pine had been replanted.

e) Recent clearing activity in place. Slopes quite steep. Due to workers present we could not go through the plantation in any great details. However there would be some debate about the sustainability of such an operation on the steeper slopes. April 03: Recent clearfelling had cut out almost the entire plantation. Slopes were very steep and the impact of the site is dramatic as slopes up to 600 metres high had been logged. Some mug had driven his bulldozer through the major tributary of Havilah Creek on the plantation. Buffers along this creek were almost non-existent and most likely breach the Code of Forest Practices. Native vegetation had been cut down at the top of the plantation in the south east corner. At least 20 trees - most likely old growth were dumped in piles with the radiata pine. It was unclear whether this was a firebreak operation. Roading was dodgy in places. Overall a very sloppy logging operation had been conducted at this site.

April 2003: Havilah plantation: Excessive slopes with high potential for soil mobilisation.

“Special Investigation: North-Eastern Victoria - Ovens Softwood Plantation Zone. Land Conservation Council 1981.

p12 The eastern region The eastern part of the study area - which extends north from Mount Beauty, along the Kiewa Valley, and as far west as Havilah - consists of mountainous terrain composed of metamorphic rocks. These rocks are more resistant to erosion than the sedimentary rocks of the central region and have been subjected to intensive faulting, which in turn has influenced the alignment of major streams in the area. The Kiewa Valley is bounded by faults, and many of its tributaries - for example, Running Creek and Glen Creek - follow fault lines. Friable reddish and brownish gradational soils dominate the steep mountainous country, while duplex soils are common on the lower valley slopes and alluvial fans. These soils are generally suitable for the growth of softwoods unless they are poorly drained.”

Ovens River: The rivers all flow north, from heavily forested mountain country through excessive river flats to the Murray River. Murray cod populations close to the Murray River. Small river blackfish are common in many rivers, Macquarie Perch are still occasionally caught, and catches of golden perch are also being reported. Brown trout widely distributed through system with rainbow trout most abundant in upper reaches. Upstream from Myrtleford - Brown Trout to 1.3kg, some rainbow trout, small redfin and river blackfish.

Happy Valley Creek, Mytrleford: A small creek flowing through grazing land, sand bed, joining Ovens River below Myrtleford. Contains some brown trout to 640g, and some river blackfish and redfin. Some trout spawning occurs in the stream, and trout enter the creek from the Ovens River. Last stocked with trout by the Department in 1969.

Ovens River - Myrtleford to Wangaratta: Redfin to 1.1kg, spiny freshwater crayfish, some good sized brown trout, occasional Murray cod near Wangaratta, golden perch, river blackfish and very occasional trout cod.

Kiewa River, Mount Beauty: An excellent trout stream in places, extensive areas of shallow water and evidence of siltation particuarly in the lower reaches. Source: A Guide to the Inland Angling Waters of Victoria by BR Tunbridge, PL Rogan, CA Barnham. Department Conservation and Environment. Arthur Rylah Institute for Environmental Research, 123 Brown St, Heidelberg, 3084. (4th ed - 1991)


93-125 March 01: View from Eurobin Gap looking south east. Large soil disturbance. Note buffers in distance.

93-125 March 01: Massive soil erosion potential on ridge, heading into south east side of plantation. After a site visit April 03 this problem had not been rectified.

93-125 March 01: ''One picture says a thousand words'. Note 10 foot high water tank on top of logged area at a site called Eurobin Gap. On a site visit in April 03 very large mounds of soil were dumped right next to the water tank at the head of the gully in the photo. This entire site has been replanted with pine so that in 20 years time this sorry saga will repeat itself.
HOME

More Pictures
Australian Newsprint Mill, International Paper, Kiewa, Ovens, Murray Cod, Med/High, Ovens (North East)