The Pines Flora and Fauna Reserve
The Pines Flora and Fauna Reserve is a significant remnant area of bushland on the Mornington Peninsula surrounded by the developing suburb of Frankston. As such, it is of conservation importance and represents a unique passive recreational and educational asset in the greater metropolitan area of Melbourne.
Fauna
The Reserve is a very important habitat for native fauna, particularly small mammals, reptiles and amphibians. Southern Brown Bandicoots, Swamp Wallabies, Echidnas, Brushtail and Ringtail Possums are present but are often hard to find as they are not all active during the day. The Reserve is also a potential habitat for the endangered New Holland Mouse. Over 100 different bird species have been recorded including honeyeaters, waterbirds, birds of prey and parrots. A number of significant species have been recorded, among them the Painted Button Quail, Brush Bronzewing, Lathams Snipe and Swift Parrot.
Flora
Much of the vegetation in the Reserve is remnant heathland with Silver-leaf Stringybark and Black Sheoak woodland. It is still in a reasonably natural condition and contains many species of plants now rare on the Mornington Peninsula. Native orchids are a highlight of the many wildflowers which mainly bloom in spring. Rabbit Ears, Dwarf Greenhood and the not-so-common Common Spider Orchid are some of the orchids to be found among the 170 or more plant species recorded.
Location and access
The 220ha Reserve is 40km south east of Melbourne, about 3km north east of the Frankston Central Business district. Access is via walking tracks on Tamarisk Drive, Excelsior Drive and Warrawee Circuit (see maps): Melway Reference - 100 C8.
Things to see and do
The Reserve is ideal for recreation activities such as nature study, photography and walking. Walk to the Trig Point for expansive views of the Reserve, Port Phillip Bay and the Dandenongs. A network of tracks allows visitors to walk to most features of the Reserve.
[This text is from the Parks Victoria Park Note for the reserve]
History
This is the land of the Bunurong people. In the 1920’s it was planned to plant the whole area between Ballarto Road, Dandenong Road, McClelland Drive and Skye Road with pine trees. Only about 120ha was planted, though in the 1950’s some of the remaining land was set aside for housing development. A proposal in the 1970’s to sandmine the remaining bushland met with community uproar and the Eureka flag was raised on Trig Point (the site from which the Frankston area was originally surveyed) and the area claimed for the people of Frankston. Community action also helped prevent the area being subdivided in 1989 and the Flora and Fauna Reserve is now zoned as public open space.
Impacts of bypass
For more information about the reserves values and impacts from the bypass, read the Department of Sustainability's environmental effects statement.
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