Timothy Soares: Man jailed for illegal logging in national park near Echuca

A Kyabram man caught illegally logging in a national park over 10 days near Echuca has been jailed. Authorities want his sentence to send a “strong message”.

Timothy Soares of Kyabram was prosecuted for damage caused to native habitats through logging and fire.

A Kyabram man has been jailed for a year for running an illegal logging operation out of a national park in the state’s north for 10 days.

Timothy Soares of Kyabram, was arrested in the Lower Goulburn National Park in early June after a joint operation between Parks Victoria and the Conservation Regulator.

He had set up a camp near Wyuna, and was seen felling red river gum trees between May 25 and June 4 which he then cut and sold for firewood.

Timothy Soares of Kyabram was jailed for 12 months in the Euchea Magistrates' Court on December 15 for illegal logging among other charges.

Soares faced the Euchea Magistrates’ Court on Wednesday, pleading guilty to charges including habitat destruction, lighting fires, operating a business in a park, the cutting and removal of timber, refusing to leave the park and threatening an authorised officer.

The court heard he had brought equipment including a trailer, chainsaws and tools to his camp and had cut down a number of trees protected under national legislation.

His lawyer Marcel White said after his arrest his mum had attended the park to collect his belongings, but was stopped by park rangers.

Timothy Soares of Kyabram was prosecuted for damage caused to native habitats through logging and fire. Picture: Parks Victoria

Parks Victoria prosecutor Stephen McGrath argued much, if not all, of the belongings had been used in the commission of the offence, and said they were seized by authorities.

“The felling of red river gum trees is a serious offence, those items should be disposed of,” he said.

Mr McGrath said Soares had been convicted previously for similar offending.

Parks Victoria regional enforcement coordinator Todd Cody said a “zero-tolerance approach” was taken to habitat destruction and illegal timber harvesting.

A red river gum tree illegally felled. Picture: Parks Victoria

“The detection, apprehension and prosecution of people undertaking these activities should send a strong message to others doing or considering this activity,” he said.

“Remember to ask where your firewood is coming from and only use firewood dealers that are licenced to harvest and sell.”

Soares was fined $2000 and sentenced to 12 months imprisonment for the illegal logging operation and a number of serious driving offences.

He will be eligible for parole in May.