Australian Forest & Timber June 2022 by Provincial Press Group

JUNE 2022

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I n c o r p o r a t i n g A U S T R A L A S I A N F O R E S T L O G G E R & S AW M I L L E R

Floods ravage NSW timber operations

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NSW floods ravage State’s timber operations Philip Hopkins

The native forest industry in northeast NSW is fighting for its life as this year’s massive floods have compounded the impacts of the bushfires two years ago and lower production as staff were hit by Covid 19 illness. This comes as housing construction and demand for timber remain robust, with timber supplies also affected by import constraints brought on by Covid-induced supply chain issues and the banning of timber from Russia over the way in Ukraine. Timber NSW chief executive, Maree McCaskill, said in north-east NSW, the native forest industry’s resilience was being tested like it never before. “Many businesses have recently closed and some may not reopen,” she said. A total of 57 businesses have been affected by the floods, according to a recent Timber NSW survey. The impact on business has been mostly indirect, with many unable to operate for various reasons. “Some mills have no logs – the mill yards are empty. The mills were low on logs prior to the floods due to three months’ of above average rainfall,” Ms McCaskill said. “Also, three months on and access to the forest to get logs out still remains very limited. There are hundreds of damaged and closed roads, and major limitations on harvesting activity due to soils remaining saturated.” The 57 flood-affected businesses employ 1000 people. The total cost of operating per month is about $15.6 million, while the total cost of employees per month is about $5.8 million, and that is not all the businesses as many could not be reached. The most direct impacts were experienced by timber businesses located close to the major rivers. These include the Sly Bros sawmill at Woodburn on the Richmond River, the Notaras sawmill at South Grafton on the Clarence River and the Boral (Pentach) flooring plant at Murwillumbah on the Tweed River, which was also badly affected by floods in 2017. The NSW Government in late April announced that flood-impacted small business owners and not-forprofits in the Northern Rivers could apply for the $10,000-dollar Northern Flood Grant to help with rent, wages, government fees and other business costs. The Deputy Premier and Minister for Regional NSW, Paul Toole, said the one-off grant was about ensuring that flood-affected businesses

• Flood damage at Hurford Hardwood’s Lismore operations.

had the cash flow to get back on their feet. “There is still a long road to recovery ahead for many people,” he said. “The impact of the floods on small businesses has been devastating.” To be eligible, businesses and NFPs must have experienced a decline in turnover of 40 per cent or more due to the March floods when compared to March 2021 or 2020. They must be also located in one of the three designated flood impact local government areas. “That has meant that most forestry businesses are not eligible,” Ms McCaskill said. The flood damage comes on top of the continuing impact of the bushfires from two years ago. NSW Forestry Corporation figures show that more than 30 per cent of all harvestable State forest in the north-east region was burnt by moderate (3) or high intensity (4 and 5) fire. About one quarter of private native forest landowners with a harvest plan were similarly affected. N/SW Forestry Corporation initial estimate of the impact of the fires on the north-east region’s sustainable yield is modest – about a 4 per cent

reduction in the availability of highquality logs, which is set at 230,000 m3. A satellite-fire severity model was used to help the organisation derive the estimate and prepare a report. This report is an interim measure, carried out in the immediate aftermath of the fires when it was not safe to measure the forest inventory. “Work has commenced on field inventory for our full, robust review, which will be completed in 2023-24,” ForestCorp said. It will be part of the five-yearly review of the Regional Forest Agreements. However, Ms McCaskill said timber harvesting regulations were not prepared for such an event. “Concerns about timber harvesting compounding the environmental impact saw the NSW EPA introduce site-specific operating conditions, which heavily constrained where wood could be sourced from,” she said. “Supply from State forest has been driven down by more than 25 per cent.” An EPA spokeswoman said there were now no site-specific operating conditions in operation for bushfire or flood impacted forests. continued page 8

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Australian Forests & Timber News June 2022

$10m package for haulage operators TIMBER producers impacted by hardwood shortages from flood-affected parts of NSW will receive support from the State Government to secure supplies from outside the region, thanks to a $10 million support package. Deputy Premier and Minister for Regional NSW Paul Toole said the industry, which generates hundreds of local jobs, will continue to play a crucial role in rebuilding impacted communities right along the Mid Coast and North Coast. “The $10 million Hardwood Timber Haulage Subsidy Program will cover the cost for businesses to transport materials from outside their existing supply areas and get them into processing facilities,” Mr Toole said. “This funding boost keeps locals in jobs while supplying high-quality timber for the construction industry as we continue to rebuild our flood-affected communities.” Minister for Agriculture and Western NSW Dugald Saunders said the persistent wet weather has cut off access to state forests where timber is sustainably harvested. “Our hardwood processors are facing a critical shortage of timber and need urgent help to haul in good quality wood from outside the region,” Mr Saunders said. “This investment will mean that eligible processing plants can claim $30 per tonne for the transport of construction grade timber sourced from alternate harvest sites. “Those businesses can claim up to $500,000, which will help them continue to operate, keep their workers and ensure builders can push on and rebuild the homes that were destroyed and damaged by floods.” Timber NSW CEO Maree McCaskill said the level of damage to roads and bridges had been enormous and the NSW government quickly moved on grants to accelerate repairs to enable safe movement of trucks. “However the reconstruction and repair work will take many months and possibly up to a year to restore,” she said. 3

News JUNE 2022 Issue 4 – Volume 31 Established 1991 News 3-13 Green Triangle Timber Industry Awards 6-7 Milestones 14 Harvester heads 16 Mill profile 22 Front Cover: Third-generation family business the Padgett Group, has a long history in the forestry industry. Story Page 16 Publisher and Chief Executive: Hartley Higgins General Manager: Robyn Haworth Editor: Bruce Mitchell b.mitchelll@ryanmediapl.com.au Adelaide Office: (08) 8369 9512 Advertising: Gavin de Almeida g.dealmeida@ryanmediapl.com.au Adelaide Office: (08) 8369 9517 Creative Services: Tim Coleman Publication Design: Tim Coleman Trader classifieds: g.dealmeida@ryanmediapl.com.au Adelaide Office: (08) 8369 9517 Subscriptions: subs@forestsandtimber.com.au Adelaide Office: (08) 8369 9522 Subcription rates One-year (8 editions) $55 Two-years (16 editions) $95 Accounts: Adelaide Office: (08) 8369 9555 Postal Address: 630 Regency Road, Broadview South Australia 5083 Phone: (08) 8369 9555 Fax: (08) 8369 9501 Melbourne Office: Suite 2262, 442 Auburn Rd, Hawthorn VIC 3122 Phone: (03) 9810 3262 Find us on Facebook @australianforestsandtimbernews Website www.timberbiz.com.au Printed by Lane Print, Adelaide, SA

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Protester ideology does not overrule workers’ rights or safety Deb Kerr CEO Victorian Forest Producrs Association

BELIEVE that all Tasmanians support people’s right to protest peacefully. The problem that has arisen is that some protesters are being actively encouraged to behave like they are above the law and exempt from common decency. In a modern and democratic society, public safety and the mental health of workers needs to be paramount. The days of protesters invading workplaces, and intimidating and placing undue stress upon staff to make their point, must come to an end. What is being proposed in the government’s new Police Offences Act is an amendment to public annoyance and trespass. Both very serious issues when dealing with illegal workplace invasions, where protesters enter a worksite and chain themselves to privately owned equipment. This legislation is designed to assist police in dealing with this illegal act, because the current penalties are not enough to deter those who wish to illegally enter

and disrupt workplaces. This is not anti-protest legislation. The right to protest is protected, as is the right to peacefully go about your work, and that is the balance that the legislation seeks to achieve. The legislation supports freedoms of expression and freedom of assembly, as it should because we don’t want to see the right to protest come to an end. But is also draws a line between civil protests and what are quite horrible and malicious attacks on individuals in their place of work. The impact of these attacks on workers’ mental health, morals and their personal character is real. The forestry industry is a proud and passionate family of regional workers who know that forestry is the industry of the future. From biofuels to plastic alternatives and environmentally friendly construction materials, this industry would have to be one of the most progressive and in demand in the world. The science of forestry is now well understood, and

we are delivering on our promise to continually improve and create a balance of both protection and production. Despite this, it is the ideology of some, who are not listening to the advice of scientists, and are resisting the global move towards local production of climatefriendly forest products, who are continually disrupting workplaces illegally. You can’t have that discussion with these protesters. They agree that they want timber products, they want plastic alternatives, they want more housing built. They just want it to come from somewhere else, anywhere else. And there lies the problem, these “branded” protesters have been taught that their ideology is more important than the law or showing respect for others. They have found a loophole in the law where the punishment doesn’t fit the crime and they dismiss the human impact. Human impact is important, and it is this that has brought on the need for

changes to the legislation, to make the punishment fit the crime. As large regional employers our industry understands its obligations when looking after the mental health and wellbeing of workers. Just imagine what would happen if someone invaded your office building, worksite, school or factory. There would be outrage and a series of support measures immediately put in place to support all those affected. That’s what we have to do, every time. These invasions and the trauma they cause are followed by cheers from environmentalists, token fines paid for by a charity and then unbelievably a platform to brag about it using social and traditional media. People straight out of court, who have been found guilty of a crime and charged are then given an opportunity to brag about it. Not many criminals get that opportunity, society wouldn’t stand for it.

