Bank slammed for dropping Tas forestry contractor
The Bendigo and Adelaide Bank has been slammed over its decision to withdraw its longstanding support for Tasmanian forestry contractor T P Bennett & Sons and drop them as a customer on “ESG (environmental, social, and governance) grounds”.
The Australian Forest Contractors Association has chosen to end its business relationship with the bank because of the decision.
“The community banking credentials are why AFCA was pleased to use Bendigo Bank as our financial services provider,” AFCA general manager Tim Lester said.
“On the basis of this ESG policy the AFCA Board has chosen to end our business relationship,” Mr Lester said.
TP Bennett and Sons have been logging in Tasmania for five generations. The farm at Ranelagh has been in the family since European settlement, and business manager Tammy Price’s daughter Meeghan is now working in coupes her great-grandfather used to tend.
Mrs Price told The Mercury in Hobart that in 2022 she started trying to get refinancing from Bendigo Bank for some of the company’s plantation equipment. After a back and forth between the local branch and higher ups, the loan was denied.
“Because our income comes from native forestry they said no, we can’t help you,” Mrs Price - a former Bendigo Bank board member - told The Mercury.
She invited Bendigo Bank to come to Tasmania and witness the sustainable industry and learn about the rules and regulations loggers have to abide by.
“Because our income comes from native forestry they said no, we can’t help you,” Mrs Price said.
She invited Bendigo Bank to come to Tasmania and witness the sustainable industry and learn about the
rules and regulations loggers have to abide by.
A Bendigo Bank spokesman told The Mercury in Hobart that Bendigo and Adelaide Bank does not comment on specific customer matters but assesses each application according to its policies, risk appetite and credit decision process.
“From time to time, the Bank has determined not to proceed with lending applications on the grounds that they fall outside our business writing strategy and balance sheet risk appetite.
“We know not all our stakeholders will be supportive of all our decisions,” he said, adding that decisions are made on balance and in the best interest of the bank and its broader stakeholder group of “customers, investors, or people and the community”.
Tasmania’s Minister for Business, Industry and Resources, Eric Abetz, said it was important that corporate Australia stick to the facts on native forestry.
“Tasmania’s forestry sector, with its mixed approach of conservation and active forest management, provides an exceedingly high degree of environmental protection and sustainability,” said Mr Abetz.
“We are blessed in Tasmania to have a sustainable, word-class native forestry sector that puts food on the table for thousands of families.
“The news that Bendigo and Adelaide Bank is looking to withdraw their support for Tasmania’s sustainable, world-class native forestry industry is disappointing and misguided.”
The Tasmanian Forest Products Association said the decision had caused many small forestry busi-
nesses to lose access to the quick finance they needed to keep their business afloat.
“By its very nature, forestry is an industry that requires large amounts of long-term finance. It takes years to successfully grow, harvest and regrow a forestry site,” TFPA Chief Executive Nick Steel said.
“By refusing to finance part of our industry, the bank is handing a slap-inthe-face to those employed and the families that rely on forestry in Tasmania.
“This is simply another form of greenwashing by one of Australia’s biggest financial institutions which ironically claims that helping communities
thrive is at the heart of what they do.”
In January last year leading forestry expert Rob de Fegely resigned from Bendigo Bank over its policy not to support the harvesting of native forest.
Mr de Fegely resigned from the board of his local Community Bank due to its parent Bendigo Bank’s policy of not supporting native forest harvesting.
Mr de Fegely, a former director of Margules Groome Consulting, chair of Sustainable Timber Tasmania and a non-executive director of Forestry Corporation of NSW, emphasised at the time that these were his personal views and not those of any of the organi-
sations he works for.
“Despite numerous exchanges with the chief executive, Marnie Baker, and the head of corporate affairs and ESG, they have not provided any justification for their policy, which is contrary to the United Nationals International Panel on Climate Change recommendations for managed forests,” he said at the time.
Mr de Fegeley said he had told the chief executive that finger pointing or cancel culture was an inappropriate way to resolve the complex challenges of sustainably managing Australia’s natural forests.
continued page 6
● Meeghan Price – who in 2021 won the Tasmanian Timber Awards Trainee of the Year award - is a fifth-generation family member working for TP Bennett and Sons.
JANUARY | FEBRUARY 2025
Issue 1 – Volume 36
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Victoria ill-prepared for catastrophic bushfires
In a commentary in the Latrobe Valley Express, Victoria’s Forest and Fire Management Chief Fire Officer, Chris Hardman stated that: “…you should know that Victoria is prepared and that our land and fire agencies have worked all year to reduce bushfire risk. We are prepared and ready to respond”. Source: Latrobe Valley Express
The truth is that Victoria is unprepared and is at risk of large catastrophic bushfires with potential to destroy life, property, livestock, environmental values and disrupt water supplies in both regional Victoria and greater metropolitan Melbourne. We risk a repeat of events like Black Friday (1939), Ash Wednesday (1983), Black Saturday (2009) and the Black Summer (2019/20).
This risk is primarily because our key fire agencies have demonstrably failed to implement adequate fuel reduction, have a track record of untimely fire detection and delayed initial attack and have often failed to mount fire suppression with sufficient force.
Chris Hardman talks up his agency’s fuel reduction on 90,000 hectares last year and 138,000 hectares of
bushfire in their southwest forest over the last 60 years).
