East Gippsland’s Emerald Link is a proposal to protect the last remaining unbroken forest wilderness area on mainland Australia, that connects alpine forests to the coast.
East Gippsland is the only place on mainland Australia with continuity of natural ecosystems from alpine to coastal landscapes. This continuity of intact ecosystems within the region is a rarity in global terms and makes East Gippsland internationally significant.
From snow-capped mountains to lush warm and cool temperate rainforests, all the way through to Victoria’s rugged coasts—these forests are of unparalleled natural beauty and importance – and, if valued and managed properly, would be a domestic and international tourism drawcard.
Check out the official Emerald Link website here
Download a copy of the East Gippsland's Emerald Link report here.
The Emerald Link proposal has been prepared by Goongerah Environment Centre and The Wilderness Society Victoria.
Look out for a website, video and campaign launches over the coming months.
Logging in native forests within the Emerald Link is fragmenting the intact nature of East Gippsland's connected ecosystems.
The Emerald Link proposes to protect East Gippsland's forests by linking existing protected areas to form a continuous and connected network of protected areas from the alps to the coast.
Map: Proposed logging (Bright Orange) in far East Gippsland.
The East Gippsland region is the Victorian stronghold for biodiversity conservation. The Victorian government has identified the region as being a flagship area for biodiversity conservation that makes a greater contribution towards biodiversity values than any other region in the state. The region occupies just 9% of Victoria, yet is home to over one third of all listed Victorian threatened species and over one third of all Victorian vegetation types.
East Gippsland’s biological diversity and relatively pristine, intact and connected natural ecosystems make it Victoria’s premier wilderness tourism destination. The Emerald Link proposes the creation of the Sea to Summit forest trail, a multi-day hiking trail to be established in the region that would travel through the connected mountain to coastal environments.
The proposed Sea to Summit Forest Trail would create a network of walking tracks that link the coastal town of Bemm River to the summit of Mt Ellery, the highest mountain in far East Gippsland.