Safeguarding timber workers

HE Victorian Government has taken firm – and in some quarters unexpected – action to safeguard the State’s timber workers from protestors. The proposed new laws are made of stern stuff, and the Government is to be applauded for its action. Protestors who illegally enter coupes in Victoria and dangerously interfere with workers or their machinery will be subject to stronger penalties including maximum fines of more than $21,000 or 12-months imprisonment. And PVC and metal pipes, which can be used in dangerous protest activities,

credit; it only came about through effective consultation with the Australian Forest Contractors Association and other industry groups. As AFCA general manager will be added to the pro- Carlie Porteous commenthibited items list meaning ed, there are significant they potentially attract ex- costs associated with these tra fines if used to hinder or unsafe workplace interrupobstruct timber harvesting tions such as forfeited work hours, paid production and operations. These new laws, proposed increasing health and safety in the Sustainable For- concerns. “Our members have enests Timber Amendment (Timber Harvesting Safety dured this sort of activity Zones) Bill 2022, deliver the for many years, not just in kind of protection the tim- Victoria, but in other states. ber industry has been de- It is good to see Victoria is now strengthening its posimanding for years. Of course the State Gov- tion on this issue,” she said. A similar Bill has been ernment can’t take all the

Australian Forests & Timber News June 2022

introduced into the Tasmanian Parliament – perhaps re-introduced is a better description after it failed in the Upper House last year – which if successful would see protesters hit with harsher fines or longer jail terms for action that obstructs streets or causes a nuisance to workplaces, where penalties would be more severe if a person is convicted of trespassing. It was passed in the Lower House this week. This Bill has had a rocky journey, but with apparent Opposition support it might just see the light of day this time.

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News

Forestry Australia looking for insurance solutions for growers F ORESTRY Australia says it is working on a solution to increase access to insurance for growers after a decline in the number of providers offering cover and a surge in premiums. CEO Jacquie Martin says the rising cost of plantation insurance has been an issue for a number of years, and premiums have climbed to a point where they are unaffordable for many farm foresters and private forest growers. “Anecdotally, this has seen some Forestry Australia members forced to opt out and grow their plantations without insurance, which is a difficult decision for a business to make,” she told insuranceNEWS.com.au.

“We have been working closely with members and insurance brokers on this issue and look forward to finding a solution which suits all parties.” In May the ABC reported that Western Australian plantation owner Andy Wright said he had let the insurance lapse on his softwood plantation in Denmark 12 months ago.

But he told the ABC than in February fires tore through local forests and destroyed his trees. Despite the loss, he doesn’t regret the decision to cancel his fire insurance. “Premiums quadrupled on the back of the east coast bushfires a couple of summers ago,” he said. Knowing the excess he would have paid for a claim, and the salvage value of the timber, Mr Wright told the ABC insurance would not have been financially worthwhile. Forestry consultant and former president of Australian Forest Growers, David Geddes, says capacity is a global issue following the Black Summer bushfires in Australia and severe fires in

Europe and North America. In the local market capacity declined as one of the key providers, Primacy, which is mainly a crops insurer, pulled back from plantation timber cover. Its policies are in run off. The biggest plantation growers in Australia, which have risks widely spread over states and areas, are more likely to self-insure, while smaller operations relying on the local market have been hard hit by reduced capacity, Mr Geddes says. One grower who elected to continue with cover experienced a ninefold increase in premiums between 2020/21 and the current financial year, he says. “I know lots of growers

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just thought I am going to take the risk this year and not insure, and I certainly know of one in Western Australia who lost a reasonable chunk of plantations in fires earlier this year,” he told insuranceNEWS.com. au. Mr Geddes says not having insurance is particularly devastating when losses affect a long-term crop, which may not be due for harvest for another decade, and the issue could potentially affect supplies into the future. “If you are deciding whether to plant trees or not, and you don’t think that you would get insurance, that is one of the things that would stop you planting,” he said.

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News Trangle Awards Green

Green Triangle timber industry legend honoured

• Green Triangle Timber Industries Industry Legend Pat Lamb.

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HE man credited with creating the wood chip industry, Pat Lamb, has been honoured at the Green Triangle Timber Industries Awards as an Industry Legend. The awards were presented at a gala event held at The Barn in Mount Gambier in early June after being held over from October last year because of Covid issues. Nine awards were presented as opposed to the 15 presented in 2019. The awards categories were reviewed following feedback from previous attendees, judging panel and award winners in 2019 Mr Lamb, who retired in July 1997 from CSR Softwoods and passed away in February, was instrumental in the development of the export chip market and the Port of Portland wood chip export facility, which addressed the residue market issues. The export of wood chips supported the required forest management improvements, whilst also generating substantial revenue for both Softwoods and the co-venturer, Woods and Forests. OneFortyOne general manager Paul Hartung, who presented the award, said when he was CSR Softwoods forest resource Mr Lamb developed the vision for the chip operation out of Portland. “He realized there was a lot more value that could be added to the woodchip because a lot of it just went to particleboard the rest of it used to just be burned through boilers and things like that,” Mr Hartung said. An initial contracted export volume of 150,000 GMT per annum, has now risen to approximately 800,000 GMT of softwood chip per annum being exported from Portland annually, enabling a market for chip residue from all the region’s sawmills. The evolvement of the hardwood chip export business emanated from that of softwood chip. Strong working relationships with the Japanese were forged by Mr Lamb, with many of the Japanese customers remaining connected to him after his retirement. This is evident in his relationship with Mr Akira Sebe, General Manager–Nippon Paper, and Mr Masaji Asano, Managing Director–Mitsui

Australian Forests & Timber News June 2022

Bussan, both of whom paid tribute to Mr Lamb’s deep knowledge, the building of trust across both language and culture barriers and his long- term value of the customer. “Pat was critical to the development of the first shipments of pine woodchips from Portland to Japan through Mitsui& Co.–an export relationship that continues to this day. Pat could make such a strong contribution because he not only brought a deep understanding of the pine industry, but also possessed an ability to build trust across cultures and language barriers,” Mr Sebe wrote. In addition to the leadership, management and tireless work within the respective timber companies, Mr Lamb’s involvement also extended to associations with the executive of the Radiata Pine Association of Australia, including chairman of the RPAA Marketing Sub-Committee, chairman for the South-East Water Resources Board and a position on the Board of Directors for the Softwoods Credit Union (now the Police Credit Union). In letters and emails of support for Mr Lamb’s nomination, a very consistent theme of a fine leader with vision and values, who was able to professionally manage and communicate effectively across all levels and cultures, and who possessed an in-depth knowledge of all facets of the timber industry became evident. He was described as a person that could be trusted, operating with fairness and the highest level of integrity, who had the creativity in thinking, passion and drive to provide a solid foundation for which the timber industry and its people have built upon. “He changed so many careers just by how he mentored and coached people,” Mr Hartung said. “He had a real knack of how to lift people up and get the best out of them.” Mr Lamb’s awarded was accepted by his family. www.timberbiz.com.au

