More than 1000 trees removed on the Strzelecki Hwy from Morwell to Mirboo North to make room for overtaking lane and right turning lane

Gippsland locals are furious after the state government slashed more than 1000 trees of a “valuable wildlife corridor” for works on the Strzelecki Highway.

The stretch of road on the Strzelecki Hwy, once described as a "valuable wildlife corridor", had thousands of trees removed as part of project to construct an overtaking lane and right turning lane. Picture: Facebook/Shaun Causer

A Victorian community has been left outraged after the state government slashed more than a 1000 trees that are home to a colony of koalas along a country highway to make way for an overtaking lane.

As part of the Regional Roads Victoria, the state government has invested $8.25m to improve safety on the Strzelecki Highway — between Morwell and Mirboo North — which includes building an overtaking lane and a right turning lane onto Creamery Rd and is expected to be completed by mid 2025.

Map of Strzelecki Highway's new overtaking lane and right turn lane between Morwell and Mirboo North. Picture: Regional Roads Victoria

But Gippsland locals are worried for the future of the “picturesque” stretch of road.

Dozens of trees were removed on the Strzelecki Highway between Morwell and Mirboo North in order to make room to construct an overtaking lane. Picture: Jack Colantuono

Retired Delburn farmer Graeme Wilson told the Herald Sun the “valuable wildlife corridor” was being destroyed.

“That particular section was the most heavily forested roadside on the Strzelecki Highway,” Mr Wilson said.

“It was a beautiful section of road — and they have unnecessarily destroyed that habitat.

“It was rubber stamped by the environment departments and it shouldn’t have been.”

Mr Wilson said during the removal process, an environmentalist was on site where they did not find any koalas in any of the logging operations — the animals having responded to the noise and moved on.

Upset Gippslanders created koala memorials on the Strzelecki Hwy in response to the removal of the habitat trees. Picture: Facebook/Graeme Wilson

He said more than 80 large hollow berry trees about 100 years old were removed.

“The hollow trees contained possums and birds — and all of that habitat has been destroyed and you don’t know how many little animals were in those trees when they came down,” Mr Wilson said.

Mr Wilson added both echidnas and wombats’ burrows underground would have been “absolutely trashed” with the heavy machinery running over them.

“There must have been dozens that would have been killed,” he said.

Trees on the road were also removed to make space for a right turning lane. Picture: Facebook/Graeme Wilson

Mr Wilson said the endangered Strzelecki gum trees could have been saved.

“The government has the power to acquire land from the Hancock Victorian Plantations (HVP) on either side of the highway and there’s enough room on either side (for the trees),” he said.

He understood the chopped trees were being used for “community purposes”.

“They are all disappearing off probably to the Heyfield timber community,” Mr Wilson said.

Mr Wilson understands the removed trees were being used for “community purposes”. Picture: Jack Colantuono

Traffic management is in place while the works are underway, with expected delays for motorists. Picture: Jack Colantuono

The speed limit on the road has also been reduced to 40km/h with traffic management in place, and delays of up to five minutes or more.

Department of Transport and Planning executive director for Gippsland Beth Liley said they were taking “every step possible” to minimise the environmental impacts of the vital upgrade and are working with the community to offset the removal of any vegetation.

“To protect native wildlife in the project area, an environmental management plan and a fauna management plan is in place to protect all native fauna from harm, including koalas,” Ms Liley said.

A Wildlife Victoria spokesperson said habitat loss is one of the greatest factors impacting wildlife across the state.

“Displacement commonly leads to injury and death with wildlife pushed closer to roads and populated areas without sufficient food sources or safe spaces for habitation,” the spokesperson said.

“Between 2022 and 2023 reports to Wildlife Victoria’s emergency response service within the Latrobe Shire increased by a staggering 117 per cent.

“And in the past two years, koalas that were found hit by a vehicle represented 24 per cent of all koala cases reported to Wildlife Victoria in the Latrobe Shire region.”

The spokesperson added that native wildlife rely on their natural habitat to survive and Wildlife Victoria urged careful consideration on the impact of established tree removal on wildlife welfare, and how these impacts can be minimised or avoided.

“Our koalas are one of our national treasure — their rights deserve to be prioritised — and they deserve to live in peace and safety,” the spokesperson said.