Earlier this year we visited the ancient forests of Kuark with wilderness photographer Rob Blakers.

A shocking series of before-and-after shots show the horrific impacts of the fires to ancient and rare cross-overs of warm and cool temperate rainforests.

Environment Victoria traveled to bushfire affected areas and communities to create a series of short films. This part in the series shares the story of Kuark, Rob's journey there, and of long-time forest campaigner and ecologist Rena Gaborov, who lost her home and wildlife shelter in the fires.

It brings home the urgent need to protect forests and wildlife across Victoria in the wake of this summer's catastrophic bushfires. Government logging cannot go on business as usual in burnt and unburnt forests when so much has been lost.

Take action and email Premier Dan Andrews here

After a five year long community campaign, the iconic Kuark forest in East Gippsland was finally protected by the Victorian government. Tragically, Kuark was severely impacted by the devastating fires of 2019/2020. Kuark forest was one of the most bio-diverse forests in Victoria, rich in wildlife, rare rainforest and old growth forests.

After months of wondering with hope and fear of how Kuark had been impacted by the fires, Tasmanian nature photographer Rob Blakers and GECO campaigners returned to the area to document the devastation. Sadly the scale and intensity of the destruction wrought by the fires is profoundly devastating. Read a report from The Guardian Australia here.

Mount Kuark old growth forest 

Below is footage of Martin's Creek, the largest area of warm temperate rainforest in Victoria that burnt in the bushfires in East Gippsland. Meanwhile the logging industry has been asking for government funding to salvage log in burnt areas. This is essentially further destroying forests that have been burnt despite proven damage to ecosystems and wildlife which urgently need assistance to recover, not further destruction and damage. Logging is still happening in Victoria despite catastrophic losses of forests and wildlife. All forests are now critical refuges for remaining threatened flora and fauna. 

Call the Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews on (03) 9651 5000 and tell him; no salvage logging in burnt areas, and protection of all remaining unburnt forests.

Goongerah Environment Centre Office (GECO) has welcomed the state government’s announcement that some old growth forests in East Gippsland’s Kuark forest will be protected, but has raised concern over continued logging in environmentally sensitive forests under the Regional Forest Agreements (RFAs).

Forest in the Kuark that will now be protected from logging

Forest conservationists who established a blockade of old growth forest in East Gippsland are celebrating today after environment groups secured a legal injunction that has stalled the logging operation.

Controversy erupted last week when VicForests constructed a road into the forest to commence logging. Goongerah Environment Centre launched an online petition calling on Environment Minister Lily D’Ambrosio to step in and protect the old growth forest, the petition has so far attracted over 6500 signatures.

Lawyers from Environmental Justice Australia  acting for Fauna and Flora Research Collective secured a Supreme Court injunction this morning to halt the logging arguing that the government has not protected the minimum required area of old growth forest in East Gippsland.

Twenty conservationists have established a forest blockade in East Gippsland to prevent logging machinery entering an area of old growth forest due to be logged this week by the Victorian state government logging agency VicForests.

A road has been pushed into the ancient Kuark forest and logging could commence any day.

The forest is one of the most significant stands of old growth forest remaining in Victoria.

Logging has not yet started, so there's still time to stop it

Three people who were arrested and charged for taking part in a direct action protest in the Kuark forest in January have appeared in the Melbourne magistrates court this morning. They were protesting at Pikes Hill in the Kuark forest, a critically important area of habitat for a number of threatened plants and animals.

Image: The three activists with their legal support team.

Great news! Environment Minister Lisa Neville has cancelled the planned burn of logged areas in the iconic Larissa Lane in #‎KuarkForest!

Last week we raised concerns that the Department of Environment and VicForests' burns of a logged area at Larrissa Lane would endanger the rare rainforest and Slender-tree ferns in the gully directly adjacent to the planned burn.

Yesterday a crime against nature was committed at Hensleigh ck rd on the Errinundra Plateau. The Victorian government burnt an area of rainforest that was illegally logged last year.

One year ago VicForests bulldozed ancient rainforest trees like Sassafras and Black olive berry, likely to be 1000 years old. Despite several investigations, an independent review, condemnation from Minister Lisa Neville MP and a commitment to bolster the logging rules. Nothing changed! Yesterday the Vic government burnt the damaged rainforest, completing the destructive operation and finally killing the 1000 year old trees they illegally bulldozed last year. A crime against nature.

It's the height of the logging burns season and VicForests and the Department of Environment are planning on burning the Larissa Lane rainforest area in the iconic Kuark forest.

We have to stop it!

Rainforest and rare and protected plants are at risk if the burn goes ahead.

You can take action by emailing Environment Minister Lisa Neville using the form below.