Green Trangle Awards News

…and the winners are MATT TILBY (Merrett Logging) Operations: Harvesting and InField Chipping Excellence Award– Sponsored by Timberlands Pacific Matt has implemented innovative ideas and technologies to improve on Merrett Logging operations. He has a strong focus on building relationships with colleagues and ensuring a safe working environment for his team. MADDI BOWDEN (Teagle Contracting) Trainee Award–Sponsored by Function Chains, PF Olsen After starting her traineeship, Maddison not only demonstrated her capability for the role very early on but also quickly established herself as an integral part of the team at Teagle Contracting. The trainee award is focussed on demonstration of eagerness to learn and application of new skills to daily operations. LEIGH HEIN (OnSite Hydraulic and Mechanical Maintenance) Operations–Silviculture & Timber Support Services Award–Sponsored by TimberLink Australia & NZ

vide OneFortyOne with long-term sustainability benefits whilst working to maintain the EPA regulatory expectations, often volunteering to assist in activities outside of her core role, knowing she can further how his role fits into the supply Leigh specialises in the mainteimprove the outcome of the task. nance and repairs of In Field Chip chain. and Harvesting equipment. He is CLAYTON THOMPSON (OneFortyOne) NF McDonnell & Sons: relied upon by multiple companies Sawmilling and Processing ExcelSafety Excellence Award (for comand is known for his consistency lence–Sponsored by AusIndustry, panies with more than 30 employand reliability. Qube ees)–Sponsored by South West FiGRAHAM EARL (Moreland Holdings) Clayton is known across his organ- bre and Kalari Logistics Excellence–Port Op- isation for going the extra mile to Starting as a small sawmill over erations, Marshalling and Timber achieve success. This was evident 77 years ago, NF McDonnell & Sons Haulage award–Sponsored by Mat- during the delivery of the shorter is now the largest supplier of inweigh scale project where Clayton thews Petroleum dustrial grade softwood timer used Graham, who has been with Mo- worked alongside the engineering in packaging components and for reland Holdings for more than five Team to ensure that the best outlandscaping markets in Australia. years, is recognised by the company come for the project was achieved. as a highly valued team member, an REID LOGGING: BELINDA WILLIAMSON – integral part of their internal supSafety Excellence Award (Less (OneFortyOne) ply chain and instrumental to logisthan 30 Staff Members)–Sponsored Environment & Sustainability tical operations. by OneFortyOne Award–Sponsored by HVP PlantaGraham has an excellent underOver the past 23 years of operation standing of the competing demands tions Reid Logging have maintained an Belinda, a member of the Oneof his role, and consistently endeavours to complete his tasks to a high FortyOne team, currently supports impeccable safety record and are standard. He always goes above and the sawmill and plantations depart- focussed on safety improvements beyond to make sure all stakehold- ments as the sole environmentalist and implementing initiatives that ers needs are met and understands onsite. Belinda also works to pro- increase the wellbeing of their staff.

THANK YOU TO OUR SPONSORSHIP TEAM • MATT TILBY

• MADDI BOWDEN

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• CLAYTON THOMPSON www.timberbiz.com.au

• BELINDA WILLIAMSON

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Australian Forests & Timber News June 2022

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News Plantation sales in Vic, NSW AROUND 14,000 ha of radiate pine and 17,000 ha of blue gum plantation timber is changing hands across two States. Midway Limited, forestry owner, processor, and wood fibre exporter based in Geelong, has announced the sale of 17,000 ha blue gum plantations in south-west Victoria to overseas investors MEAG for $154.1 million. In addition to purchasing the existing Midway plantations, MEAG will invest $200m over the next five years to establish greenfield hardwood plantations in south-west Victoria to underpin supply to Midway over the next 35 years. Midway Plantations Pty Ltd will manage the combined assets under a longterm management agreement and supply Midway Limited with all hardwood log harvested from the combined estate under a longterm offtake agreement. “The announcement shows significant international support for investment in Victoria’s forestry sector,” Victorian Forest Products Association CEO Deb Kerr said. “Today’s announcement clearly shows that the world recognises Victoria as a valuable region for plantation investment with potential to grow the plantation estate into the future. We congratulate Midway and MEAG on this significant investment relationship and look forward to welcoming MEAG Munich RE,” Ms Kerr said. Meanwhile Global Forest Partners LP has appointed Resolute Advisory to advise on the divestment of Hume Forests Limited, a highquality softwood plantation estate, currently owned by a GFP managed investment fund. Hume is located in the Oberon and Murray Valley regions of central and southern New South Wales. The estate is planted with radiata pine and comprises a freehold land area of c.19,000 ha with a total productive area of c.14,000 ha. 8

Changes to Victoria’s code a ‘power grab’ Philip Hopkins

he Andrews Government’s claim that environmental damage from the 2019/20 bushfires in Gippsland justified changes to Victoria’s forestry code have been condemned as nonsense and a ‘power grab’ by the State Opposition. The amendments to the Conservation, Forests and Lands Amendment Bill, which have been passed by both Houses of State Parliament, give the Minister for the Environment or the DELWP Secretary the flexibility to amend the code, if necessary, to ensure its principles are adhered to. A key issue is how the internationally recognised ‘precautionary principle’ relates to timber harvesting. Under the precautionary principle, threats of serious or irreversible environmental damage when the science is not yet settled, “requires us to put in place protective measures to ensure we don’t have regrets in the future”, the Environment Minister, Lily D’Ambrosio, told Parliament. “The precautionary principle was triggered by the 2019/20 Victorian bushfires, which dramatically impacted forest ecosystems, threatened the survival of endangered species and limited timber production, particularly in Gippsland and East Gippsland,” she said. “There remains scientific uncertainty about the ability of species to recover from these impacts… consideration needs to be given to additional protective actions ... in timber harvesting operations.” Ms D’Ambrosio said the precautionary principle meant the framework for protecting forests could respond to shocks such as major fires and also provide greater certainty to ensure the timber industry was meeting its obligations – hence the extra discre-

tionary powers to be given to the Minister or Secretary. However, the Opposition spokesman on forestry, Gary Blackwood, attacked Ms D’Ambrosio’s claim as “disingenuous” as it neglected to mention that the Code applied only to a very minor portion of the state’s 7.8 million hectares of public forest. Just 4.5 per cent of native forest was available for timber production and other uses. “Therefore, timber production operations that are subject to the Code are of such a proportionally minor scale, that there is virtually no chance of them creating a threat of ‘serious or irreversible environmental damage’ that justifies invoking the precautionary principle,” Mr Blackwood, the Member for Narracan, told Parliament. “Similarly, the excuse that the 2019–20 bushfires have created ‘scientific uncertainty about the ability of species to recover’ is largely disingenuous. Forests have been recovering from similar major fire events since European settlement—indeed the Ash regrowth forest which comprises the state’s primary timber resource is the product of the

huge 1939 bushfires. “The distinguishing feature of the 2019–20 bushfires was its extent and, notwithstanding that parts of East Gippsland were intensively burnt, it has been noted by fire experts that the worst days experienced in that fire season were not as bad as in other most notable fire seasons.” Mr Blackwood said the original Code was written as a set of state-wide broad minimum standards of environmental protection during timber production. “By necessity it retained a lot of flexibility in wording to account for the reality that, for example, particular requirements for wet forests in the Central Highlands may be far more onerous than what is necessary to protect environmental values in flat red gum forests and woodlands in northern Victoria,” he said. “The detailed prescriptions needed to implement these standards were contained in associated regional documents that were more attuned to particular local forests… designed to take into account the characteristics of each of those regions.”

Australian Forests & Timber News June 2022

The Code’s provisions had been carefully determined based on a mix of science, decades of overseas and Australian field observations, and the operational practicalities for workable timber production. “Timber is harvested on an 80year rotation. Not one species of animal has become extinct because of timber harvesting. Timber harvesting and threatened species have coexisted for well over 100 years,” he said. Mr Blackwood said the bill had been sold by the Government as another attempt to solve the litigation issues that had confronted the native forest timber industry for many years. Ms D’Ambrosio completed a Code review last year by the minister, including subsequent recommendations that were supposed to stop third-party litigation by green activists. “It failed,” he said, resulting in this legislation will allow the Minister or the Secretary to make unilateral decisions. The Deputy Opposition leader, Peter Walsh, said the bill effectively gave unfettered power to the minister or the secretary for what may be incorporated into the Code in the future.

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Australian Forests & Timber News June 2022

News

Vital we take heed of what foresters and forest scientists say Regrowth jarrah forest south-east of Perth, logged at least •three times already, now banned from harvesting by the McGowan government. This forest is ear-marked to be stripmined for bauxite.

