Conservation Regulator, DEECA slap Shepparton men with fines for illegal firewood collection

Three men have been handed hefty fines after concealed cameras spotted them illegally collecting firewood in the Lower Goulburn National Park.

Three Shepparton men have been fined $5000 combined for illegal firewood collection, Victoria’s Conservation Regulator today announced.

The three men were caught out by concealed cameras placed in the Lower Goulburn National Park in 2021 as part of ‘Operation Rivergum’, a joint venture from the Conservation Regulator and Parks Victoria.

The Conservation Regulator provided stills of the illegal firewood. Picture: Supplied

The illegal activity occurred in September 2021.

A 35-year-old man received the largest fine of the three, after he was ordered to pay $3000 for five offences – including gathering and taking more than two cubic metres of fallen or felled trees and abusing an authorised officer.

A 53-year-old man and a 62-year-old man were both fined $1000 for illegally taking firewood and illegally cutting trees and destroying wildlife habitat.

Picture: Supplied

Greg Chant, the Conservation Regulator’s regulatory operations manager for Hume, said “the damage these people have done to wildlife habitat in the Lower Goulburn National Park is serious and will last for generations.

“The unlawful and selfish taking of these mature and dead-standing trees is unacceptable and the result shows our commitment to finding and penalising offenders.”

According to the Conservation Regulator’s release, “the Lower Goulburn National Park provides habitat for some of our most iconic and threatened species, including koalas, tree goannas, superb parrots and brush-tailed phascogales.”

The sanctions come just months after two other Shepparton men were fined a combined $12,500 for similar offences.