In the early hours of Monday March 30 an arsonist has destroyed around half a million dollars worth of forestry equipment near the township of Woods point.
Two excavators were destroyed and a skidder badly damaged as a result of the deliberately lit fires.
Harvesting contractor Robin McKinnell whose forestry operation was the target of the attack was devastated by the damage.
After seven weeks of fighting fires, harvesting
operations were almost back to normal. To have this wanton act of vandalism occur now will impact heavily on McKinnell’s timber harvesting operations.
Executive officer of the Forest Contractors representative organisation, The Victorian
Forest Harvesting and Cartage Council (VFHCC)Scott Gentle condemned the actions of the arsonists.
“Some of this machinery was used on the fire line and this cowardly attack shows a total lack of concern for the important role of this equipment on the fire line. I don’t know how anyone could do this after what Victoria has just been through,” he said.
“These timber harvesting crews are heroes after what they have done over the last couple of months fighting fires, they should be getting medals not having some lowlife burn their equipment and potentially leaving them without jobs,” Gentle said.
Police units have attended the crime scene and are investigating possible leads in the
case.
“I hope that the police catch whoever burnt these machines and they are prosecuted to
the full extent of the law. After all people have been through with these fires the last
thing anybody needs is some ratbag arsonist running around the bush. The sooner they
are caught the better,” concluded Gentle.