Since 2009, our ‘responsible’ agency has been fuel reducing less than about 1.5 per cent of the forest each year.
public forest this year. To put that in perspective, the area of public forest fuel reduced represents only 1.2 per cent and 1.8 per cent respectively of 7.5 million hectares of public forest land.
This fuel reduced proportion is well short of the recommendation of the Victorian Bushfire Royal Commission, which called for fuel reduction on greater than five per cent of the forest each year (on a rolling average basis). Fire behaviour scientist in submissions and evidence to the Royal Commission, called for fuel reduction on eight per cent pa, consistent with the highly successful bushfire mitigation employed for more than 60 years in the forests of South West WA (only two lives lost to
Large areas of Victoria now have very high forest fuel levels (flammable dead bark, branches, leaves etc on the forest floor) of up to 40 tonnes per hectare. According to fire behaviour expert David Packham, the energy released by combustion in a bushfire of this amount of fuel (at about 10 per cent moisture content) would be about 680,000 megajoules per hectare, resulting in a very severe bushfire under adverse weather conditions.
This forest fuel load has the potential energy output of 14,000 litres per hectare of petrol, however, the forest fuel is potentially more dangerous than petrol because of the potential of burning bark shards to create new fires 10 to 20 kilometres ahead of the fire front.
Because of very high forest fuel levels, Victoria is a ticking time bomb.
The large 1.8 million hectares burnt as a result of Victoria’s 2019/20 bushfires has been attributed to in-
sufficient fuel reduction in the burnt areas in the years preceding the fire – only 0.6 per cent pa of the forest area was fuel reduced in prior years and the fuel reduced coupe size was too small and there was insufficient fuel reduction close to ignition points. Weather conditions and Forest Fire Danger Index were moderate for about two weeks after initial ignitions on November 21.
Other deficiencies included tardy fire detection, delayed initial attack (attack delayed to second and third day after ignition for two fires that went on to burn about one million hectares), and not mounting suppression with sufficient force, particularly early when fire weather was moderate and the fire perimeter was relatively small.
John Cameron (Dip Hort. Burnley, MBA Monash, and tertiary units in economics, mathematics and statistics) is a forestry and business consultant previously holding positions in general management, corporate development and research in forestry and forest products.
Banks must get back to basic business of lending
The decision by Bendigo and Adelaide Bank to withdraw its longstanding support for Tasmanian forestry contractor T P Bennett & Sons and drop them as a customer on “ESG (environmental, social, and governance) grounds” has attracted all the criticism it deserves.
ESG grounds have long been used by companies, especially those that lend money, keen to curry favour with the Left by denying businesses deemed to be on the wrong side of the
environmental ledger.
If TP Bennett is “shaky” on environmental grounds, how has it managed to survive in the forestry business for five generations?
It survived simply because it is environmentally responsible. If it wasn’t it would have gone broke generations ago.
News then that the Coalition is preparing a policy to stop banks from refusing
credit and banking facilities to perfectly legal industries on ESG grounds is a major development.
Writing in The Australian, columnist Janet Albrechtsen said that “staring down this modern fad, commonly referred to as debanking, is one step in the fightback against the hijacking of corporate Australia by tiny minorities of noisy but influential progressive activists.
“Ordinary Australians can only have cheered when Peter Dutton slammed Bendigo and Adelaide Bank,
and other banks, after the regional bank refused, on ESG grounds, to lend to a family-owned Tasmanian forestry business with a long history and track record,’’ she wrote.
“The real problem here is that the banks are effectively acting as the agents of unelected political activists who wish to impose their judgments on society.’’
If Mr Dutton plans to stick to his guns on this, then bring on the election,
MY VIEW
John Cameron
Exchange program to broaden young foresters’ fields
Apilot international exchange program between Canada, the UK, New Zealand and Australia has been developed to offer participants an opportunity to gain diverse perspectives as well as foster personal and professional growth.
Forestry Australia CEO, Jacquie Martin, said Australia is delighted to be part of a pilot international exchange program with the Canadian Institute of Forestry/Institut forestier du Canada, the Institute of Chartered Foresters, United Kingdom and the New Zealand Institute of Forestry.
“The pilot international exchange program offers a unique opportunity for emerging leaders in forestry and forest management to participate in a 3-month paid international work placement,” Ms Martin said.
“It allows participants to build global networks, exchange knowledge and gain hands on experience.
“Participants will be able to immerse themselves in a new environment, assisting them develop adaptability, broadening expertise, and collaborating on shared opportunities and challenges.”
Prue Crundall, Forestry Corporation NSW will be hosted by the Duchy of
Cornwall in the UK.
Ms Crundall said she is relatively new to the forestry industry and participating in this program will give her an opportunity to enhance her understanding of forestry practices, and expand her professional network.
Sean Boucher, of Sustainable Timber Tasmania will work with Strategic Natural Resource Consult-
ants, a trailblazer in forest management and resource consulting, in British Columbia, Canada.
Sean said he was looking to participate in this forestry exchange program to enhance his understanding of sustainable forest management and to view and learn different forestry techniques and practices.
“In addition, by opening their doors to young
professionals from overseas, Sustainable Timber Tasmania and Forestry Corporation of NSW are providing life-changing opportunities and showcasing the exceptional forestry expertise and innovation within their organisations,” Ms Martin said.
Australia will welcome Hope Rebonne from Canada and Alex Donaldson from the UK.
