Forestry was important to the district and surrounding Porcupine Ridge Estate is the Upper Loddon State Forest, a continuation of the Wombat Forest where trees as large as 14 metres in circumference at the butt grew. These forests supplied timbers to the mines, for building and firewood.
They were a source of wealth and at the end of the 1860′s, Ballarat was taking annually eight million super feet of sawn timber. Today the forest surrounding us is a flora reserve set aside for recreation.
The Wombat State Forest (locally: Bullarook) is located 50 kilometres west of Melbourne, between Woodend and Daylesford, at the Great Dividing Range. The forest is approximately 70,000 hectares (170,000 acres). The Bullarook Wombat State Forest was proclaimed in 1871.
The forest is probably named after the Wombat township (now Daylesford). Much of the forest lands was logged out during the gold rush era of the mid 1800s.
During this time, the forest was intensively logged, the wood products used as tunnel supports, sleepers for tramways, lining of mining shafts, to fire mine boilers, piles for piers and docks, electric poles, heavy construction timbers and fuel wood.
Lyonville Mineral Springs, Garden of St Erth, the Lerderderg Heritage River Walk, and Nolans Creek Picnic Area are among the tourist attractions within the state forest. Other historic places of interest include the Andersons Mill, Balt Camp, Pioneer Sawmill, and Yankee Mine. Train buffs can travel by vintage diesel rail through the forest.
