| Type: | town |
| Beech Forest | |
| State: | vic |
| Coordinates: | -38.6333°N 143.5667°W |
| Pushpin Label Position: | top |
| Use Lga Map: | yes |
| Lga: | Colac Otway Shire |
| Postcode: | 3237 |
| Pop: | 82 |
| Stategov: | Polwarth |
| Fedgov: | Corangamite |
| Dist1: | 193 |
| Dir1: | SW |
| Location1: | Melbourne |
| Dist2: | 43 |
| Dir2: | S |
| Location2: | Colac |
| Near-Nw: | Carlisle River |
| Near-N: | Gellibrand |
| Near-Ne: | Barramunga |
| Near-W: | Ferguson Wyelangta |
| Near-E: | Tanybryn |
| Near-Sw: | Glenaire |
| Near-S: | Aire Valley |
| Near-Se: | Apollo Bay |
Beech Forest is a town in Victoria, Australia. The area of Beech Forest is largely used for potato farming.
The town was named after the many myrtle beech trees of the area. Beech Forest Post Office opened on 10 May 1890 and closed in 1994.
The town had a railway station on the Crowes railway line from 1902 until 1962. Much of the route of the old railway has been converted to the Old Beechy Rail Trail, via which cyclists and walkers can travel 45km (28miles) between Beech Forest and Colac.
The forest is primarily characterized by:
Other significant tree species include:
The understory is rich in ferns, including:
Other plants found in the cool temperate rainforest include:
Epiphytes, such as fork-ferns, filmy ferns, and orchids, are common in the humid microclimate created by the tree-fern layer.
The diverse forest ecosystem supports various animal species:
While specific bird species are not detailed in the available sources, the diverse forest ecosystem likely supports a variety of bird species typical of Victorian rainforests.[3]
The moist, forested environment provides habitat for numerous insect and invertebrate species, though specific examples are not provided in the available sources.
The Beech Forest area is known for its beautiful waterfalls and scenic drives, which contribute to the overall biodiversity of the region. The unique combination of aspect, soils, and climate in the Otway hinterland creates a distinctive ecosystem that supports this rich variety of plant and animal life.