{"id":580788,"date":"2026-04-02T13:23:10","date_gmt":"2026-04-02T13:23:10","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/580788\/"},"modified":"2026-04-02T13:23:10","modified_gmt":"2026-04-02T13:23:10","slug":"fear-for-rare-aussie-reptile-as-roads-shut-around-coastal-town-no-one-knows-whats-going-on","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/580788\/","title":{"rendered":"Fear for rare Aussie reptile as roads shut around coastal town: ‘No one knows what’s going on’"},"content":{"rendered":"

Roads have been blocked around one of Australia\u2019s most beautiful coastal regions, preventing the public from entering the region\u2019s lush forests.<\/p>\n

\u201cNo one knows what\u2019s going on behind the veil,\u201d one concerned Lorne<\/a> resident, Chelsea McMillan, told Yahoo News. \u201cIt’s worrying,\u201d a second resident, who asked not to be named, said.<\/p>\n

Victoria\u2019s Department of Environment (DEECA)<\/a> is preparing to conduct planned burns on the hills that surround this Otways town, close to the world-famous Great Ocean Road.<\/a><\/p>\n

But locals and wildlife experts claim there\u2019s been an unacceptable amount of information being made available to the public.<\/p>\n

In particular, they\u2019re concerned about DEECA’s ability to protect the habitat of an endangered lizard, the swamp skink (Lissolepis coventryi),<\/a>\u00a0which inhabits specific areas of the Otway region.<\/p>\n

Ecologist Peter Robertson <\/a>is one of only three experts on the species, and he is one of two who consulted for DEECA about its recovery after the nearby Carlisle River bushfire<\/a> scorched over 11,300 hectares in January.<\/p>\n

He is the author of\u00a0Reptiles of Victoria: A Guide to Identification and Ecology<\/a>, and it was his nomination that led to the species being listed as threatened in the state.<\/p>\n

DEECA’s consultation with experts after the bushfire was welcomed as an indication that it takes the swamp skink’s conservation seriously.<\/p>\n

But there are concerns that it didn’t reach out to Robertson in relation to planned burns <\/a>conducted to the southwest of Lorne in March. And with several new fires set to be lit in the coming weeks, it’s unclear whether any experts have been consulted.<\/p>\n

\"A<\/p>\n

A swamp skink found after the 2019\/2020 Black Summer Bushfires. Source: Nick Clemann<\/p>\n

Robertson is worried the agency may not have a complete understanding of where it lives, warning that more fire could have a significant impact on the species, as it could further fragment its habitat.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe swamp skink is a species that is susceptible to fire, and it\u2019s probably been subjected to quite a lot of fire in the Carlisle River area last summer,\u201d he told Yahoo News.<\/p>\n

\u201cSo it would be important to ensure that as little as possible of its remaining habitat is subjected to fire, and that doesn\u2019t appear to have been the case.\u201d<\/p>\n

Agency’s knowledge of swamp skinks in question<\/p>\n

Robertson said information made available by DEECA indicates a lack of internal expertise to protect swamp skinks when conducting planned burns.<\/p>\n

It has avoided certain habitat types to mitigate impact on the swamp skink, and another endangered species that lives in forests around Lorne, the Otway black snail.<\/a><\/p>\n

The examples it shared with Yahoo News included avoiding south-facing slopes and higher elevation forests, which Robertson and a second reptile expert said do not fit the current understanding of swamp skink habitat.<\/p>\n

\u201cNeither of these is known to be the habitat of the swamp skink,\u201d Robertson said.<\/p>\n

Experts have indictated many of the places where swamp skinks occur are not south-facing, few are in higher elevation forests, and wet gullies are unsuitable for the species as they don’t have suitable sun basking sites.<\/p>\n

\"Two<\/p>\n

DEECA makes information about the scheduling of planned burns publicly available, but many locals want to know more about its efforts to protect endangered species. Source: FFM-Vic<\/p>\n

Call for more clarity about efforts to protect endangered species<\/p>\n

DEECA could be ensuring that swamp skinks aren\u2019t being harmed during its operations, but there\u2019s a lack of public information available to allow for expert criticism.<\/p>\n

To assess its success in protecting the species’ habitat, Robertson said he would need detailed vegetation maps to overlay against maps of where burns have taken place.<\/p>\n

When Yahoo News asked DEECA to produce them for Robertson to assess, it declined. It was also unable to supply a member of its agency, responsible for planned burns, Forest Fire Management Victoria (FFM-Vic)<\/a>, for interview.<\/p>\n

It did not respond to questions about whether it used the services of a swamp skink expert prior to completing burns, whether it had conducted species-specific surveys of the forests, or if it thought the fires would have a significant impact on the species.<\/p>\n

In a statement, a spokesperson said DEECA does \u201ccare greatly\u201d about the plants and animals in the Otways, adding that its fuel management program helps reduce the risk of bushfires like those at Carlisle River.<\/p>\n

\u201cTo minimise impact on plants and animals while undertaking planned burning, we use protective measures such as setting up planned burning exclusion zones to avoid burning in ecosystems that are sensitive to fire and leaving areas unburnt to provide refuge for animals,\u201d it said.<\/p>\n

\"Background:<\/p>\n

DEECA has informed residents about its plans for burns around Lorne. Source: Getty\/FFM-Vic<\/p>\n

Mental toll of planned burn on local wildlife rescuer<\/p>\n

As a resident of Lorne, McMillan volunteers as a wildlife rescuer and lives on a property surrounded by planned burn sites.<\/p>\n

She isn\u2019t arguing against the burns themselves, but argues there should be detailed field studies conducted for threatened species like the swamp skink, southern brown bandicoot<\/a>, and the gang-gang cockatoo before they occur.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe environmental impacts aren\u2019t known yet from the January bushfires, and [DEECA] needs to pause and reassess,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n

\u201cLooking at the planned burn schedule for Lorne, it brings tears to your eyes \u2014 they almost want to burn everything over the next three years.\u201d<\/p>\n

With more planned burns imminent, McMillan has been pushing for more information from DEECA about its wildlife assessments.<\/p>\n

But the lack of communication she’s received is taking a toll on her mental health.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s been really tough for me personally, as you can probably hear, I\u2019m feeling emotional,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n

\u201cBecause we\u2019re locked out so far from the burns zone, we won\u2019t see any animals fleeing the fires.\u201d<\/p>\n

Do you have a story tip? Email: newsroomau@yahoonews.com<\/a>.<\/p>\n

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