● Hope Rebonne.
● Alex Donaldson.
● Sean Boucher. ● Prue Crundall.
Union anger over Opal lockout
Opal took the unprecedented step of locking out more than 300 CFMEU Manufacturing Division production members indefinitely from their Maryvale mill in the Latrobe Valley.
This action was in response to seven workers taking a 6-hour work stoppage as part of a protected industrial action – the first by production workers in more than two decades.
Opal is currently engaged in Enterprise Agreement discussions with its Maryvale Mill production team members and the CFMEU.
The current production agreement expired at the end of December 2024.
In a statement Opal said it continued to negotiate in good faith with the CFMEU and its production team members. Industrial parties have been in bargaining since October 2024 and the CFMEU said Opal was aiming to strip ‘the hard-won wages and conditions of their employees’.
“We are focused on reach-
From page 3
Mr Abetz said he had written Bendigo and Adelaide Bank CEO Richard Fennell, to express his genuine disappointment and frustration at this misguided decision.
“Tasmania has a legal, renewable, and sustainable native hardwood industry from which we source timber and fibre, including high-value special species and appearance grade timber,” Mr Abetz said.
“Timbers for these uses cannot be sourced from plantation – if we do not produce them here locally, they need to be imported at great cost.
“This would see timber being imported from Malaysia, Indonesia, the Solomon Islands and South America – countries that frankly do not compare with Tasmania’s approach.
“What could be more sustainable than houses being built and furnished in Tasmania from sustainably grown Tasmanian timber
ing an Enterprise Agreement with our team members and the union that is fair and allows us to supply our customers with quality paper in an extremely competitive and evolving market,” Opal said in a statement.
“Unfortunately, given the protected industrial action taken and upcoming notified action by the CFMEU, which includes planned rolling shutdowns of the Mill’s infrastructure, we cannot operate our paper production facilities.
“We are disappointed to
harvested by local businesses? It simply doesn’t pass the pub test that a local bank wouldn’t be prepared to finance this type of activity,” he said.
“I’m proud to stand side by side with our forestry sector and will continue to support these businesses under our 2030 Strong Plan for Tasmania’s Future.
“Our Liberal Government will not be swayed by the views of mainland extremist groups which have a radical ideological opposition to native forestry.”
Mr Steel said the decision to end the availability of finance to Tasmanian native forestry businesses was misguided and seemed to be caused by pressure from radical environmental activists.
“This knee-jerk reaction from the bank and its shareholders is based on misinformation and fear drummed up by the usual extreme environmental activists,” Mr Steel said.
“The same extreme activists who routinely interrupt
announce that we have been forced to make the decision under the Fair Work Act to undertake a legal lockout of our production team members covered by the CFMEU Agreement.
“Given our commitment to good faith bargaining and the ultimate success of our Maryvale Mill, we remain confident that the Enterprise Agreement negotiations will be successfully resolved so that our team members can return to work.
“As has been well documented, the Maryvale Mill’s
our legal and responsible businesses.
“As a result, the bank is happy to abandon an industry vital to regional Tasmanian communities - just to protect its image from false accusations made to people in inner-city Melbourne and Sydney.”
Mr Steel also said that the bank’s decision to end finance for Tasmanian forestry businesses would have perverse environmental outcomes.
“While the bank is happy to stop investment in our sustainable and ethical native forest industry, they continue to finance the thousands of homes our country desperately needs,” Mr Steel said.
But without our Australian timber, these homes will have to be built from imported timber - from nations with less stringent environmental safeguards.”
Mr Steel has called for the bank immediately cease its discriminatory lending practices and let Tasmanian native forestry business
operations have been severely impacted by the loss of wood supply from VicForests and the subsequent end to white paper manufacturing.”
As a result, the site lost almost half of its production volumes and suffered significant and continued financial impacts and Opal says the new Enterprise Agreement needs to reflect these significant changes.
Opal said that the terms and conditions that were appropriate many years ago in previous Enterprise Agreements were not relevant to the Mill’s operations today, nor did they reflect the way Australian paper mills operate in 2025.
As a result of these challenges and changes to its operating conditions, Opal is seeking to make changes to its operations and embody these in a “simpler, fair and competitive Enterprise Agreement”.
The CFMEU says that Opal wants a ‘fair outcome’ but this seems to mean workers must start by giving up their
have access to finance to build thousands of homes with sustainable and ethically sourced timber.
Mr Lester said the position taken by Bendigo Bank was hypocritical on climate and community grounds.
“Bendigo Bank does not know our industry and has no interest in knowing our industry,” he said.
“But through this ESG policy they are passing judgement on well-regulated, well-managed, legal and sustainable Australian native timber operations,” Mr Lester said.
“The choice to not support Australia’s sustainable native timber industry is a choice to outsource timber supply and jobs to other parts of the world. It is a choice to sacrifice our opportunities for regulatory oversight and control.
“It is a choice to make the management of our public native forests more expensive and increase the risks faced by the environment, communities and taxpayers.
current conditions and Opal wants to increase employees ordinary working hours; reclassify their roles again; treat them like casual employees and remove checks and balances around rostering; crewing numbers and career progression.
Australian Forest Contractors Association general manager Tim Lester said timber deliveries to the mill had stopped, and the forest services businesses involved had received confirmation of Force Majeure.
