Heathlands are widespread in Victoria, particularly near the coast and in the south-west. The characteristic appearance of this ecosystem — dense, low shrubs with scattered, twisted trees — is a function of the harshness of the environment where it occurs. The soils are usually acidic siliceous sands of low fertility, although some heathlands also occur on limestone, peats and clays. Nutrients in the soil are typically scarce, or are unavailable to plants because of soil acidity or waterlogging. Wide seasonal variations in soil moisture are also typical of heathland sites.

Heathlands tend to occur where drainage is poor, so their distribution is often locally patchy. This may be seen to good effect in the Carlisle Heathlands, north of the Otway Ranges, where closed heathlands on impoverished sandy soils derived from Tertiary sediments are interspersed with woodlands and forests which clothe the deeply dissected hills. This mosaic occurrence often makes the boundary between heathlands and heathy woodlands unclear, and the two often merge.

Fire is a fundamental environmental factor in Victorian heathlands. Some species resprout after fire; others, such as hakeas and banksias, are usually killed, but their woody fruits open shortly afterwards to release their seeds. Some species, including grass-trees and orchids, respond to fire with a flush of flowering, and some species of fauna, such as the Ground Parrot, rely on regular fires to maintain optimum habitat for foraging and breeding.

Victoria’s heathlands are dominated by tough, hard-leaved plants, especially those in the families Epacridaceae, Proteaceae, Papilionaceae and Myrtaceae. Others include terrestrial orchids, many of which are rare or threatened in the State. In general, weeds are not abundant because of the low nutrient levels in the soils, but some coastal and near-coastal heathlands are susceptible to invasion by shrubs and small trees.

The native fauna includes many small marsupials (dunnarts, bandicoots and potoroos) and some of Victoria’s native placental mammals, such as the Swamp Rat and New Holland Mouse.

More than 80 species of birds inhabit this ecosystem, including the rare Ground Parrot, the Rufous Bristlebird and the Eastern Bristlebird. The dawn chorus produced by these birds is a feature of heathlands, as the many colourful honeyeaters dart between blossoms in their territories.

Victoria’s heathlands are relatively well conserved, with significant areas reserved within national parks and state parks such as the Little Desert, Grampians, Lower Glenelg, Port Campbell, Angahook–Lorne, Wilsons Promontory, French Island, Bunyip, Moondarra and Croajingolong.

The major challenges in heathlands management are the establishment of ecologically sound fire regimes, the control of environmental weeds such as Coast Tea-tree and Coast Wattle, the management of elevated nutrient levels, and the control of plant diseases.