The forest was logged heavily during the gold rush era of the mid-1800s. The wood was used for tunnel supports, sleepers for tramways, lining of mining shafts, firewood for mine boilers, piles for piers and docks, electric poles, and heavy construction timbers. In 1860 the 1860 Land Act (Section 80) was created, which placed some restrictions on logging trees. In 1871, the Wombat State Forest was set up.