John Clarke

ET’S get one thing very clear from the start: WA Premier Mark McGowan’s decision to ban native forest harvesting in the south-west “because the trees have stopped growing and must be saved to store carbon” is nothing but a load of rubbish. McGowan, flanked by Forestry Minister Dave Kelly and Environment Minister Amber-Jade Sanderson, shocked not just the forestry and timber industries in WA on that fateful morning of 8 September 2021, but also the staff in his government agencies responsible for managing the State’s forests, when he announced that native forest logging would cease at the end of 2023. Why did he decide to kill off one of the few sustainable industries WA enjoys? An industry that helped the fledgling colony find its feet in the 19th century with export income, an industry that is a key part of the rural fabric of the south-west, an industry that is barely noticeable to city folk who marvel at the lush green forests they drive through on their south-west winter sojourns to wineries and chalets with wood fires, an industry that generates $0.25b every year, an industry that provides the timber for some of the finest furniture, flooring and joinery in the world? I’ll tell you why. Because he and his fellow ministers have been hood-

winked by an “I want to feel good” society that thinks milk comes from cartons (“I can’t bear to think that milk comes from cows having their udders squeezed twice every day”) and that timber comes from a shelf in the local hardware store (“I can’t bear to think that timber comes from a tree that gets chopped down”). It’s also because a hardcore group of anti-logging/anti-everything people got into his head and convinced him that banning logging will make him a hero of the people. Who cares if mills close, that workers will have to find a job in the non-sustainable mining sector, that thousands of city folk will need to buy an electric heater when their local firewood supplier closes shop this winter? And who cares about the science? McGowan has been asked numerous times to table the evidence that our forests have stopped growing, even from former Federal Assistant Forestry Minister Duniam. No response has been forthcoming–because there is no evidence! WA’s 10-year Forest Management Plan, published by the Conservation Commission and heavily referenced, details how the south-west native forests are to be managed. The sustained timber yield modelling undertaken was reviewed by a panel of independent experts and included a “safety margin” to take account of a drying

climate. Based on the allowable harvest in the Plan, and forest growth rates, the quantity of carbon stored in live trees is estimated to increase by close to 5% by 2023. WA Premier Mark McGowan obviously doesn’t take any notice of his Conservation Commission, nor does he listen to Dr Karl Kruszelnicki. Dr Karl is perhaps Australia’s most respected scientist. He refers to the “Bullshit Asymmetry Factor” (BAF) which means it’s easy to make an emotionally charged, false claim such as “logging in our regrowth eucalypt forests is bad for the environment and causes climate change”, but to debunk that false claim using science can be exceedingly difficult. The effects of the September 2021 announcement were immediate. Despite McGowan saying it would be “business as usual” until 31 Dec 2023, the offer of $10,000 to any worker who wanted to leave immediately was a dirty tactic to help make the industry collapse. Confidence in the industry was shattered. After months of negotiations with a tightfisted Minister, businesses have managed to squeeze some money in compensation, but many will struggle, and none will go away satisfied. The biggest sawmiller, Parkside Timber, has decided to take matters into its own hands. They have just closed their flagship mill at Greenbushes with the loss

of 50 workers and it’s quite possible that we will soon be witnessing lawyers at 20 paces. Simcoa, manufacturer of high-quality silicon metal at Kemerton near Bunbury and employer of nearly 400 people, need over 150,000 tonnes of hardwood for charcoal each year as a reductant. The alternative to renewable timber is imported coal. Go figure! Many sawmillers have simply had enough and will be closing down before 2024. Perversely, the government is offering money to mills to bulldoze their infrastructure. Some live in hope that a change of government will see a reversal of the decision. “Lazarus, please give us inspiration” they cry! The implications of what has happened in WA are serious. Anti-logging forces in other States will no doubt be watching closely. The Andrews Labor government in Victoria announced a shut-down of native timber harvesting to take effect in 2030, leaving enough time for a new State government to step up and right the ship. Green forces in NSW and Tasmania are also pushing to shut down sustainable timber harvesting. They must be opposed at every opportunity. Fortunately, both Liberal and Labor at a Federal level are maintaining their support for the native timber industry. And, as Dr Karl would say, even though

Australian Forests & Timber News June 2022

humans tend to base their thinking on emotion and tribal loyalties, its vital that we take heed of what foresters and forest scientists say about forest management. *John Clarke is a West Australian forester who worked for the State forest agencies for 36 years before embarking on private work for the forestry and timber industries in WA as “JC Forestry”. He is a former chair of the WA Division of Forestry Australia, a member of the Leschenault Timber Industry Club, an active member of Birdlife Australia and vicechair of the pro-prescribed burning lobby group the Bushfire Front”. John Clarke is a West Australian forester who worked for the State forest agencies for 36 years before embarking on private work for the forestry and timber industries in WA as "JC Forestry". He is a former chair of the WA Division of Forestry Australia, a member of the Leschenault Timber Industry Club, an active member of Birdlife Australia and vicechair of the pro-prescribed burning lobby group the Bushfire Front. John Clarke is a West Australian forester who worked for the State forest agencies for 36 years before embarking on private work for the forestry and timber industries in WA as "JC Forestry". He is a former chair of the WA Division of Forestry Australia, a member of the Leschenault Timber Industry Club, an active member of Birdlife Australia and vicechair of the pro-prescribed burning lobby group the Bushfire Front.

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Australian Forests & Timber News June 2022

News

RFA inquiry ‘deceived’ by State Government T Philip Hopkins

Subsequently, the Andrews Government also paid no regard to their obligations under the RFA. HE Andrews Government “The Andrews Government condeceived the inquiry to modtinues to lie when it claims the RFA ernise the Regional Forest supports the closure of the native Agreements and ignored its obligaforest industry,” he said. The modtions to the native timber industry ernised RFA documents clearly under the RFAs, according to the stated that the purpose and objecState Opposition spokesman on fortives of the RFA remain unchanged estry, Gary Blackwood. – to balance environmental, ecoMr Blackwood, the Member for nomic and social uses and values of Narracan, said the Government dekey forest regions. cided to close the native forest in“The major intent of the RFA is dustry in early 2018 before the RFA Gary Blackwood to maintain an ongoing commitprocess even began in early 2019. lington Shire, after more than two ment to enhance timber industry “Their decision has no scientific years of requests and appeals, employment and development,” Mr basis and was made purely on poshowed that the Premier opted for Blackwood said. litical grounds as the timing of the the 2030 phase-out in a two-page RFAs included three core eledecision uncovered by Wellingbriefing paper that he signed on ments. Along with ecologically suston Shire’s Freedom of InformaApril 9, 2018, titled Native Forestry tainable forest management and tion request clearly indicates,” he Industry Transition Approach. an extensive conservation reserve said. “The decision taken prior to The Government replied to WT system, a core aim of the RFAs was the 2018 election was deliberately that the March 2028 brief did not a commitment to enhance timber made at that time to appease the recommend the adoption of a polindustry employment and developGreens Party and activists and lock icy by the Victorian Government. ment. in their preferences before the 2018 The forest plan to transition the This included 20 years’ certainty election.” industry to plantations was anof access to forest resources, an emThe Government’s decision to nounced on November 6, 2019. phasis on downstream processing, “exit” the native forest industry by Mr Blackwood said the closure desupport for innovative and interna2030 was revealed in The Weekly cision was clearly made before the tionally competitive forest products Times. The WT reported that WelRFA process began in early 2019. that are economically sustainable and provide social and economic benefits. Mr Blackwood said there was no specific recommendation in the updated RFAs to close the Victorian native forest industry. Even the RFA scientific advisory panel, which included anti-forest academic David Lindenmayer, only acknowledged uncertainties about future wood supply due to climate change and fire. This precluded commitments to fixed long-term wood availability. “The Andrews Government have no scientific basis for closing the Industry. The native forest industry and threatened species have coex-

•

isted for over a hundred years and current numbers and sightings do not justify destroying a legitimate industry and the futures of hardworking timber families,” he said. Mr Blackwood pointed out that the independent report on the modernised RFA agreements was published in December 2019 – one month after the Andrews Government announced the unilateral closure of the industry. The modernised RFAs were signed by the Victorian and Federal Governments in March 2020. One timber industry source the Federal Government was forced to sign because otherwise, the native forest industry would not have had the protection that the RFAs give it under the EPBC Act (Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999). The Andrews Government maintains that the modernised RFAs support the closure of the native forest industry, but the Federal Government strongly argues for the retention of the Victorian native forest industry. Mr Blackwood said the Federal Government, Liberal or Labor, must use the RFAs to bring Victoria and Western Australia back into line with their obligations under their respective RFAs and give this sustainable industry a secure future. “Both State Labor Governments have acted totally irresponsibly by ignoring the impact of their decisions on the economy of regional towns, the domestic supply of hardwood timber to the construction industry and the devastation imposed on the environment of other countries who will increase harvesting to meet international demand with no intention of replanting,” he said.

Cadet Forester Program positions open APPLICATIONS are now open for the 2023 Cadet Forester Program and will close on November 11. There are currently five Cadet Forester Program Australian School based Apprenticeships (ASbA) available in Tasmania in 2023 for students who are currently in Year 10 or 11 (Year 11 or 12 in 2023). To apply for one of these positions use the application form online at www.arbre.net.au or to receive an application form or job description via email and for further details contact hub@arbre.net.au The Cadet Forester Program has been developed to overcome the 12

Australian Forests & Timber News June 2022

shortfall of Professional Foresters currently needed to work in Tasmania’s forest industry. Trainees commence on an Australian School based Apprenticeship for Year 11 & 12 students. Trainees will be directly employed by individual companies, or by a group training organisation for shared work placements. Trainees will work towards achieving a Certificate IV in Forest Operations within four years of employment – subject to annual performance based reviews by respective employers and training providers. www.timberbiz.com.au

OUTRUN™ THEM ALL. GET MORE DONE, MORE EFFICIENTLY. The John Deere G-Series Forestry Swing Machine will redefine your expectations about what a swing machine can accomplish. With eight models rated from 28 to 48 tonnes, all featuring robust undercarriage and mainframe, upsized swing bearings, reliable John Deere engines and superior hydraulics, their capabilities are industry-leading. And so is the operator comfort. The spacious cab boasts plenty of legroom and is isolation mounted to reduce noise and vibration, significantly reducing fatigue. Plus attention to ergonomics provides precise fingertip control with less movement or effort. There are even creature comforts like climate control and a heated/cooled seat. Find success in the forest with a John Deere G-Series Forestry Swing Machine.

