Each year around 9000 trees are illegally removed across Victoria, with much of the timber being sold to unsuspecting buyers.
The land cleared by this activity is around the size of 180 Melbourne Cricket Grounds.
Shepparton has been impacted, with illegal collection taking place along the Goulburn River.
The removal of mature trees is more than theft, it drives environmental harm by destroying ecosystems and damaging critical habitats for native wildlife.
The Conservation Regulator’s statewide initiative ‘Taskforce Ironbark’ is targeting organised criminal syndicates that have been removing commercial quantities of trees from Victoria’s forests and national parks.
Since July 2025, the taskforce’s investigations have led to 54 charges, with offenders facing court convictions, fines and the seizure of trailers and chainsaws.
Acting chief conservation regulator Callie Donaldson said that by reporting suspicious activity and buying legally sourced firewood “the community can help us stop the damage being caused by illegal firewood operators”.
Suspicious behaviour can include chainsaws operating in forests late at night or sellers being unable to verify where wood was sourced from.
Legal firewood is typically comes from plantations, commercial suppliers or private land with appropriate permits.
Crime Stoppers Victoria chief executive Stella Smith said Victorians should pause before buying firewood and “if you do not know where your firewood has come from, you cannot be sure it has been sourced legally”.
“People often think they are simply buying cheap firewood, but in some cases, they may be unknowingly supporting environmental crime or even organised crime,” Ms Smith said.
Reports can be made anonymously to Crime Stoppers at crimestoppersvic.com.au or by calling 1800 333 000.
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