Greater Shepparton City Council sustainable development director Geraldine Christou said vegetation at the Gemmill Swamp Wildlife Reserve sandhills had been destroyed by vehicles being driven over them on the weekend.
As well as the destruction of the trees, the ground had also been ripped up by car tyres.
New native silver banksia trees had only been planted at the site last week by Woka Walla, an enterprise run by Yorta Yorta Nation Aboriginal Corporation, in an area off-limits to vehicles using the area.
Council environment manager Sharon Terry said silver banksia trees used to be common throughout the Greater Shepparton area, and the Gemmill Swamp sandhills were highly significant, as few remained intact in the area after most had been mined over the years for the construction and landscaping industry.
“Seed has been collected from around the Goulburn and Murray Valley and grown for revegetation on sandhills on both public and private land,” Ms Terry said.
“This program is designed to reinstate the species to ensure the genetics are secure for the future.
“Banksias are very important for a number of species of wild animals, and provide vital nectar during the lean winter months.”
Ms Christou said council and Yorta Yorta had gone to a lot of effort to revegetate the area, and to have it destroyed was beyond belief.
“Collaboratively, we are all doing so much to improve our natural environment and protect our region, to then have people disregard the fenced off areas and damage nearly half an acre of natural environment is disheartening,” she said.
Ms Terry said it was disappointing to have the area vandalised by a small number of people.
“This behaviour is very disappointing and destructive to the natural environment and the cultural heritage of the sandhills,” she said.
“Public funds are spent revegetating the area and to see this work destroyed is frustrating for the community and council.”
Ms Christou said council was aware of the value of the natural environment and asked anyone who became aware of vandalism to report the issue to the police and to not approach the vandals directly.
Council is working with Parks Victoria and Yorta Yorta to develop a management plan to help deal with some of the ongoing issues in and around Gemmill Swamp.
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