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Milestones

60 years of hauling logs in Gippsland D AVID “Daisy’’ Siddle was 17 when he carted his first load of logs into the APM in Morwell as a private contractor. Admittedly he had to have a licenced driver sitting beside him. “When I had my own trucks we’d go through the bush and pick the wood up stump by stump. Blokes would cut it and you’d have to go through and cut a track through the bush and then pick up all your wood “We’d do that nearly every Sunday or Saturday picking up six foot billets by hand,” he said. At 77, Daisy still carts logs. He now drives trucks for ANC Forestry in Morwell and every morning he starts his T909 Bdouble at around 1am and begins his work for the day carting 4-5 loads of logs into local mills. ANC Forestry has a fleet of 36 trucks including 14 B-doubles, eight twin steers and 14 singles carting plantation and native timber logs throughout Victoria and supplying local mills and export markets. The company also has harvest crews working across the Latrobe Valley and East Gippsland specialising in mechanical harvesting and processing of plantation and native timbers using modern machinery. “We are proud to have Daisy and his 60 years of experience working for us,” ANC workshop manager Jakson Elfring said. “Daisy’s lifelong career shows just how much our timber industry means to people and how it has supported families for generations. I asked Daisy about this yesterday and all he replied was “I wish I was 35 so I could do it all over again, I would be carting timber everywhere.” ANC Forestry Group Pty Ltd was formed in late 2006 when two Canadians and the Sargison family from NZ purchased two cable logging operations and four trucks from Cable Logging Ltd in Morwell Victoria to work for HVP Plantations. The name ANC stands for Australia, New Zealand, Canada. For Daisy, much has changed in the 60 years he has been driving log trucks. “I started when 17-years-old,” Daisy said. “I had my own truck then but I couldn’t drive it

Siddle with his wife Kath and Daisy’s •77“Daisy” • “Daisy” and Kath with one of his early trucks. Birthday cake in the ANC Forestry sheds. th

for a couple of weeks until I got my license so I’d have to have a licenced driver beside me.” He was carting out of Erica for APM with a petrol Acco and a Perkins-engined Dodge. Now he drives a truck with heaters, air conditioning, power steering, automatic gearbox and good brakes.

Australian Forests & Timber News June 2022

Daisy has been lucky in not having had to battle protestors. But he concedes the timber industry is “finding it a bit hard at present”. “The protestors make it very hard,” he said. “But you’ve got to get timber for houses and where are they going to get it from?”

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H225E H225E Eucalyptus is no match for the purpose-built H225E. Specifically designed for single-pass debarking,

Eucalyptus is no match for the purpose-built H225E. Specifically designed for single-pass debarking, this powerful, high-capacity harvester head productively dominates in the harsh application. this powerful, high-capacity harvester head productively dominates in the harsh application.

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Tasmania M & J Gray Mechanical Kearney Contracting

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New South Wales R & D Forest Services T & L Ferguson

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Harvester Heads

Celebrating a long history among the trees

HIRD-GENERATION family business the Padgett Group, has a long history in the forestry industry. “Dad started in the forestry industry before I was born. He basically devoted his entire working life to the forestry industry and only retired at the age of 86”, Ken Padgett, whose father Andy Padgett had a great presence in the Australian forestry industry, said. After a long career in forestry Andy Padgett received the Australia Medal for his contributions to the industry. Ken reflects on his entry into the forestry industry. “I started in the industry with my own log truck as an owner driver 43 years ago,” he said. “The business has grown from that to include both logging and transport. I believe one of the reasons I’ve developed my business to the level I have is thanks to my dad and his name in the industry – it opened a lot of doors for me.” Today Ken runs the business together with his sons Kenneth and Oliver. Around 90 people are now employed by the Padgett Group. About 75 of those are in Tasmania and 15 in Victoria. “Most of our logging business is done in Victoria by 16

our companies North East Wood and Ten Mile Developments,” he said. ”I’m based in North East Victoria in Myrtleford and look after our Victorian operations. “My sons run the business in Tasmania which is predominantly log haulage and also pine bark processing, woodchip cartage, sawdust and other waste products cartage, site prep operations and harvesting of hardwood plantations. The Tasmanian operations are based in Scottsdale in the north of the state,” Ken said. “The Tasmanian truck fleet is quite substantial with modern and sophisticated trucks. The haulage business is very diverse and cart virtually every bit of waste out of the sawmill in Georgetown, we also transport Koppers Wood Products around the state.” The logging business specialises in steep country logging including cable logging and thinning operations. North East Wood operates five purpose-built Tigercat levelling machines. The first LH830C was purchased in 2016 and has grown to include an additional four Tigercat LH822D machines in the short time since then. Around 18 months ago Ken purchased a Tigercat LH822D Harvester fitted

with a Tigercat 575 Harvesting Head. “Onetrak organised a demonstration of the Tigercat LH822D and 575 to allow us to compare the Tigercat head to other harvesting heads,” Ken said. The 575 is the first Tigercat head in the Padgett Group fleet. “It had some great design features that caught my eye–especially the hose layout is a stand-out feature. I also liked the build quality and components such as the knives and wear quality. It was clear from the demo that it was a very well-built head,” Ken said. “The machine we bought has 3,000 hours on it now and we haven’t had to replace a single hose on the harvesting head. That is just outstanding and a testament to the hose layout. The head has been extremely reliable and I’d say the knives probably lasts twice as long as on other heads. The 575 (23”) is a heavyduty harvesting head specifically designed to match the high-performance capabilities of Tigercat carriers. With independent knife arms, the 575 harvesting head excels in tough timber with large limbs and poor stem form. “Most of the time the 575 is working on the cable, operating where we skid

the logs to it and working out of a heap. We occasionally also do at-stump-harvesting with it. The 575 is perfect for the application we are working in and perfect for the timber size. It’s definitely on par with other heads of the same size”, Ken said. “I have a lot of faith and trust in the Tigercat brand which made the decision to buy the head easier. The Tigercat build quality is very impressive so I know what I can expect from Tigercat products. “The aftersales support is good from Tigercat and Onetrak. However, when you buy reliable, high-quality equipment, aftersales becomes less important. The uptime of the LH822D and 575 has been exceptional so we haven’t had to lean on Tigercat or Onetrak for support.” Ken considers the main contributing factors when purchasing machines “When deciding what equipment to purchase it’s all about the specific job requirements – the best piece of equipment suited to the application. Our job sites are steep and tough. I want the gear that is going to work all day, every day. The Tigercat equipment is up for the task”. Ken said Onetrak was a Tasmanian family business “just like ours”.

Australian Forests & Timber News June 2022

“I have had a long-term relationship with David Hazell and his family. I knew his grandfather Don Hazell and I know David’s father Robert Hazell. Shane Ricardo from Onetrak is also a great guy–great to deal with – we have a strong business relationship but also a personal friendship. “The same goes for Tigercat. I have met Ken MacDonald from Tigercat several times and visited the factories. Ken MacDonald is terrific. “My dad was in forestry before me and built longlasting relationships. These types of relationships are very important to me,” he said. Onetrak is the national dealer for Tigercat providing a network of sales, service and spare parts support across Australia. Tigercat also employ three factory trained Product Support Representatives in Australia providing customers with additional technical support. To learn more about the Tigercat harvesting heads range or to arrange a demonstration please visit www.onetrak.com.au or contact your nearest Onetrak forestry representative. www.timberbiz.com.au

