Natural Values

• Good example of Limestone Box Forest (classified as Rare and Vulnerable); containing large Coastal Grey-boxes (Eucalypyus boistoana), and Blue-boxes (Eucalyptus baueriana),
• evidence of Warm Temperate Rainforest (classified as Rare, Vulnerable and Endangered),
• rare and interesting plants, such as Blunt Greenhoods ( Pterostylis curta), Spurred Helmet Orchids (Corybas aconitiflorus), and Maroonhood/ Little Red Riding Hoods (Pterostylis pedunculata),
• exceptional Habitat Trees, which appear to house flocks of rainbow lorikeets and other birds,
• extensive fauna habitat.

Cultural Values

• Recreational and tourism values,
• Informal pedestrian access from Wood St to Stirling Rd,
• School activity area.

Past Land Use

Since European settlement there have been a range of land-use activities that have impacted on the Reserve. It is unclear what activities occurred in the area before 1915, but after this date it has had strong connections with the Metung Primary School and its students. All evidence collected has been anecdotal.

The first use of the land surrounding the school area was as a holding paddock for the students who rode horses to school. When the paddock was no longer required a plantation of pine trees was sowed, as revenue for the school. It appears that only one sowing and harvesting occurred. In 1978 part of the reserve was annexed by the EG Water for the placement of a water tank and pipeline.

The Reserve’s Visitors

Currently under-managed, sometimes to the detriment of the health of the Reserve, Reserve uses are ;

• vehicles and pedestrians using the reserve as a short-cut to other areas,
• dog off-lead activity area,
• Mountain Bike activity area,
• school activity area = cross country races.All the visitors appear to be local. Very few of these people actually realise that it is a Reserve, due to the fact that there is no signage.