“Our estimates and advice is that more than 120 people from contracting businesses will be directly affected, with flow on impacts for a large number of families and businesses in Gippsland,” he said.
“It is unclear how long the situation will last although the current expectation is about four weeks. However, there are likely to be further delays in timber deliveries recommencing as the stockpile of timber already in the wood yard clears.
“For Bendigo Bank this policy would have little impact. But for timber businesses and communities it is a kick in the guts from a bank that is supposed to be on their side.
“Even the local branches in our timber dependent communities have been caught out by this policy. To be clear, our timber industry supports high quality, sustainable regional jobs and better climate outcomes.”
Mr Lester said that active, sustainable management of the native hardwood estate was the best way to maintain healthy, biodiverse forests, support communities and create a valuable resource stream that was perpetually renewable.
“The biggest threats to the future of our forests are uncontrolled fire and climate change,” he said.
“Life cycle analysis proves that well managed production of native timber stores more carbon over time in products that people want in their homes and offices.”
● Opal’s Maryvale mill in the Latrobe Valley.
$13m pumped into fire protection for southern NSW
The New South Wales Government is pumping almost $13 million into southern New South Wales to help protect critical plantation timber in southern NSW under the Government’s Plantation Fire Protection funding package.
Funding has been endorsed for 15 local projects which will form a network of enhanced fire protection initiatives across the Murray region, including Greater Hume, Snowy Valleys, Cootamundra-Gundagai. Albury and Wagga Wagga LGAs.
Ranging from latest technology fire detection cameras to aerodrome-based water supplies for firefighting, the projects have been identified to collectively deliver the maximum fire protection, hazard reduction and response capabilities for plantations and communities in the region.
A panel of government and industry experts have identified the projects by analysing existing arrangements and identifying gaps and opportunities.
While the projects will protect plantation resources, they also provide increased protection for the local residents and businesses of the area.
“The 2019/20 bushfires
had a devastating impact on our communities and industry, with significant losses to plantation resources that are essential for the future of NSW’s
The 2019/20 bushfires had a devastating impact on our communities
rapid response suppression.
The projects will integrate the latest fire detection technology, enhance aerial firefighting capacity, upgrade critical fire trails, and establish additional water storage and transport facilities. These measures will not only protect softwood plantations but also provide increased fire resilience for residents and businesses in the region.
Key funded initiatives include:
• $1,100,000 for the upgrade of Ellerslie Range Fire Trails Program which are strategically important to protect at-risk plantation estates in the Snowy Valley which includes the Southern Cross Forest complex, Green Hills and Bago State Forests;
• $983,339 for the upgrade and maintenance of priority fire trails in Bondo, Bago, Carabost and Jingellic State Forests;
• $5,720,000 for Tumut Aerodrome, to improve water supply for aerial firefighting and the construction of hangar for fire suppression aircraft;
housing and construction sectors,” SWG Chair Dean Anderson said.
“This funding represents a proactive approach to fire prevention, detection, and
• $100,000 for two high volume trailer mounted water pumps for rapid refilling of water transport trucks and fire tankers, to
be housed in the Bondo forest depot and Ardrossan forest depot;
• $329,490 for a network of Remote Automated Weather Stations to provide data to the Bureau of Meteorology to inform fire preparedness and response across the region;
• $145,625 for firefighting water storages in strategic locations exposed to uncontrolled fires – for both private and public plantation land in the Ellerslie forests area to the west of Adelong, forest areas to the west of Humula, Carabost State Forest and Murraguldrie State Forests;
• $456,000 for two bulk tankers to transport firefighting water, to be housed at Green Hills;
• $387,106 for specialist tractor and mulcher, based in Tumbarumba, to undertake growth suppression and non-burn hazard reduction in key fire corridors;
• $1,537,800 for an all-terrain firefighting machine with water tank and high flow water pumps that will deliver large volumes of water in difficult plantation situations to be housed in the Tumut area;
• $828,139 to expand the
Great Koala Park process 'flawed'
The NSW Nationals wants the State Government to release all correspondence relating to the Great Koala National Park consultation process, after claims of serious conflicts of interest.
Unions have raised concerns the firm tasked by the National Parks and Wildlife Service to assess the park’s impact on timber jobs was also contracted by the Australian Climate and Biodiversity Foundation to provide advice on ending the timber industry altogether.
Nationals’ Leader Dugald Saunders said the allegations are extremely serious.
“The Minns Labor Government made an election promise to de-
liver the Great Koala National Park while protecting the jobs of timber workers at the same time, but what we are seeing here is another example of someone cooking the books.”
“Engaging Mandala Partners, an agency with a clear conflict of interest, tells me one thing – that the government was seeking a political outcome here rather than an environmental one.”
Shadow Minister for the North Coast, Gurmesh Singh, said industry is rightfully worried about Mandala Partners’ involvement in this process.
“This situation shows the government is trying to achieve a political
outcome here, rather than an environmental one,” Mr Singh said.
“The Minns Labor Government made a dual commitment before the election to deliver the Great Koala National Park while protecting the jobs of timber workers, but what we are seeing now is the complete opposite.
“We also want to know how much Environment Minister Penny Sharpe knew about this. She needs to come clean and tell our communities how she has allowed this to happen on her watch.”
Nationals Member for Clarence Richie Williamson said the flawed process is putting thousands of jobs at risk.
