Map above showing extent of this 'plantation' located within Tarra River Proclaimed Water Supply Catchment. More of the plantation lies outside the Catchment. For full details of all of Hancock land lieing within this catchment click here.
Herbicides Used by Grand Ridge Plantations - Strzelecki Ranges and Gippsland Victoria
| Herbicide | Label Rate max as kg/ha | Used to control | Euc/Rad | Notes | Application |
| Clopyralid | 2.55 | Woody Weeds | Radiata and Eucalypts | Highly Toxic/Potential Ground water Contaminant | aerial or ground |
| Glufosinate Ammonium | 1 | Woody Weeds | Radiata | aerial or ground | |
| Glyphosate | 3.6 | Herbaceous and woody weeds, noxious weeds | Radiata, Eucalpts and Custodial | ||
| Haloxyfop-methyl | 0.13 | Annual and Pernneial Grasses | Eucalypts | Carcinogen | aerial or ground |
| Hexazinone | 4 | Woody Weeds | Radiata | Ground Water Contaminant | Aerial, ground, spot |
| Metsulfuron-Methyl | 0.06 | Woody Weeds, Noxious Weeds | Radiata, Eucalyptus and Custodial | Potential Ground Water Contaminant | Aerial, ground or spot |
| Sulfometuron Methyl | 0.6 | Annual and Perennial Grasses and broadleaf weeds | Eucalyptus | Potential Ground Water Contaminant | Aerial or Ground |
November 2001. Tributary of Tarra River. Inside remnant Cool Temperate rainforest.
November 2001: Non-plantation Eucalyptus Regnans in the headwaters of tributary of Tarra River, within Hancock plantation boundary.
Hancock Watch site visit October 2001: This plantation is between 2km-4km south-east of Baloak on the Yarram Baloak Road. This is a pine plantation established in 1981 and 1976. Most of the plantation takes in 7-8 tributaries of the Tarra River. A portion of this plantation in the south west remains under natural vegetation. The most westerly tributary of the Tarra River in this plantation contains cool temperate rainforest. Access to this rainforest area was made via an unnamed track on the plantations’ most easterly boundary. 1981 established pine plantation on reasonably flat slopes dominates the headwaters of 4 branches of this tributary. Regrowth blackwood and ash dominate the ridge heading into the rainforest gully. This area was selectively logged probably 50-60 years ago and some older stumps are apparent. The gully head is dominated by Blackwood, mountain ash and Dicksonia Antartica tree ferns. After about 200 metres, this gully joins a larger tributary of the Tarra River and a tributary from the east. At this junction, a small island is to be found with a couple of Myrtle Beech trees on the ‘island’. The island is formed between the eastern trib and the main trib. About another 5-6 myrtle beech trees were found on ridge line on the western side of the main tributary, in close proximity to the western tributary. Ash species are found further up this ridge probably of an age of about 40-50 years. There may also be more cool temperate rainforest further up the main tributary and down the tributary. Vegetation dominating the eastern tributary, near the rainforest appeared to be silver wattle - so obviously there must have been some massive disturbance in the not so distant past. There were also some older Ash trees possibly 60-80 years old. More investigation needs to be carried out at this site. There may also be cool temperate rainforest in the next gully heading south. Access into this area can be made via Retford Road.
November 2001: Rainforest gully surrounded by Eucalypts (in background).
November 2001: Photo showing cool temperate rainforest. Myrtle beech in background. Numerous beech trees were identified along this tributary.
November 2001: More Myrtle Beech rainforest inside Hancock plantation boundary.
‘A Report on the Tarra River Catchment (Yarram Waterworks Trust) 1970’ p6
“The catchment is situated on the southern slope of the South Gippsland Highlands with the off-take weir on the Tarra River about 9 miles NW of Yarram at R.L. 421 feet” . . . p11 “. . . From the weir the water travels through a nine mile long pipeline first to the service basin at Devon North, then on to the 150,000 gallons water tower in Yarram . . . the maintenance of a good summer flow is essential . . . p12 thr rocky and boulder strewn stream bed keeps transported material in suspension. In the absence of a reservoir at the intake this has the detrimental effect on the nine mile pipeline . . . the occasional high turbidity readings are inescapable. . .” p10 “. . . The erosion hazard in the catchment is generally low. The soils are Jurassic sediments, which are the most common, have good structure and depth, and absorb moisture readily. This explains the absence of any form of erosion, excepting landslips. . . Landslides and slips happen during every above average wet winter. Most vulnerable to this type of erosion are the cleared, steep sided valleys and the high and steeply cut road batters . . .”