Wombat State Forest

The Wombat State Forest is located 50 kilometres (31 mi) west of Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, between Woodend and Daylesford, at the Great Dividing Range. The forest is approximately 70,000 hectares (170,000 acres) in size and sits upon Ordovician or Cenozoic sediments. The Wombat State Forest was proclaimed in 1871.

The only initiative in Australia to introduce community forestry, within the internationally understood context, is in the Wombat State Forest. It is managed by the Department of Environment, Land, Water and Planning. The management plan covers several areas such as firewood and other products; protection of water supplies; conservation of biodiversity; and conservation of landscape. Other areas of importance include cultural heritage, research, education, tourism, recreation, mineral exploration, mining, and grazing.

On 24 June 2021, the Andrews State Government, following extensive review and recommendation, declared that the Wombat State Forest would be added to the National Park register, providing it with additional protections. The proposed amalgamation of the nearby Lerderderg State Park and the Wombat State Forest would create the new Wombat-Lerderderg National Park providing it the highest protections against logging whilst maintaining sustainable ecotourism and protections for wildlife and the environment. The process is expected to be completed by 2030.