Two men have been convicted and fined $25,000 each plus costs for the destruction of more than eight hectares of wildlife habitat near Mildura.
They both pled guilty and were convicted on Thursday in the Mildura Magistrates Court.
The convictions were a result of reports of native vegetation clearing in the area in January 2021.
Following the reports, officers visited the location near Mildura and found around 8.4 hectares of wildlife habitat had been heavily damaged or destroyed using heavy machinery.
These including over 100 large Mallee trees, some thought to have been hundreds of years old.
The trees were also home to threatened species including the Regent parrot.
The two men, who are related, also placed a fence across a section of public land which appropriated the area into one of the men's private properties.
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Forest and Wildlife Officer Patrick Vincenzini said the removal of habitat was devastating for biodiversity in the area.
"Native vegetation provides habitat for native animals and delivers a range of ecosystem services such as soil maintenance and the creation of clean air," Mr Vincenzini said.
"This clearing has destroyed the natural ecosystem, including the homes and food sources for native, endangered animals such as the Regent parrot.
"It will take hundreds of years for new Mallee trees to grow to the size they once were in the area."
Chief Conservation Regulator Kate Gavens said the removal of the trees was one of the most widespread in Victoria and those who break environmental laws like the two men convicted will be prosecuted.
"The removal of vegetation in this area is one of the most extensive cases we have seen in Victoria," Chief Gavens said.
"This complex investigation involved a large amount of evidence collection, multiple expert witnesses and would not have been possible without the participation of multiple teams from the Department of Environment, Land, Water and Planning, the Conservation Regulator and Mildura Rural City Council."
The two men had been convicted under the Land Act 1958, Forests Act 1958, and the Wildlife Regulations Act 2013.
