Explore Healesville in the Great Forest National Park, Victoria

Healesville is the Yarra Ranges largest country town, located in Melbourne’s scenic Yarra Valley, east of Yarra Glen and north-east of Lilydale. Healesville is an acclaimed international tourist destination in the heart of the Yarra Valley, surrounded by the region’s richest wine zone and magnificent scenery.

Healesville enjoys wonderful places to visit such as the Healesville Sanctuary, TarraWarra Museum of Art and a variety of amazing eateries. The renowned Black Spur Drives winds through magnificent Mountain Ash forest between Healesville and Marysville. There are a few walks from Badger Creek, Donnellys Wier and the start of the Bicentennial National Trail.

More about Healesville

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The Central Highlands of Victoria have been logged for more than 150 years, with the majority of timber extracted going into making paper or cardboard boxes. As a result of past overcutting and recurrent wildfires, there is now very little forest that if logged will produce sawn timber. Only poor-quality trees that will be chipped for paper making are left. The bottom line is that Victoria will be financially better off without logging in Mountain Ash and Alpine Ash forests; some estimates suggest that the state would be ahead by between $110 million and $190 million annually if logging stopped today. This problem needs to be recognised.

Share your voice to preserve these regions for generations to come. Contact your local MPs and encourage them to support the creation of the Great Forest National Park.

Attractions

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01

Proposed Parks

We propose adding 355,000 hectares of protected forests to the Central Highlands of Victoria to form the Great Forest National Park
02

Existing Parks

Currently there is only 170,000 hectares of parks and protected areas in the Central Highlands of Victoria

The maintenance of an intact ecological system is the only way to ensure the continued existence of biodiversity, safeguard water supplies and provide spiritual nourishment for ourselves and future generations. It is for these reasons, and for the survival of the critically endangered Leadbeater’s Possum, that's why I support the creation of the Great Forest National Park for Victoria.

Sir David Attenborough
Over thousands of years, nature has provided the resources that have helped us to survive and flourish. Now, in a time of need, we must help nature to survive. The Great Forest National Park is a project to secure the future of a threatened ecosystem. If we act now, we will be ensuring the forest can continue to provide services that support us- clean water, fresh air and storage of carbon. If we fail now, what future will we have chosen for our grandchildren and their grandchildren? Please join me in supporting the creation of the Great Forest National Park.

Dr Jane Goodall, DBE

Founder of the Jane Goodall Institute and UN Messenger of Peace
The Central Highlands of Victoria are home to the world’s tallest flowering plants, the Mountain Ash, and one of Australia’s most endangered mammals, the Leadbeater’s Possum. Both are threatened by ongoing clearfell logging and bushfires. To ensure their survival, I would argue we need to create a new national park, not only to protect possums and forests, but carbon stocks, water supplies, and lower the risk of bushfires.

Prof. David Lindenmayer AO

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Help support our work in expressing the conservation needs and compelling opportunities that we could address through the establishment of the Great Forest National Park for Victoria.

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FAQ

The Great Forest National Park is a large complex proposal, covering environmental impacts and the conservation of wildlife, economic benefits to the area and more. Visit our FAQ for more information.

Frequently Asked Questions

The traditional custodians of this country include the Bunurong (Boon Wurrung), Gunaikurnai, Taungurung (Daung warring) and Wurundjeri indigenous Australians. We acknowledge this land belongs to the sovereign people of the First Nations. This land was stolen from them and their sovereignty was never ceded. This park conservation plan is subject to ongoing discussions and approvals with relevant clans and corporations and fully supports and recognises all their cultural rights, control and access.

Supporting Adventure

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Attractions

Badger Weir

Picnic Area

Bicentennial National Trail

Cycling, Hike, Horse Riding

Black Spur Drive

Scenic Drive

Dom Dom Saddle Picnic Area

Picnic Area

Donnelly Weir

Picnic Area

Donnelly Weir to Mt St Leonard

Hike

Fernshaw Picnic Area

Picnic Area

Healesville Sanctuary

Places of Interest

Proposed Parks

Existing Parks

Sir David Attenborough

Dr Jane Goodall, DBE

Founder of the Jane Goodall Institute and UN Messenger of Peace

Prof. David Lindenmayer AO

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