Harvester Heads

New releases from Tigercat As a part of Tigercat’s overall strategy to provide end-to-end CTL harvesting systems, the company has released the new 534 harvesting head. With a base weight starting from 1,380 kg (3,040 lb), the 534 is matched to Tigercat’s 1165 harvester and sized for optimal productivity in a 150-500 mm (6-20 in) stem diameter range. The 534 is a three-wheel drive head with a triangulated wheel arm design. Four cast steel knife arms, along with a fixed front and back knife provide excellent delimbing quality. The measuring wheel is hydraulically actuated for positive contact and reduced component wear. Diameter measuring is standard on the wheel arms and front knife arms to provide superior accuracy. The efficient hydraulic system is tuned for optimal performance with the 1165 harvester. The 534 is the first Tigercat harvesting head to utilize the new Tigercat D7 control system. The user interface is simple and intuitive, accessed with a large 305 mm (12

in) touchscreen display. Multiple system options allow for various levels of production reporting. And Tigercat has also released the LX830E track feller buncher with the latest features and upgrades, including a redesigned debris management system and an upgraded operator’s seat. The LX830E is a powerful and stable levelling feller buncher with a compact tail swing and a high performance closed loop track drive system, well suited to steep slope thinning and final felling applications. The updated E-series cab includes a new parallel action air ride seat with integrated heating and cooling. The reclining seat is fully adjustable with seat angle and seat extension adjustment. The wider seat cushion and lumbar support provide operator comfort all day long. The HVAC controls feature a new infinitely variable fan speed control, adjusted on the control panel or the machine control system touchscreen, adding to operator comfort. Multiple convenient storage locations with nets have been

Control freak?

added to the cab to keep items secure. A redesigned engine enclosure provides improved roof access for clearing debris. A boom slider also reduces debris build-up in hard-toreach areas. A hot shutdown feature has been added. This allows the turbo to suf-

ficiently cool before stopping the engine, improving turbo life. A larger, spring-assisted pump cover allows for easier service access to the hydraulic pump area. Hydraulic enhancements include quicker anti-stall response, consistent anticavitation flow and improved heat rejection.

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Australian Forests & Timber News June 2022

News Machinery

Ponsse’s new products for responsible forestry Ponsse launches excellent new products to improve productivity in sustainable harvesting. The new solutions have been developed together with customers, listening to their needs. The Ponsse Scorpion Giant harvester and the Ponsse Mammoth forwarder respond to the highest requirements of modern forestry both in terms of ergonomics and productivity. The Ponsse Scorpion Giant is only a giant in terms of productivity and power. The new harvester adds to the Scorpion product range, which was completely upgraded in 2021. According to customer needs, the Scorpion Giant was developed to have more tractive effort, which helps the harvester to be agile even in challenging conditions, including snow, steep slopes and soft terrain. It is in a league of its own when it comes to crane lifting power, also when handling larger stems. “Even though the Giant is the strongest harvester

IA - HEAD OFFICE Avenue, Point Cook ctoria, 3030 ndalls 0418 356 306

in the Scorpion range, the Bear is still our most powerful harvester overall. What makes the Scorpion Giant stand out is its versatility, allowing it to be operated at various sites, as it can be fitted with the PONSSE H6, H7, H7HD Euca or H8 harvester head,” Mattila says. Unique ergonomics Cabin ergonomics and usability have been one of the leading themes in Ponsse’s research and development in recent years alongside the development of safety. The Ponsse Giant has a one-piece windscreen that extends to the roof of the cabin, offering even better visibility for the operator and ensuring safe working in all conditions. The cabin workspace is like a practical and quiet office with a view, developed to support the operator’s comfort and wellbeing. The Scorpion Giant features many solutions familiar from the Scorpion product range that have been developed even further.

These include increased tractive force and a more powerful C50+ crane whose fork boom offers excellent visibility of the logging site.

The Scorpion Giant also features the unique active levelling and stabilisation systems familiar from other Scorpion models. The

Scorpion Giant is available with the highly advanced and modern Opti 5G system and the Opti 8 touchscreen computer.

TASMANIA 2 Gatty Street , Launceston , Tas 7212 Tim Paton 0437 541 154

SOUTH AUSTRALIA e (03) 9369 8988 17 Bodey Circuit, Mount Gambier Email VICTORIA -Web HEAD VICTORIA OFFICE- HEADSouth OFFICE TASMANIA TASMANIA Australia, 5290 andalls.com.au 8 Wallace Avenue, 8 Wallace Point Avenue, Cook Point Cook 2 Gatty Street Launceston Gatty Street, ,Tas Launceston , Tas David Herrewyn 0419 5942,043 randalls.com.au Victoria, 3030 Victoria, 3030 7212 7212 Peter RandallsPeter 0418Randalls 356 306 0418 356 306 Tim Paton 0437 Tim 541 Paton 154 0437 541 154 SOUTH AUSTRALIA SOUTH AUSTRALIA Phone (03) 9369 Phone 8988(03) 9369 8988 17 Bodey Circuit, 17 Bodey MountCircuit, Gambier Mount Gambier Email Email South 5290Australia, 5290 randalls@randalls.com.au randalls@randalls.com.au Web Web South Australia, David 0419 Herrewyn 594 043 0419 594 043 www.randalls.com.au www.randalls.com.au David Herrewyn

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News Machinery Ponsse Mammoth forwarder The PONSSE Mammoth forwarder, powerful in terms of productivity, expands Ponsse’s forwarder range to the new category of 25-ton load-carrying capacity. Equipped with the stepless Continuously Variable Transmission (CVT) system and the Ponsse K121 loader, the Mammoth’s sturdy frame structures and superstrong hydraulics ensure that large stems and heavy loads can be transported effortlessly, even in the most challenging terrain. In the PONSSE Mammoth forwarder, operator ergonomics has been addressed every step of the way. The new forwarder offers the highest productivity when driving distances are long. Less driving is required because more stems can be transported each time. One of the most prominent new features is the Ponsse Active Seat, developed according to forest machine operators’ requests. The new Active Seat improves usability, as it turns and follows the work environment according to crane movements, increasing the forest machine operator’s productivity. The Active Seat, developed by Ponsse, is only

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available for Ponsse forest machines. The Ponsse Mammoth can be equipped with Ponsse Active Cabin, an effective cabin suspension system with a simple structure. It helps forest machine operators keep going, even during longer shifts, by suspending any stress on the cabin. In addition to the Mammoth, the Active Cabin is available for the Buffalo, Elephant and Elephant King forwarders. The Mammoth can be equipped with a long rear frame, which enables the transport of oversized stems at plantations in South America, for example. The Mammoth features the largest load space in the Ponsse product range: 6.8 or 8.0 m2, depending on each customer’s choice. The Ponsse Active Crane is a loader control system for forwarders, with which the operator controls grapple movements instead of individual functions, allowing the operator to concentrate effectively on working with the loader. Active Crane is easily controlled using two levers, one of which controls the grapple height from the ground, and the other the direction of movement.

Australian Forests & Timber News June 2022

News Machinery

Low-impact forestry trialled

NEW type of forest machine is currently driving around the forests of Sweden. It combines a low-impact approach, increased productivity and an improved operator environment and is the result of a major cooperative project that has been under way since 2019. The concept machine is called Centipede and it has been developed by eight Swedish forestry compa-

nies and a forest machinery manufacturer. The machine is currently being test driven and the results are promising. Swedish forestry is facing major challenges and the issue of sustainability is the focus of attention. For this reason, Södra, Sveaskog, SCA, Holmen, Norra Skog, Mellanskog, Stora Enso and BillerudKorsnäs, as well as the forest machinery manufacturer Komatsu Forest,

have jointly developed the new forest machine for lowimpact forestry. With its innovative technology, the machine – called Centipede – is designed to ensure the most sustainable possible management of forests for both the environment and people. Centipede has been developed to meet the challenges of forestry and offers three important benefits: Lower soil compaction, increased productivity and better work environment. “This is a comprehensive project, in which the parties are taking a long-term approach to promote sustainable forestry. In the project, we have fundamentally challenged today’s technology and taken a step into the future,” says Erik Nilsson, CTO of Komatsu Forest. The machine is built to reduce the risk of ground damage, to increase transport speed and to reduce

whole-body vibrations for the operator. The machine has a newly developed forestry track system, with a large support surface to minimize ground impact. It also has a fully suspended chassis to handle uneven ground conditions, enabling the speed of the machine to be increased significantly without the corresponding increase in vibrations. With this newly developed technology, Centipede can be driven both on sites that are normally regarded as winter sites and on sites that are significantly impacted by precipitation. In addition to being able to satisfy timber supply throughout the year and thus provide better prerequisites for profitable harvesting operations, Centipede has a number of characteristics that will directly increase production. As a result of its innovative design, Centipede can move around the terrain signifi-

cantly faster and can carry a larger load than the Komatsu 855, which was used as the benchmark. Both of these characteristics create conditions for significant increases in productivity. In addition, Centipede has demonstrated in simulations that fuel consumption is reduced by up to 15 percent in soft terrain, which is also positive for both the environment and profitability. An extensive preliminary study was implemented and a new machine concept was developed during the project. The machine has been thoroughly evaluated through simulations and test drives. The comprehensive testing will continue in spring 2022 and decisions will thereafter be made about the project’s continuation.

