Region: Portland

Legal Number: LEGL/93-10

Plantation: Kentbruck

93-10: Jan 01: No sign of indigenous vegetation. This area was once dominated by Damp sands herb rich woodland, now it is a 5km x 2km pine plantation.

Conservation Priority: Medium

Plantation maps of region here

Plantation located in Glenelg Water Supply Protection Area

Portion of Plantation is located in Groundwater (Border Agreement) South Australian-Victorian Border Groundwaters Agreement - Zone 1B

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

Aerial View of Kentbruck Plantations looking east adjoining Lower Glenelg National Park. Photo dates from approximately 2005.

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 South Western Victoria

THREATENED FISH NOTES - GLENELG RIVER: Yarra Pygmy Perch and Ewens Pygmy Perch found in the Glenelg system. Both species listed under the Flora and Fauna Guarantee Act in Victoria and threatened.

Responsible Authority: Glenelg Shire Council

Plantation Catchment: Flat country adjoins Lower Glenelg National Park.

Catchment Managment Authority: Glenelg-Hopkins Catchment Management Authority.

Hancock Watch Site visit Jan 01: Almost this entire area appears to be pine plantation with little sign of what was once Damp Sands Herb Rich Woodland. Many miles of clearcuts east of Winnap-Nelson Road recently harvested. Horizon logging. Drove western boundary between still remaining pine plantation and Lower Glenelg National Park. Found a quarry. Drove east on road that dissects plantation. Recent clearcuts on both sides.

Site visit Feb 01: Drove through middle of plantation (93-11) - same as 21/1/01. Took a left turn at the road that separates 93-11 from 93-10. Took some photos. Turned onto the Nelson Winnap Road that borders Lower Glenelg National Park. Took photos. Drove onto Portland Nelson Road. Quite a significant vegetation strip along highway from Wade Junction to start of 93-11. The coastal strip still apparent although greatly diminished in 93-11.

"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.

"Shallow aquifers in the Glenelg River Basin occur in four main geologic units . . . The third unit is a Newer Volcanic aquifer which lies along much of the Basin's southern boundary, particularly in the east. This fractured rock aquifer is composed of basalt, scoria and tuff. The fourth unit is composed of dune sand and beach deposits extending from the south-west corner of the Basin up to the western boundary and along the northern boundary. It is known as the Bridgewater formation.

A deep aquifer system exists in the south-west of the Basin and extends to the top of the western boundary and half-way across the southern boundary. This sand aquifer, which is significant as a water source, occurs within the Wangerrip Group.

Generally, groundwater quality in the Basin decreases towards the north where it is saline. A large reserve of fresh water is held in the north-east corner of the catchment and in the south-west the water is of marginal quality . . ." p295 Water Victoria A Resource Handbook - Department of Water Resources Victoria 1989.

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