Cardinia Reservoir giant pine scale removal

Melbourne Water is removing selected pine trees at Cardinia Reservoir to help stop the spread of a Giant pine scale infestation.

Cardinia Reservoir Park and access roads will be closed from 7 April until late June 2026 for community safety while we remove a number of large pine trees in the Park which have been infested with giant pine scale. 

We are replanting the affected areas of the catchment with around 70,000 native trees, plants and shrubs. These works will help protect Cardinia Reservoir and surrounding areas from further damage from giant pine scale and ensure the long-term biodiversity of the area.

What is Giant pine scale?

Giant pine scale is a tiny scale pest insect that feeds on the sap of pine, fir and spruce trees and spreads by crawling to nearby host trees. Trees infested with giant pine scale display a white wax secretion resembling cotton wool on the trunks and branches. Infested trees will typically dry up and die as a result of the insects feeding on the tree’s sap. Giant pine scale is notoriously very difficult to manage – the insects have no known predators in Australia and there are no effective chemical treatment options available.

Giant pine scale at Cardinia Reservoir

Giant pine scale was confirmed in Melbourne for the first time in 2014 and first detected in Cardinia Reservoir in 2017. Our varied efforts to contain this spread have had limited impact, with the estimated number of infested trees increasing to several thousand.

We anticipate all of these infested trees would die in the next 5 to 10 years if not removed earlier. Dying trees are a safety hazard as they increase the available fuel in the event of a bushfire, as well as having the potential to fall on land managers working in the catchment.

Removing pine trees infested with giant pine scale and those at risk from the Cardinia Reservoir catchment is the only currently effective management option to manage the infestation and help prevent further spread across the region.

Safe tree removal and catchment replanting

Melbourne Water has worked closely with experts including the Department of Environment, Energy and Climate Action (DEECA) to build a Biosecurity Plan for safe treatment and removal of the pine trees. Timber removed from the site which has not been infested is being fumigated off-site and sold for export.  

The highest standard of equipment hygiene is being used to avoid spreading giant pine scale further within the catchment or surrounding area. Vehicles working around the catchment are washed with hot water at high pressure as needed which means we do not need to use insecticides or chemicals.

To ensure the long-term biodiversity of Cardinia Reservoir, the affected areas are being revegetated and replanted with 75,000 native plants and shrubs over three years. This will provide new habitat for our native animals.

Local impacts

Cardinia Reservoir Park and access roads will be closed to public access from 7 April until late June 2026 for community safety while we remove infested pine trees inside the Park. No entry permitted for pedestrians or vehicles​.

• All public roads outside Cardinia Reservoir will be open as normal, including Duffys Road.
• On 7 April there will be some movement and noise from trucks that enter the Park. They will stay on site for the duration of the works then leave in late June when the works are complete.
• During works, there is increased vehicle movement around the catchment and possible noise from vehicles and machinery operating on site.
• Signage and traffic management will be in place as required to keep everyone safe – please take care when moving through this area. 

We use water trucks to bind and protect unsealed road surfaces during dry weather, to prevent the spread of dust and minimise the impact of works to nearby plants and animals.

Residents and visitors may see some areas in the catchment where the works are occurring. These areas where the pine trees have been removed will look bare for a while until the new native plants can develop.

By managing this infestation of giant pine scale, we continue to protect our important forested catchments and supply the community with a safe and reliable water supply, now and for generations to come.