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Australian Forests & Timber News June 2022

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Chippers News

Need for speed in the forest met with a fully mobile chipper W

HEN Grants Sawmilling in Narrandera in New South Wales wanted better portability for their chipper, they simply bought a new one, and mounted it on the back of the truck. “We had a Bruks chipper mounted on the back of an Eco Log forwarder for about five or six years,” Matthew Grant said. “But we needed a more transportable unit for quicker response.” He went for the 806.3 ST mobile chipper from Scan Forestry & Engineering in Tumut, designed to be used off road or at roadside, and mounted on the back of a

Volvo truck.

Grants Sawmilling Co is a family owned and operated company that originated in Lake Cargelligo, New South Wales in 1965. The family then purchased Ganmain Sawmill in Narrandera in the early 1970’s and still operates under the original licence issued in 1918. In 1979 the family purchased a mill at Condobolin which has now been operating for around 70 years. Since that time additional resource has been secured,

growing and securing the future of both our Narrandera and Condobolin sawmills. The company specialises in Australian cypress and controls all processes from forestry through processing, kiln drying and eventual delivery of the finished product to clients both in Australia and overseas. The806.3 ST chipper has a capacity to process fulllength trees and logs up to a diameter of 50 cm (Max. 40 cm for hardwood) as well as brushwood, but Matthew said it was largely used for residue. The 806.3 ST consists of

a highly efficient chipper with its own engine in a compact powerhouse. The chipping unit low weight and compact design make it suitable for installation on a variety of carriers such as trucks, trailers or hook-lift frames. “Because we work pretty much all over New South Wales, and we do a fully integrated harvesting operation, we wanted to be able to get from A to B fairly quickly, without tying up transport all the time,” Matthew said. “It makes a huge difference.” To ensure the most ef-

ficient chipping operation the chipping unit is electronically controlled a new Intelligent Mobile Chipping control system. The 806.3 ST is a very flexible machine and can be equipped with a number of accessories to fit different installations for example hydraulic pump to run the crane. Matthew said the 806.3 ST had a few variations over his previous chipper. “It’s a later model with a few improvements such as more horsepower, a slightly changed feeder arrangement,” he said. “It’s a better machine.”

MOBILE CHIPPER 806.3 ST Grants Sawmilling with its new Bruks 806.3 ST mobile •chipper at Scan Forestry & Engineering in Tumut.

• The new Bruks 806.3 ST mobile chipper in operation. This shows a working Bruks chipper in NSW, Australia.”

The mobile chipper model 806.3 ST is a wood chipper to be used off road or at roadside for the production of fuel chips from forest residues. The chipper has a capacity to process full-length trees and logs up to a diameter of 50 cm (Max. 40 cm for hardwood) as well as brushwood. The 806.3 ST consists of a highly efficient chipper with its own engine in a compact powerhouse. The chipping unit low weight and compact design make this chip pac suitable for installation on a variety of carriers such as trucks, trailers or hook-lift frames. To ensure the most efficient chipping operation the chipping unit is electronically controlled by our new IMC, Intelligent Mobile Chipping, control system. The 806.3 ST is a very flexible machine and can be equipped with a number of accessories to fit different installations for example hydraulic pump to run the crane. The simple and robust design combined with our customized configuration will give you the machine for your demands and ensure a smooth operation to a low cost!

www.timberbiz.com.au

Diameter chipper drum [mm]

800

Max diameter, hardwood [mm] 400

Infeed opening W x H [mm]

850 x 720

Capacity (m3/h]

100-200

Adjustable chip length [mm]

10-45

Power Scania industry [hp]

500

Max diameter, softwood [mm]

500

Weight complete unit approx [ton] 10-10,8

BRUKS Mobile Chippers are distributed by:

Scan Forestry & Engineering 196-200 Snowy Mountains Hwy, Tumut, NSW 2720, Australia +61 2 6976 5718 Contact: johan@scanforestry.com 0408 614 503 www.scanforestry.com

Australian Forests & Timber News June 2022

Mill Profile

Happiness, respect, and building partnerships Keith Smiley

A Korean presence in Australia’s rich and plentiful forest area around Bombala, is a step forward in good business practices, using high-tech machinery in saw milling. Dongwha (South Korea) is an international company with a reputation for fine finishes, in flooring timber, fibre making and structural timbers for housing. It was a good news story for the intrepid Dongwha, when they bought a sawmill in Lara, Victoria – but due to Black Saturday, among Australia’s all-time worst bushfire Disasters – the resource shortage caused a rethink by its owners. Dongwha eagerly searched for a more sustainable forest area, hence the move to Bombala in New South Wales. “We lost our resource in Lara in Victoria during Black Saturday bushfires, and this affected our resource,” said Arthur Jun, who is sales manager for Dongwha Australia. “We moved all of our facilities to Bombala as well as taking over Willmott Sawmills. Dongwha is a private company with its HQ located in Seoul, in the Republic of Korea or South Korea. Bombala is a nice, quiet town, with lots of nature-friendly environment,” Arthur added. The sawmill is situated in the high country, bounded by Cooma and the Great Dividing Range, smack in the middle of Monaro country, famous for its narrow and switchable politics. It was

• Arthur Jun at the Dongwha plant. a bold transition to relocate from Lara, but a necessary one, combining resource, know-how, and a long-term plan. Up to 100,000 cubic metres of treated sawn timber is produced at this mill, using European sawmill technology for transforming timber into decking, and H3 framing suitable for above ground outdoor buildings, H2 termite resistance framing, treated sleepers, landscaping and fencing. They have a large timber yard, a green mill, and many kilns that are powered by a biomass boiler using residue sawdust from timber cut. Much of their focus over the past five years has been on this facility. They teamworked with consultants, Wood Beca, who helped solve potential operational issues ahead of production; involving design teams and

• Drone view of Dogwha’s facility in Bombala. 22

a construction monitoring presence, to create a smooth upgrade. The new sawmill received government subsidies as a means of improving the regional economy. “We invested over $60 million to the project, also designing a treatment plant so that the radiata pine we saw, could be fungus and termite resistant. We employ 120 people from admin to machine shop workers,” said Arthur. Dongwha’s vision is to create ‘happiness, respect people and to build partnerships’. The company was established in 1948, and has diversified from wood product to after sales products in other directions, although its core business is timber. “We have the latest HewSaw machinery which has multiple functions of speed and single pass capability

to curve sawing of smaller logs, with each cut following the grain, adding to the mill productivity,” said Arthur. Arthur Jun was born in South Korea, went to high school in Auckland, New Zealand and studied computer science at the University of NSW. “It was a coincidence to go into the timber industry. You never know where you will end up. Dongwha is a solid company, selling mostly to New South Wales, Victoria and Queensland. Our timber is grained and most of our product is cut and treated, but our other business overseas is involved in manufacture, with facilities in Vietnam, Malaysia and Indonesia, apart from what we produce in Korea. “Our contract with Forests NSW, ends in mid 2030s, 25 years after the Willmott signing. While we are not one hundred percent sure of which lines we might add, we have been stabilising our most recent investment with termite treatment products. We are just tossing ideas for the next profitable product line. It was a tough time during the bush fires and Covid. Christianity is very important part of my life and I am driven by these principles which come from the bible. I like to be helpful to others, I’m there for them.”

Australian Forests & Timber News June 2022

Looking Back 2019 SEVEN staff have been welcomed at Tumut’s Blowering Nursery to assist with Forestry Corporation of NSW’s annual pine seedling dispatch. This brings the local nursery workforce to 17 who manage a critical step in the forestry cycle. Forestry Corporation’s Plantation Improvement Manager Phil Green said the new recruits would be grading, packing and loading seedlings bound for state-owned pine plantations around NSW until the middle of September. “Over the May-September period each member of the Blowering Nursery team will handle almost 600,000 seedlings as the team sorts through the nine million cells sown,” Mr Green said. 2016 THE QUEENSLAND timber industry has called on the Queensland Government to ensure forestry biomass is fully utilised and promoted in the State’s renewable energy future. Timber Queensland Chief Executive Officer Mick Stephens said, “Bioenergy already represents over 65% of the State’s renewable energy output, mostly from the use of bagasse from the sugar industry. Biomass from timber processing such as sawdust and forestry waste can also offer significant potential to further contribute to the States renewable energy future.” The Queensland Minister for Energy and Biofuels Mark Bailey has announced the release of an Issues Paper into assessing pathways to a 50% renewable energy target for Queensland by 2030. 2011 A NEW online tool for managing spotted gum forests is now available for private landholders to calculate their land’s carbon, timber and grazing productivity. The online resource works as a calculator using specific data related to spotted gum native forest sites in Queensland and northern New South Wales. The spotted gum productivity tool and a comprehensive user guide are available as a free download from the forestry section under Plant industry tools at http://agbiz.business.qld.gov.au www.timberbiz.com.au

