Central Highlands (Victoria)

{{Short description|Region in Australia}} {{Use Australian English|date=January 2023}} {{Use dmy dates|date=January 2023}} {{infobox Australian place |type = region |image = Australia Victoria Central Highlands region.svg |name = Central Highlands Region |state = vic |region = [[Grampians (region)|Grampians]] |lga = * [[Rural City of Ararat]] * [[City of Ballarat]] * [[Golden Plains Shire]] * [[Shire of Hepburn]] * [[Shire of Macedon Ranges]] * [[Shire of Moorabool]] * [[Shire of Pyrenees]] |stategov = * [[Electoral district of Eureka|Eureka]] * [[Electoral district of Lowan|Lowan]] * [[Electoral district of Macedon|Macedon]] * [[Electoral district of Melton|Melton]] * [[Electoral district of Ripon|Ripon]] * [[Electoral district of Wendouree|Wendouree]] |fedgov = * [[Division of Ballarat|Ballarat]] * [[Division of Bendigo|Bendigo]] * [[Division of Corangamite|Corangamite]] * [[Division of Hawke|Hawke]] * [[Division of Mallee|Mallee]] * [[Division of McEwen|McEwen]] * [[Division of Wannon|Wannon]] }} [[Image:1939 Regrowth 01 Pengo.jpg|thumb|upright|Victoria's Central Highlands]] [[Image:Victorian Central Highlands log dump 01 Pengo.jpg|thumb|A log dump in the Central Highlands]] The '''Central Highlands''' subregion is part of the [[Grampians (region)|Grampians region]] in western [[Victoria, Australia|Victoria]]. It includes the municipalities of [[Rural City of Ararat]], [[City of Ballarat]], [[Golden Plains Shire]], [[Shire of Hepburn]], [[Shire of Moorabool]], [[Shire of Pyrenees]].<ref>{{cite web |last1=Victoria |first1=Regional Development |title=Grampians' Central Highlands Region |url=https://www.rdv.vic.gov.au/victorias-regions/grampians/central-highlands |website=Regional Development Victoria |language=en |date=17 May 2018}}</ref>

The term is mainly used in a geological context to describe that part of the [[Great Dividing Range]] that is west of its [[Victorian Alps|alpine areas]] but does not extend to its western end in Victoria's west. The area is situated east of [[Ballarat]], south of [[Bendigo]], north and east of [[Melbourne]], and west of the alpine areas. Major towns of the Central Highlands include [[Castlemaine, Victoria|Castlemaine]], [[Creswick, Victoria|Creswick]], [[Daylesford, Victoria|Daylesford]], [[Gisborne, Victoria|Gisborne]], [[Kyneton]] and [[Woodend, Victoria|Woodend]]. All these towns are located in what is usually referred to as the West Central Highlands. The more mountainous and more sparsely populated eastern part of the Central Highlands is referred to as the East Central Highlands and has extensive areas of [[temperate rainforest]].<ref name="vicrainforest.org">{{Cite web|url=http://www.vicrainforest.org/chrainforest.php|title=Victorian Rainforest Network}}</ref>

==Rainforests== The East Victorian Central Highlands, including some of Melbourne's water catchments, contain cool temperate [[rainforests]]; dominated by [[myrtle beech]] and [[southern sassafras]],<ref name="vicrainforest.org"/> with an understorey of [[fern]]s and [[moss]]es. They may also contain [[eucalypt]] trees and [[Acacia melanoxylon|blackwood]].<ref>7 November 2003. [http://www.nre.vic.gov.au/CA256F310024B628/0/A2DE9C0F7D9159CBCA257478001F9C1B/$File/Rainforest+Fact+Sheet.pdf "Rainforest Fact Sheet"] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110613221723/http://www.nre.vic.gov.au/CA256F310024B628/0/A2DE9C0F7D9159CBCA257478001F9C1B/%24File/Rainforest%2BFact%2BSheet.pdf |date=13 June 2011 }}. ''State of Victoria, Department of Sustainability and Environment'', Retrieved on 4 August 2009</ref>

===Logging and environmental impact=== [[File:20124-01-04 Toolangi tree house 600 2810 1 2 (Soft 4).jpg|thumb|[[Toolangi State Forest]]]] The ''Central Highlands Regional Forest Agreement'' protects approximately 43.84% of rainforest stands in the Central Highlands of Victoria within dedicated reserves. Any rainforest that is not within these dedicated reserve is susceptible to the impacts of clearfell [[logging]].<ref name="indybay">16 June 2009. [http://www.indybay.org/newsitems/2009/06/16/18601913.php "Australia: Scientists call for Protection of world’s most carbon dense Forests"]. ''San Francisco Bay Area Independent Media Center'', Retrieved on 4 August 2009</ref> A paper published in the US-based ''[[Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences]]'' reports that the world's most carbon dense forest is found in the Central Highlands of Victoria.<ref name="indybay" />

Logging is proceeding in very significant regions of the [[Toolangi State Forest]], including forest that provides habitat for the endangered [[Leadbeater's possum]] such as Nolan's Gully, and forest adjacent to Sylvia Creek Road.<ref>[https://www.wilderness.org.au/articles/toolangis-forest-sanctuary-disappears Toolangi's forest sanctuary disappears], The Wilderness Society</ref>

{{wide image|2013-07-09 Mount Beenak summit panorama.jpg|700px|[[Mount Beenak]] panorama looking towards [[Yarra Valley]] showing extensive logging of summit, July 2013}}

==See also== *[[Yarra Ranges National Park]]

==References== {{reflist}}

==External links== * [https://archive.today/20121203154107/http://centralhighlands.sportslink.org.au/ CHSA Sports Central Home Page] *[https://web.archive.org/web/20090705164451/http://daff.gov.au/rfa/regions/vic-centralhighlands Central Highlands at the Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry]

{{coord|37|04|42.3|S|144|12|43.8|E|type:landmark_region:AU|display=title}}

[[Category:Grampians (region)|*]] [[Category:Central Highlands (Victoria)| ]] [[Category:Geography of Victoria (state)]] [[Category:Forests of Victoria (state)]] [[Category:Great Dividing Range]] [[Category:Highlands]]