Billabong West Reserve

Billabong West Reserve

Trust for Nature acknowledges and
respects the Traditional Owners of
this land, the Gunaikurnai people.

Located at 40 Frews Road, Fernbank, west of Bairnsdale, the Billabong West Reserve encompasses 31.15 ha of wetlands and woodlands. The reserve is protecting the national critically endangered Red Gum Grassy Woodland and two vulnerable ecological communities which are the Sedge Wetland and the Plains Lowland Forest. Also present on site is the nationally endangered Dwarf Kerrawang (Commersonia prostrata).

Billabong West Reserve is open by appointment.

All Trust for Nature reserves are closed on days of Total Fire Ban, and days of severe, extreme and code red fire danger.

Image: Dwarf Kerrawang. Source: Andre Messina/Vic Flora CC BY-NC-SA 4.0.

Explore Billabong West Reserve

Habitat

The vegetation on the reserve varies from the well-drained Eucalypt forest of the Lowland Forest ecological vegetation community through to the largely treeless, seasonal Sedge Wetland, dominated by aquatic herbs, sedges and rushes. Between these two communities are poorly drained, fertile and flat Red Gum Grassy Woodlands and the open, bracken-dominated eucalypt forest of the Lowland Forest.

All of these ecological vegetation communities have a species-rich ground layer featuring herbs, grasses and orchids. Notable plants include the endangered Dwarf Kerrawang (Commersonia prostrata) and the rare Dusky Violet (Viola fuscoviolacea), both of which prefer swampy, sedgeland habitats.

Wildlife and plants

The Billabong West Reserve protects the state threatened Bushy Hedgehog-grass (Echinopogon caespitosus var. caespitosus) and Slender Tick-trefoil (Desmodium varians). Wildflowers are abundant under the Red Gum trees during spring, with species such as Bird Orchids, Twining Fringe-lily, New Holland Daisy and Milkmaids. In winter, under the White Stringybark trees of the Lowland Forest, a range of Greenhood orchids are present including Nodding and Trim Greenhoods.

History

The Billabong West Reserve was acquired by Trust for Nature in 2002 with funding from the National Reserve System Program and the RE Ross Trust.

Prior to this, the land was used for timber harvesting and grazing of domestic livestock, predominantly sheep and cattle.

Staying safe

NOTE: this reserve is open by APPOINTMENT ONLY, contact Regional Reserve Manager on 0409 530 462 or brettm@tfn.org.au.

Our reserves have hazards that may cause serious injury or death. You are responsible for your own safety and the safety of those in your care.

The reserve is closed during days declared as Total Fire Bans and/or where the fire danger rating is Severe, Extreme or Code Red.

The reserve is home to a variety of wildlife, including several species of venomous snake. During summer it is advised that long trousers and gaiters are worn when walking in the reserve.

Visitors to the reserve are requested to not cross any fence-lines, or venture onto neighbouring private property. All visitors are requested to stay on the marked walking trails.

Other hazards include:

Falling limbs
Uneven surfaces