PSN (Public Safety Network) radio network for plantation workers, across the Murry region;
• $325,000 for three additional fire detection cameras on Mt Ikes, Table Top and Mt Flakney to complete the network monitoring the Murray Valley timber plantation estate;
• $220,000 for the Australian Fire Danger Rating System – which provides critical data to assess fire risk across the Murray region;
• $767,500 to upgrade of cabins in five fire towers to ensure early detection in Munderoo Fire Tower (Snowy Valleys), Tumorrama Fire Tower (Snowy Valleys), Burngoogie Fire Tower (Wagga Wagga), Kendall Fire Tower (Snowy Valleys) and Kangaroo Fire Tower (Cootamundra-Gundagai).
“The collaboration between government, industry, community and fire authorities has been instrumental in shaping these initiatives,” Carlie Porteous, SWG Executive said.
“We commend the NSW Government for recognizing the importance of this industry and taking decisive action to mitigate future fire risks.”
“The hardwood industry is the backbone of the North Coast, supporting more than 5000 families, who can’t afford to let a skewed system take away their livelihoods,” Mr Williamson said.
“On top of that we need to consider the impact the Great Koala National Park will have on the state’s crucial timber supply and the economic fallout for local sawmills and producers.
“No timber means no paper, no power poles and no construction materials to build the homes we are desperate for in the middle of a housing shortage crisis.”
AFWI appoints new executive director
Australian Forest and Wood Innovations has appointed Dr Joseph Lawrence as its new Executive Director.
Dr Lawrence’s 20-year career has specialised in research collaboration, innovation, and industry development. He has led initiatives across major industries including manufacturing, agrifood, energy, engineering, digital, and health.
His previous roles include Pro Vice-Chancellor (Strategic Partnerships) for Research and Innovation at Deakin University; Director of New Zealand’s Centre of Excellence for Electric Power; and Executive Director, Industry Recovery and Engagement and Executive Director, Strategic Skills Projects at the Victorian Government’s Department of Jobs, Skills, Industry and Regions.
Dr Lawrence holds a PhD in Engineering Management from the University of Canterbury, where his research focused on business models for collaborative research centres.
“Joining AFWI at this pivotal moment for the organisation and the forestry and wood products sector is an incredible opportunity,” Dr Lawrence said.
“My focus will be on strengthening partnerships between researchers, in-
dustry, and government to position AFWI as a leader in transformative, industry-led research.
“By advancing innovation and sustainability, we aim to deliver tangible benefits that directly support and grow the sector,” he said.
“I’m eager to collaborate with our partners to drive impactful outcomes that address the industry’s evolving challenges.”
Dr Lawrence’s appointment marks a new chapter for AFWI as it continues to drive transformative research and foster collaboration within the forestry and wood products sector.
Dr Lawrence will begin by meeting with industry representatives to discuss the state of the sector, opportunities and challenges the industry is facing, and how AFWI’s research can benefit the industry.
AFWI’s Board Chair, Bob Gordon, expressed his enthusiasm for the appointment, highlighting the rigorous selection process undertaken by a panel that included representation from AFWI, AFPA, and the University of Tasmania.
“After a thorough recruitment process, we’re thrilled to welcome Dr Joseph Lawrence as AFWI’s Executive Director,” Mr Gordon said.
“His impressive track record in fostering collabora-
Joining AFWI at this pivotal moment for the organisation and the forestry and wood products sector is an incredible opportunity
tion and delivering innovation makes him uniquely qualified to lead AFWI in achieving its ambitious goals.
“With the support of our Board of Directors and a team of expert staff, we are
confident Joseph will help shape the future of the forestry and wood products sector.”
Dr Angela Castles, Dean of the College of Science and Engineering at the University of Tasmania, also welcomed the appointment.
“We are very pleased to have secured someone of Joseph’s calibre for the Executive Director role,” Dr Castles said.
“He brings a combination of executive experience across universities, government, and industry, as well as leadership in research and development, innovation, and sectoral partnerships.
“His strong engagement skills and clear vision for AFWI give us confidence he will hit the ground running and engage with our impor-
tant industry partners early in his tenure.”
The Federal Government is investing $300 million in the future of the forestry industry, which includes over $100 million for AFWI.
“I am very pleased to announce Dr Lawrence’s appointment as the Executive Director of AFWI. Dr Lawrence’s experience and excellence in his field means AFWI is in extremely capable hands,” Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry, Julie Collins, said.
“AFWI has an important role to play in supporting research and innovation for the Australian forestry sector. Dr Lawrence will be a vital point of contact for industry, and provide direction and security for both AFWI and the timber sector,” she said.
AFWI head marks exciting phase for forestry research and development
The Australian Forest Products Association has welcomed Australian Forest and Wood Innovation’s newly appointed Executive Director, Dr Joseph Lawrence to the role ahead of what the AFPA sees as an exciting phase for forestry sector research and development.
“AFPA and the broader forestry sector are excited to have Dr Lawrence start as AFWI’s Executive Directo,” AFPA Chief Executive Officer Diana Hallam said.
“Dr Lawrence brings extensive experience in research, innovation and industry development
through an array of roles at universities, government agencies and across a number of industries, including manufacturing, agrifood, health, digital, energy and construction,” Ms Hallam said.
“Dr Lawrence’s appointment marks an important new phase for AFWI as it em-
barks on a program of transformative research that will help Australia’s forestry sector find new avenues of innovation and enterprise, at the same time the world is looking for ways to decarbonise.
