Beech Forest, Victoria

Beech Forest is a town in Victoria, Australia. The area of Beech Forest is largely used for potato farming.

Beech Forest Victoria
Main street
Beech Forest
Coordinates	38°38′0″S 143°34′0″E
Population	125 (SAL 2021)[1]
Postcode(s)	3237
Location	193 km (120 mi) SW of Melbourne 43 km (27 mi) S of Colac
LGA(s)	Colac Otway Shire
State electorate(s)	Polwarth
Federal division(s)	Wannon
Localities around Beech Forest: Carlisle River Gellibrand Barramunga Ferguson Wyelangta Beech Forest Tanybryn Glenaire Aire Valley Apollo Bay

History

The town was named after the many myrtle beech trees of the area. Beech Forest Post Office opened on 10 May 1890 and closed in 1994.^[2]

Infrastructure

The town had a railway station on the Crowes railway line from 1902 until 1962. Much of the route of the old railway has been converted to the Old Beechy Rail Trail, via which cyclists and walkers can travel 45 kilometres (28 mi) between Beech Forest and Colac.

Flora

The forest is primarily characterized by:

• Myrtle Beech (Nothofagus cunninghamii), the namesake of the forest^[3]

Other significant tree species include:

• Blackwood (Acacia melanoxylon)
• Mountain Ash (Eucalyptus regnans)
• Californian Redwoods (Sequoia sp.), planted in 1939^[4]

The understory is rich in ferns, including:

• Soft Tree-fern (Dicksonia antarctica)
• Cyathea australis
• Blechnum wattsii
• Polystichum proliferum^[3]

Other plants found in the cool temperate rainforest include:

• Hedycarya angustifolia
• Olearia argophylla
• Pimelea axiflora
• Pomaderris aspera
• Prostanthera lasianthos
• Tasmannia lanceolata^[3]

Epiphytes, such as fork-ferns, filmy ferns, and orchids, are common in the humid microclimate created by the tree-fern layer.^[3]

Fauna

The diverse forest ecosystem supports various animal species:

Mammals

• Medium-sized browsers like wombats and wallabies
• Small ground insectivores and omnivores, including antechinus and native rats
• Arboreal species (likely possums and gliders)^[3]

Birds

While specific bird species are not detailed in the available sources, the diverse forest ecosystem likely supports a variety of bird species typical of Victorian rainforests.^[5]

Insects and other invertebrates

The moist, forested environment provides habitat for numerous insect and invertebrate species, though specific examples are not provided in the available sources.^[5]

The Beech Forest area is known for its beautiful waterfalls and scenic drives, which contribute to the overall biodiversity of the region. The unique combination of aspect, soils, and climate in the Otway hinterland creates a distinctive ecosystem that supports this rich variety of plant and animal life.^[4]

Notable residents

• Cliff Young, winner of the 1983 Westfield Sydney to Melbourne Ultra Marathon at the age of 61