Barmah firewood available

Very few sites for firewood collection have been made available in northern Victoria.

On Friday, September 20, the department announced that the timber would be made available.

“Flood-affected wood cleared from a strategic fuel break within the Barmah National Park is being made available to the community for firewood,” a spokesperson for the department said.

Contractors were busy moving the wood from Barmah National Park to a designated firewood collection area at Barmah Island last week. Barmah Island is part of the state forest.

The collection area at Corrys Rd, Barmah Island will open to the community on Friday, September 27. The collection area will close as soon as the available wood has been exhausted.

Barmah residents are happy the wood is available but some are concerned that there are no restrictions on who can collect the wood.

Dean Adams said he was disappointed that it was not being restricted to Barmah or Moira residents.

“That won’t last long if everyone is helping themselves,” he said.

“We didn’t fight for access just so everyone can have a crack at it.”

Firewood collection areas in central Victoria are mostly restricted to local residents, and collection areas in the Strathbogie Ranges can only be accessed with four-wheel-drive vehicles.

The designated firewood collection area will be signposted. An online map and more information is available at www.ffm.vic.gov.au/firewood

Firewood collectors must remain within the designated firewood collection area.

Firewood collection is only allowed in designated firewood collection areas in state forests during approved times and for personal use only.

People can collect up to two cubic metres per person per day, with a maximum of 16 cubic metres per household per financial year.

Work to clear debris from the 2022 flood event within strategic fuel breaks in the Barmah National Park is being undertaken ahead of the fire season.