“There are enormous opportunities for our industries to hone the scope of
use for sustainable timber and wood fibre – and AFWI has a central and exciting role in this space.”
“AFPA had a key role delivering AFWI and we’re looking forward to working with Dr Lawrence as he takes the reins to facilitate research and development that matters for the
Australian forestry industry. Part of the formula for success is to ensure local industry participation, so forestry can get the most from AFWI as a research and development institution for our futurefocused sector,” Ms Hallam said.
● New AFWI executive director Dr Joseph Lawrence.
● Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry, Julie Collins.
● AFWI’s Board Chair Bob Gordon.
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Hardwood timber advocacy earns its stripes
ADRIAN DOLAHENTY
Strong advocacy for the native hardwood timber industry in 2024 has led the way for a new strategically focused and tactically adept think tank focused on the benefit of the regions.
The Resources Energy & Environment Foundation (REEF) Resources Foundation’s Forestry Awareness Program has delivered a credible, focused and flexible political advocacy capability that has spearheaded the advocacy group and provided dividends.
The Forestry Awareness Program has provided credible research that has delivered a strong message of protecting fauna, prevention of catastrophic bush fires, protection of regional communities and jobs, delivering a positive political outcome in the process.
Reprieve
Throughout 2024, REEF Research conducted more than 70 political meetings in Canberra and New South Wales, a political site visit, wrote a Senate submission on the Nature Positive bills, produced media releases and wrote several letters to prosecute the case to save the sector.
By year’s end the Federal Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry and Small Business the Hon Julie Collins announced the Albanese Government would not be changing its policy around the selective harvesting of native timber. An outstanding initial win to build upon!
REEF Research Foundation Director and Program Chair Noel Atkins said the Minister’s announcement at the Australian Forests Product Association dinner in Canberra means the sector can continue to responsibly harvest native timber for housing, infrastructure, railways, mining and construction.
“REEF Research Foun-
dation was a part of a Coalition of the Willing to achieve this temporary outcome. This augurs well for REEF Foundation’s ongoing commitment to the sector through its focus on the protection of the environment,” Mr Noel Atkins said.
“The value of the industry for regional communities in NSW is now becoming understood by many on both sides of politics in Canberra and New South Wales.
“Managed forests are good for fauna, help prevent catastrophic bush fires and the $2.9 billion industry in NSW employs 8900 people directly and 22,000 indirectly. This is achieved with access to less than 12 percent of forests in NSW.”
Mission
REEF Research Foundation’s members are drawn from a diverse group across communities with a range of skills and interests, all with the common aim of bettering the lives of individuals and providing a basis for the growth and well-being of regional communities.
The Board of Directors has the responsibility to examine any proposals put forward, carry out the appropriate due diligence and consultations then recommend whether a particular project should be taken forward for further consideration. The non-profit organisation ensures all funds received are applied for the express purpose of the organisation in accordance with its objects.
REEF Research Foundation recognises the need to consider all elements that make up a good society, be it monetary, social and environmental, to ensure there is a balance that is acceptable to the needs of both current and future generations.
It harnesses the vast bank of knowledge available to it through likeminded people to bring
The value of the industry for regional communities in NSW is now becoming understood by many on both sides of politics
worthy nationwide projects both large and small to fruition. It is not the purpose of the organisation to develop projects to a commercial level or be involved in profit making schemes or projects, even though this may be the eventual outcome.
The aim of the foundation is to assist in creating the environment, awareness, and funding for projects. Where necessary, it encourages participation in feasibility studies that lead to projects being created that are of benefit to regional communities.
Burdekin-Murray Scheme Water Project
REEF Research Foundation is exploring the Burdekin-Murray Scheme as another project to work on with the objective of creating awareness of the significance of establishing a secure water supply and irrigation project for
future development of regional Australia.
It is hoped this will provide an opportunity for both government and private industry to consider the possibility of undertaking a full feasibility of the project, which if proven to be economically, socially and environmentally acceptable, can move to actual development. Other projects are being considered such as energy and its benefits for the regions.
Awareness Program
REEF Research Foundation Forestry Awareness chair Noel Atkins said its intensive political advocacy throughout 2024 that contributed to the Albanese Labor Government deciding to maintain the native hardwood timber industry in late November was a positive outcome for the advocacy organisation.
“REEF Research Foundation established biparti-
san political integrity with policy decision makers in Canberra and New South Wales to balance the facts when it came to the worth of the sector to the environment, the nation and regional communities,” Mr Noel Atkins said.
“The need for selective harvesting of native hardwood timber is a contested area, but REEF Research Foundation struck the right balance by presenting an industry that can deliver a sustainably managed product, while at the same time, highlighting its credentials in the ongoing protection of fauna and flora.”
REEF Research Foundation’s Forestry Awareness Program has had significant early success, which has the strong potential to help the foundation create, develop and implement other programs to benefit the regions.
● REEF Research Foundation board members: Top (from left): Mike Blake (Chair), Noel Atkins and Duncan McIntyre. Second Row (from left): Graham Mckenzie, Jeff Herdegen and Howard Ostwald.
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Trees on Farms
Leading the way in sustainable forestry and carbon-neutral farming
Alison Napier has taken a methodical approach to planning the best use of the land she operates across four farms in Tasmania’s Fingal Valley.
