Friends of Wombat Forest have challenged Victorian and local conservation groups behind the new campaign to a public debate in the Daylesford Town Hall, to enable the community to hear "the different views" about how the forest should be managed in the future.

The convenor of Friends of Wombat Forest, Loris Duclos, said that with so much of the forest in an unnaturally young, mostly-overstocked state, locking it up as a state park would not deliver a healthy forest.

Her comments came as Victorian and local conservation groups met at Hepburn Springs last Thursday to launch their new campaign to have the Wombat State Forest protected as a state park.

"Numerous scientific assessments have identified the outstanding values of the natural treasure which contains the headwaters of six rivers and is home to 17 plants and 28 animals listed as rare or threatened species," said Murray Ralph from Wombat Forestcare.

"Converting the bulk of the forest to state park would provide protection from logging and hunting, but still allow carefully managed recreational activities such as camping and horse riding, with trail bikes and 4WD vehicles permitted on roads."

Victorian National Parks Association campaigner Nick Roberts said the recent attempt to hand over management of the forest to discredited state-owned logging company VicForests showed that as long as the Wombat remained a state forest, it was vulnerable to exploitation.

"With more than 31,000ha of important habitat the Wombat is a real 'hidden gem', with many unique natural features," he said.

"The area is home to endangered species such as the spot-tailed quoll and masked owl and deserves better management and protection within the National Parks Act."

At last Thursday's forum, scientists and conservationists outlined the important contribution the Wombat Forest makes to protecting threatened species, landscape connectivity, catchments and climate change.

As part of the new campaign, a brochure explaining the state park proposal is being distributed to local politicians, businesses and community groups, seeking their support for the initiative.

The campaign builds on the report, Better Protection for Special Places, released by the Victorian National Parks Association in May 2010, which documents the natural values of 20 areas, including the Wombat Forest, across central Victoria.