Midway Plantations Pty Ltd Updates April 2006.

April 2006 Otway Ranges (Parish of Barwongemoong): Skinner Creek plantation , several kilometres upstream from the Gellibrand River Offtake, which supplies Warrnambool with drinking water. No buffers on Class 1 stream at this location. If the plantation comes under insect attack and aerial spraying of insectides are used, how can Midway know that insecticides will not be sprayed into this waterway?

April 2006 Otway Ranges: Another branch of Skinner Creek in Warrnambool's drinking water supply.

April 2006 Otway Ranges: Skinner Creek and minimal buffers.

April 2006 Otway Ranges: Skinner Creek plantation on the floodplain between Skinner Creek and Chapple Creek. Warrnambool's water supply.

April 2006 Otway Ranges: Joanna Creek catchment just off the Great Ocean Road. Removal of pine plantations. Bluegums likely to be planted at this location in the Parish of Wangerrip. A pleasant tourist vista which can be seen from one of the busiest tourist roads in Australia.

April 2006 Otway Ranges: Poorly maintained and drained logging road at the entrance of Midway pine plantations - Allotment 78B Parish of Barramunga, Otway Ranges. For more information about this plantation see here.

April 2006 Otway Ranges: The Corangamite Catchment Management Authority has been busy removing willows from the Gellibrand River at this location. Pine plantations had been established "illegally?" on the 30 metre Crown Reserve by Smorgons Forests in the 1970's. Midway Plantations purchased these plantations in the mid 1990's. If the pine from these buffers has been removed and sent to Midway Woodchip mill in Geelong, shouldn't the Government be granted some of the revenue from the sales considering that the buffer for 1.5 km along the river near this plantation is Crown land. Note colour of water which is a source of drinking water for 50,000 people in the states south west.

April 2006 Otway Ranges: Willows and pine debris left in the Crown Reserve that abuts the Gellibrand River - Allotment 78B Parish of Barramunga. These timber stockpiles are likely to be burnt in the future.

April 2006 Otway Ranges: Another view of the Gellibrand River with recent willow removal. This photo also shows the Crown Land reserve which up to 2005 had been planted out with pines.

April 2006 Otway Ranges: Another view of possibly Victoria's worst plantation.

April 2006 Otway Ranges: Logging access track pushed through Crown Reserve on the Gellibrand River.

April 2006: Otway Ranges - Collapsing batters on road punched through on Crown Land Reserve which is supposed to protect the Gellbrand River.

April 2006 Otway Ranges: Drainage line crossing.

April 2006 Otway Ranges: Water percolating down logging road towards drainage line within 20 metres of the Gellibrand Proclaimed Water Supply Catchment.

April 2006 Otway Ranges: Another view of the drainage line crossing. Probably illegal.

April 2006 Otway Ranges: Cable logging at this location in Midways plantations. Allotment 78A Parish of Barramunga.

April 2006 Otway Ranges: Appalling drainage at this location breaches the Code of Forest Practice. Only light rain had been falling earlier in the day. Imagine a torrential downpour.

Otway Ranges April 2006: Busted culvert and drainage seeping into Crown Reserve - Allotment 78B Parish of Barramunga.