Her family farming operation spans four adjoining properties in St Marys — Harefield, Millbrook, Sunnybank, and Cullenswood — where she manages more than 5000 head of grass-fed beef cattle across 5500 hectares.
Now, Alison is diversifying her business — GH Napier & Son — by using land unsuitable for grazing for forestry and carbon farming projects after years of planning and successful grant applications.
These lands, a mix of valley floors and hillside native forests, receive between 1200mm to 800mm per year, have been in the
Napier family for four generations.
Her late husband, Alan, was deeply rooted in the family’s farming legacy, and today, their three children, Victoria, Henry, and Ned, contribute to the business in various capacities.
As one of three recipients of the $450,000 Stems for CO2 co-investment program, supported by the State Government’s Renewables, Climate and Future Industries Tasmania initiative, Alison is about to showcase how sustainable forestry and farming can be integrated.
“There has been forestry on a couple of the properties that were nitens plantations established by Gunns,” Alison said.
“The success of those plantations was varied, and over the past few years, we’ve returned some back
to grazing.
“However, some land is better suited to remain as forestry, and we’ve identified opportunities to integrate it back into our operation.
“Some of the native bush on the properties has been selectively harvested in the past.”
Under the Stems for CO2 program, nearly 250 hectares of commercial trees will be planted across the properties of Alison, Dougal Morrison, and Julian Devery in St Marys, Oatlands, and Riana, respectively.
The initiative not only aims to sequester significant amounts of carbon but also paves the way for long-term economic and environmental benefits for farmers.
The Tasmanian Government’s $10 million commit-
ment in 2023 to maintain the state’s net-zero emissions status has been pivotal, with $600,000 allocated to Private Forests Tasmania to co-invest with landowners in establishing plantations for forestry and carbon farming while helping communicate the benefits of growing trees to other farmers and landowners.
Alison has contracted Cross Cut Forestry Consulting to manage the establishment of 173 hectares of new radiata pine plantation across three of her properties.
This is also partly funded by a Federal Government Support Plantation Establishment 2023-24 grant, with plans to plant in winter 2025.
The project’s cornerstone includes incorporating 20 hectares of shelterbelts into the forestry initiative
on Harefield, Millbrook, and Cullenswood, alongside radiata pine plantations.
Shelterbelts provide a host of benefits, from protecting livestock against harsh weather to improving overall animal welfare.
“The chill off Ben Lomond isn’t very kind at times, so to have shelterbelts breaking the wind along the valley will be appreciated by my staff and cattle,” Alison said.
“Now that we’ve completed a large area of the return-to-pasture work, there is significantly improved grazing land and higher carrying capacity on the properties. This presents a great opportunity to provide a kinder environment for livestock.
“So, shelterbelts form part of that. Being able to incorporate them into a
● Alison Napier is using land unsuitable for grazing for forestry and carbon farming projects in Tasmania’s Fingal Valley.
forestry project is really valuable — it diversifies the business, makes the best use of the land, and provides many benefits.
“We are also looking to protect some of our cattle yards as they are very exposed, and the chill off Ben Lomond isn’t very kind at times.”
Beyond livestock welfare, these plantings will contribute to the property’s carbon neutrality.
The properties plantations are registered for carbon credits, known as Australian Carbon Credit Units (ACCUs), which are issued by the Clean Energy Regulator.
She engaged Landari to manage the carbon side of her project, with each ACCU representing one tonne of carbon dioxide equivalent stored or avoided.
“It’s important for our beef enterprise to retain these credits to offset our farm’s emissions,” Alison said.
“Carbon-neutral farming is increasingly important to consumers, and food wholesalers are willing to pay a premium for it.”
Recognising the complexity of forestry projects, Alison engaged Cross Cut Forestry Consulting’s Chris Ringk, a forestry manager with over 25 years of experience, to oversee the work.
“Chris has been invaluable in handling everything from site preparation to seedling orders,” Alison said.
“Beef is what I know, not forestry, so having his expertise has made all the difference.”
Site preparation has been meticulous. The land, which includes areas once used for mining, will be cleared of woody weeds and prepared through ripping or mounding, depending on soil structure.
Pre-planting spraying will control grasses and weeds, and biodegradable tree nets will protect seedlings from browsing animals such as possums and deer.
“Don’t be in a rush. Good planning is critical — it’s like putting in any other crop,” Chris said.
“Farmers sometimes underestimate the preparation needed for successful forestry projects.
“Good site prep, weed management, and browsing control are essential to avoid setbacks.
“It’s a real process, and it can’t just happen at the click of a finger.
Particularly nowadays, with machinery availability, there aren’t as many contractors with the right equipment to do the job, so you need to plan ahead.”
The weeds have already been sprayed once and will be sprayed again in April 2025 to kill any that germinate over summer.
“We will then use a chemical called Hexazinone, which is effective on blackberries and excellent for weed control in Pinus radiata plantations,” Chris said.
“You can spot-apply it straight over the top of the tree, and it will kill all the grass without affecting
the tree.”
ty, email admin@pft.tas.gov.au or call1300 661 009 for more information. There are plans to use trees to provide shelter for the exposed cattle yards.
Once the trees are planted at 1100 stems per hectare, Alison’s forestry project will require minimal maintenance after the first 18 months.
“They’re a set-and-forget project once you get on top of browsing and weed control, until it’s time to thin them at around 15 years,” Chris said.
