The Coastal Moonah Woodland is a plant community that is listed as threatened under the Flora and Fauna Guarantee Act 1988 and can be found in our heathlands along the coast.
This plant species commonly occurs in dune systems along coastal Victoria, including the Great Ocean Road. The Coastal Moonah communities are highly valued ecosystems as they can form low open-forest, shrub lands or woodlands to help support the growth of mosses, grasses, animals and insects and more.
Our Environmental Education Leader Peter Crowcroft said the Moonah Woodlands are an important educational species as it highlights the impacts of development on our coast.
The Moonah’s provide habitats for several native species along the coast and due to continual development and human population increases, these areas are increasingly under more threat.
The Moonah Woodlands are most prominent around the Jan Juc and Anglesea heathlands and provide important habitats for animals and unique floral communities.
These trees are very unique to our coastal environment and their gnarly branches form really interesting canopies, twisting into some fantastic shapes to help create the perfect playground for our native possums.
We encourage our students to stay out of the woodlands as there is often really soft moss in the understorey of the canopy which is very fragile.
Staying on pathways and leaving these important ecosystems alone is an important component to their sustainability and longevity.
Community members can also help by removing the invasive Polygala species from backyards and vegetated areas as they easily spread through native species.
The Great Ocean Road Coast want everyone to love, protect and enjoy our beautiful coast as much as we do, so we offer schools, groups and individuals of all ages opportunities to learn more about the coast and coastal environments.
Find out more about our FREE environmental education programs on our website.
Great Ocean Road Coast Committee Blog 