Greater Gliders are one of many residents of the central west forests who need their habitat protected.

Over 380 species of animal, plant and insect need their habitats protected if they’re going to stay off the extinction list.

The Greater Glider (Petauroides volans) is of the fluffiest residents of the Central West. This fuzzy native is the  largest gliding mammal in Australia – and the second largest in the world!

Growing to a metre in length, the Greater Glider really is a sight to behold as its glides from tree to tree.

Like a kangaroo or koala, Greater Gliders have pouches where their young live while developing and to keep them safe while mum is gliding around the canopy of the forest.

A VNPA and Wombat Forestcare report reveals densities of Greater Gliders within the Wombat Forest are large and regionally significant.

Similarly high densities in East Gippsland and the Strathbogie Ranges led to the protection of glider habitat in those locations in November 2019, as part of the conservation measures within the Victorian Greater Glider Action Statement.

Greater Gliders are very sensitive to changes in their habitats, protection in a National Park will protect the Glider from the heavy impact of mining and logging industry in the Wombat Forest.



Expert recommendations to create new national parks:

The VEAC recommendations include almost 60,000 hectares of new national park and reserves for the Mount Cole and Pyrenees Ranges (near Beaufort and Avoca), and the Wombat (near Daylesford) and Wellsford (near Bendigo) Forests. In addition 19,000 hectares of regional park allow almost all forms of recreation.

Under legislation, the Victorian Government was required to formally respond to the Victorian Environmental Assessment Council Final Report, on the first sitting day six months after being tabled in Parliament. The VEAC report was tabled on 15 August 2019. Legally a response was required in the last sitting week of February 2020, and is now well overdue.

Image © Josh Bowell