Machinery

Logset's smaller hybrid harvester L OGSET has launched a new smaller hybrid harvester: the Logset 8H GTE Hybrid. It is the company´s second hybrid harvester model after the world´s biggest wheel-based harvester, the Logset 12H GTE Hybrid, was successfully launched in 2016. “When we launched the first hybrid harvester, people were fascinated by the major step taken by Logset,”

Vice-President of Sales Pascal Réty said. “The success of the Logset 12H GTE Hybrid is based on an amazing technology that responds to the needs of modern forestry. “Three years later, the demand for sustainable, productive and economical solutions is higher than ever, and Logset’s technology is ready for smaller machines,” he said. “Logset is committed to

Independent advisor to the world’s forest and agricultural industries

delivering credible solutions that drive the entire forest machine industry forward. This new product launch is an investment we strongly believe in.” The new hybrid harvester model has an AGCO Power 74 LFTN diesel engine that conforms to Stage 5 EU emission regulations. The hybrid system’s two main parts are the electric motor and the super capacitators used as energy stor-

age. The hybrid system provides up to 100 kW of additional power. The hybrid harvester reaches higher productivity through a faster torque response, which allows the machine to easily perform several tasks at the same time. The engine load is kept constant, which reduces emissions per felled cubic meter. “This hybrid model is suitable for several market ar-

Margules Groome are independent consultants to the forestry, wood products, bio solutions, pulp & paper, and agriculture sectors. Our unique combination of forest management and consulting skills, deep industry knowledge and technical know-how, enables us to provide a wide range of expert services. These include forest valuation and transaction due

eas, and it can be equipped with a Logset TH65 or TH75 harvester head,” Mr Réty said. “The machine has lower operating costs compared to a regular harvester, which is one the main benefits of the hybrid technology. The fuel saving can be up to 30 per cent. Hybrid technology is clearly an important part of the future of sustainable forestry.”

diligence, sales advisory services, analysis and advice for forest owners, resource planning and business strategy, markets and market forecasts, operations and tech solutions. At its core, Margules Groome stands for objectivity, impartiality and ethical business practice. Professionalism and integrity underpin everything we do.

margulesgroome.com 03 8199 7937 info@margulesgroome.com www.timberbiz.com.au

Australian Forests & Timber News June 2022

Classifieds

Sell your used equipment, advertise your tender, offer your real estate or find your next employee. For rates and deadlines call Gavin de Almeida on (08) 8369 9517 or email: g.dealmeida@ryanmediapl.com.au

FORESTRY MACHINERY FOR SALE 2015 895 Komatsu Forwarder - F38

2015 Tigercat 635D Skidder with a SGB7203

Serial: 8950000505 Hours: 14938

Attachment—S3

Price: $170,000 plus gst

Machine Hours: 9300 Serial Number: 6351271

Full service, oil samples and maintenance history

Price: $255,000 plus gst Full service, oil samples and maintenance history

2012 Valmet 890.3 – F32

2012 890.3 Valmet Forwarder— F33

Serial number: 8900031022 Hours:12952

Serial Number: 8900031231 Hours 15308

Price: $115,000 plus gst

Full service, oil samples and maintenance history. Comes with Tracks and spare tyre

Price $100,000 plus gst

2013 Tigercat LH855C with a 624C Waratah Harvesting Head - H30

2013 895 Valmet Forwarder— F36

Full service, oil samples and maintenance history

Serial Number: 8950000260 Hours 12910

Machine Hours: 12480 Serial Number: 85581123

Price $200,000 plus gst

Price: $330,000 plus gst

Full service, oil samples and maintenance history

2014 KOMATSU XT460L WITH A 398 HARVESTING HEAD—H32

2013 895 Valmet Forwarder— F35

Full service, oil samples and maintenance history

Serial Number: 8950000240 Hours 14032

Machine Hours: 9820 Serial Number A4053 Head Serial Number 1162

Price $185,000 plus gst Full service, oil samples and maintenance history

Price: $250,000 plus gst Full service, oil samples and maintenance history

CONTACT MATT FROM MANGAN LOGGING:

02 6336 0143 • 0429 650 593 24

Australian Forests & Timber News June 2022

www.timberbiz.com.au

Classifieds

NEW PRODUCT H215E debarking head suitable for Tracked & Wheeled carriers 15 to 25 ton. Priced from $94,738.00 Call Brendon for more information 0438 445 550

Waratah H215E Debarker

NEW ATTACHMENTS

Waratah 623C

Waratah H212

Waratah H219X

Waratah 616C SIII

Priced from $249,805.85

Priced from $138,303.00

Priced from $184,636.60

Priced $165,472.27

Waratah 622B SII

Waratah 616C SII

Waratah 618C Debarker

Fully rebuilt 622B SII Softwood spec. Priced from $204,000.00

Rebuilt with 6 months parts warranty. Priced from $100,000.00

Low hours with 6 month Warranty

Priced $122,500.00

Brand New TR100 Controller Priced $64,000.00

600 Series 10T Sprocket Kit

H425 60CM Top Saw Chain loop

WA134518 $399.00

F700106 $36.76

USED ATTACHMENTS

PARTS - New Ordering Site - partscatalog.waratah.com

PVM Manual Activation WA104404

$49.80

FL85 Saw Chain 45’ Bar WA114587

$219.00

*prices exclude GST and are valid for a limited period.

Tasmania South Australia Queensland Tas Auto Air Autocare Mount Gambier Champion Contracting MR & JA Gray Mechanical SE Forest & Hydraulic Ctr

Victoria C.F.H Hydraulics

New South Wales AB Diesel R & D Forest Services

Western Australia Waratah Bunbury

Contact Waratah Foresty Equipment on 03 9747 4200 www.timberbiz.com.au

Australian Forests & Timber News June 2022

Classifieds

Onetrak

FOR SALE

NEW LOGGING EQUIPMENT & CONSUMABLES 2 X 0.36 Heavy duty log grapples

Tigercat H822C Harvester with Waratah HTH618 $150,000 + GST

CBI Magnum Force 604 Flail Debarker $290,000 +GST

2 x Complete cylinders & seal kits to suit grapples 2 x Heavy duty rotators to suit grapples 2 x Heavy duty rotator links with pins 20 x 50ft rolls of ¾ harvester chain 10 x 100ft rolls of 404 harvester chain

All items offered as complete package.

Tigercat 845C Feller Buncher $175,000 + GST

Tigercat LS855C Shovel Logger $295,000 + GST

Valmet 425EXL Feller Buncher $49,950 + GST

Tigercat H860C Harvester with Waratah HTH622B or HTH624C $155,000-$175,000+ GST

Tigercat E625C Skidder $155,000 + GST

Rotobec Forwarder Grapples From $5,700 + GST

$15,000

+ Freight & GST

For more info and pic’s

Ph or txt Martin: 0474 73 7309

Classifieds advertising has long been regarded as one of the best value for money forms of advertising — because it’s been proven to work, time and time again Now you can sell your used equipment, advertise your tender, offer your real estate or find your next employee through the new classified pages of Australasian Timber Magazine.

COMING SOON!

Tigercat 1075C Forwarder $312,500 + GST

COMING SOON!

CAT320DFM Harvester $145,000 +GST

Tigercat 1075C Forwarder $287,500 +GST

Tigercat 570 & 575 Harvesting Heads Available for immediate delivery!

Valmet 890.3 Forwarder $137,500 +GST

Waratah HTH624C $55,000 + GST

1300 727 520 www.onetrak.com.au

BOOK TODAY

Contact Gavin de Almeida at (08) 8369 9517 or g.dealmeida@ryanmediapl.com.au

Australian Forests & Timber News June 2022

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Classifieds

www.timberbiz.com.au

Australian Forests & Timber News June 2022

725D 745D 755D

Zero Tail Swing Komatsu Forest has expanded the TimberPro track range in Australia and New Zealand to include the new 'D' Series zero tail-swing levelling and non-levelling models. They can be supplied with feller-buncher or harvester boom sets and feature many beneﬁts for logging contractors: • New Larger Cab for operator comfort • Lohmann ﬁnal drives for high tractive force • Market Leading levelling with 28 degrees forward / 24 degrees side • Cummins QSL 8.3 333hp Engine (Tier 3)

The Crawford history has led the way in forest track machines.

www.komatsuforest.com.au

Komatsu Forest Pty Ltd. 11/4 Avenue of Americas Newington NSW 2127 Australia T: +61 2 9647 3600 E: info.au@komatsuforest.com