Region: Portland

Legal Number: LEGL/93-5

Plantation: Porters/Slaters

Conservation Priority: High

Plantation within S.E.A.S Sapfor (Auspine) area of supply.

Plantation within AKD Softwoods area of supply.

93-5c Mar 01: Wilding in native vegetation inside Slaters plantation.

Responsible Authority: Glenelg Shire Council

Plantation located in Portland Groundwater Management Area

The Nationally Threatened Temperate Grassland & Grassy Eucalypt Woodland Ecological Community may occur in this plantation or in close proximity.

Plantation located on Victorian Volcanic Plain Bioregion.

More Information:

http://www.environment.gov.au/epbc/publications/pubs/grasslands-victoria.pdf

Plantation maps of region here


Two seperate pine plantations, located 5km and 7 km north east of the town of Heywood.

Plantation Catchment: Small drainage lines flow into Whittlebury Creek/Whittlebury Swamp/Darlots Creek/Fitzroy River.

Catchment Managment Authority: Glenelg-Hopkins Catchment Management Authority.

Herbicides Used by Hancock in Pine Plantations South Western Victoria

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

Click here for more information about the Glenelg/Hopkins region.

Jan 2014: Wildings growing into native forest buffer and also found in nearby Milltown State Forest. Why isn't Hancock controlling plantation "escapees"?

Jan 2014: Wildings growing into native forest buffer

Hancock Watch Site visit Mar 01: Plantation consists of two separate plantations. Drove up to Porters plantation but did not enter site (This site would be a low priority). Plantation established on flat land. Entered Slater plantation from Henty Highway. Noticed several waterholes surrounded by native vegetation inside the plantation. Later assatained that these wetlands probably drain into Whittlebury Swamp near the Lake Condah Mission. There was some older trees, although pine wildings were growing up through the native vegetation inside the planation. Plantation established on fairly flat land, but native vegetation component means that it is not a low conservation priority. Hancock Watch Site visit Jan 14: Looks like plantation was clearfelled in 2013. Noticed wildings growing on eastern edge of plantation and in Milltown State Forest.


93-5a March 01: Wetland in summer within Slaters plantation. Note surrounding buffer zone. Will this area be aerially sprayed with herbicides?

93-5b March 01: Another angle of wetland within Slaters plantation.

93-5d. March 01: Wildings growing inside Slaters plantation.

93-5e March 01: View of Porters Plantation from near Henty Highway.


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"Groundwater: "In south-western Victoria the Otway Basin stretches from the South Australian border almost to the west of Geelong. It contains older sediments of Upper Cretaceous and Lower Tertiary age, up to 2000 m in thickness. These include four sand aquifers and two limestone aquifers. The sand aquifers of the Wangerrip Group are confined over most of the Basin and their recharge zones are located on the margins of the Otway Range in the east and the Merino Tablelands in the West. The groundwater moves towards the coast, increasing in salinity along its floorpath . . ." p268 State of the Environment Report 1988 Victoria's Inland Waters. Office of the Commissioner for the Environment.

"The basalt, scoria and tuff of the Newer Volcanics aquifer covers most of the (Portland Coast) Basin surface and provides a shallow, fractured rock aquifer which is a significant source of irrigation water throughout the Basin. The Quaternary Bridgewater Formation aquifer lines the coast and extends to the northern boundary in the west. This shallow aquifer is composed of dune sands and beach deposits and contains groundwater of low salinity for most uses.

The underlying Port Campbell Limestone aquifer outcrops just inland from the coast, immediately east and west of the Eumerella River. Composed of limestone and marl it is a useful aquifer lying at depths of up to 400m below the surface. A Quaternary alluvial aquifer is also present around the lower reaches of the Basin streams and some stock supplies are available at shallow depths from these deposits.

The Wangerrip Group aquifer is a deep, sandy aquifer which yields good quality water. This aquifer system occurs throughout the Basin except in the north-eastern corner, and lies at depths greater than 400 m below the surface. The Dilwyn formation of the Wangerrip Group reaches thicknesses of up to 1,250 m and is an important sand aquifer providing water for several towns including Portland and Port Fairy. Because of the depth from which this water is delivered it is moderately hot, and this geothermal energy is used to heat the swimming pool and a number of buildings . . ." p285 Water Victoria A Resource Handbook - Department of Water Resources Victoria 1989.

 

S.E.A.S Sapfor Auspine Victree Fitzroy River Portland Low Medium