A rare spot-tailed quoll has been found in Victoria’s alpine region, the first sighting of the elusive predator in more than two years.

The discovery, by a hiker armed with a remote-sensor camera and some sardines, has prompted the Andrews government to suspend logging operations in a nearby state forest.

A rare spot-tailed quoll was captured on film near Mount Baw Baw. Credit:Milan Stupar

It has also renewed calls from conservation groups to put an end to native logging in the area and set up the so-called Great Forest National Park.

But the government and state-owned forestry enterprise VicForests said the quoll sighting was a sign of the good health of the natural environment.