“I’ll be removing about 50 per cent of the planted stock, and given that Alison is putting in about 100 hectares, it will make for a worthwhile and profitable enterprise when thinning occurs, depending on growth rates.”
Chris said Alison’s story stands as an example of how Tasmania’s farmers are leading the way in integrating forestry and agriculture to address climate challenges while strengthening their businesses.
He added that St Marys is an excellent location for growing trees, with higher rainfall compared to some parts of the Fingal Valley.
“The Fingal Valley isn’t a highrainfall area overall, but there are much drier places in Australia where radiata pine grows successfully,” Chris said.
“The valley already has around 15,000 hectares of commercial pine plantations established since the 1970s and 80s.
“It’s not a bad area for growing high-quality radiata pine, even on the drier ridges. The slower growth due to lower rainfall results in fantastic wood density and quality.
“Trees here tend to have excellent form, with small branches and very straight growth.
“So, while the growth might be slower compared to the North
West, you’re actually producing a premium product.”
If you are interested in integrating and growing trees on your proper-
Making the most of hoop pine in the rainforest
PAUL IAROCCI
Araucaria cunninghamii, commonly known as hoop pine, is a rainforest species endemic to the Australian states of northern New South Wales and Queensland.
The straight, cylindrical trunks yield a high-grade solid sawn clear wood well suited to floorboards, joinery and furniture construction.
Other key uses include plywood, veneer, mouldings and speciality uses such as the manufacture of musical instruments.
HQPlantations (HQP) manages 40,000 hectares of hoop pine in southeastern Queensland near Gympie, Imbil and Blackbutt.
HQP has a well-developed fire management program that includes fire-suppressing rainforest vegetation buffers and a network of fire breaks. Ideally growing on 40-50 year rotations, piece size is typically around two tonnes. Many of the plantations occupy steep terrain.
In April 2024, we visited an HQP plantation with harvesting operations conducted by Imbil-based contractor GMT Logging Pty Ltd. We found, amid the soaring hoop pines anchored to steep slopes, a full Tigercat harvesting system – LS855E shovel logger with feller director boom and 5195 directional felling saw, LH855E harvester equipped with the rugged Tigercat 575 harvesting head, and a 1075C forwarder – plus an excavator base for loading haul trucks.
GMT was formed in 1992 by Geoff Taylor.
“GMT Logging stands for Geoff and Marina Taylor. That’s my parents’ initials,” explains Managing Director Adan Taylor.
“I bought out the business in 2014 after my father had run it since he started up. He began in forestry in 1978 as a hand faller. That was back when the hoop pine plantations
were mostly thinning.”
Adan grew up in the town of Imbil, northeast of Brisbane. He explains that a large sawmill was constructed by a company called ACI in the early nineties, and sold a year later to Hyne Timber.
“Hyne bought this mill, and after a few months, they asked Dad if he would take on the principal contracting role. So, he basically purchased or consolidated all the harvesting that was going on at the time. That’s when GMT came about.”
By this point the hoop pine plantations had matured to the point that clear fell operations were commencing.
Evolution of a system
Initially GMT employed a motor-manual harvesting method, hand falling the trees and extracting to the roadside with skidders or dozers in the typically steep terrain. In the late nineties the mill changed its log specification from 14-metre lengths to shortwood. “So we bought our first processor in 2001, a Komatsu 30-tonne excavator with a big old 624 Waratah on it,” says Adan.
“We followed that up with a second one so we could have a second crew, and eventually we ended up with three crews. As we started to mechanize more, the option came up to mechanically fell the trees.
“We didn’t want to do that because we had eight or nine really good hand fallers employed at the time.”
Manually falling hoop pine is challenging.
“When it hits the ground, the crown shatters and it loses most of its branches. If we fall them downhill, that’s where they’d all end up, right down at the bottom. If we fall them uphill, we are putting the hand faller in danger because
the tree could come back down on them. So we used to have to hand fall on the contour.”
GMT’s first leveling feller buncher was a Valmet 445 with a Rosin felling head.
“We found it to be a game changer mostly because we could fall uphill, which meant that the top of the tree was now 40 metres up the hill,” Adan explains.
About the same time, new environmental rules had come into place that prevented GMT from skidding downhill.
“We bought some excavators and used them to pick the trees up and snig them uphill – sort of what you would call shovelling – but we started out with crabgrab style fixed heads. Quite often we would fall uphill and nearly be at the road, and the excavator could just lift the felled tree and spin it round. It started to save us a lot of time.”
Geoff managed to convince a couple of hand fallers to transition into machines and the company carried on for a while with both manual and mechanized falling. However, health and safety legislation in Australia tightened up, the hand fallers began to retire, and GMT came to rely less and less on manual felling.
“We slowly replaced all our hand fallers with feller bunchers, always preferring the [directional] felling head to a fixed one,” says Adan.
Eventually in 2009 GMT purchased its first Tigercat, an LH845C fitted with a Waratah HTH622B from Forest Centre, the original Tigercat dealer for Australia. In 2012 GMT purchased its first 855 base, an LH855C unit equipped with a Satco 630 directional head, from current dealer Onetrak.
The company has purchased sixteen Tigercat units over the years, including three LS855 units with 5195 directional felling saws.
This carrier ticks all the
● GMT Logging Managing Director Adan Taylor.
● Safety Manager, Dan Sweitzer (left) along with (married) operators Jason and Alison Crumpton.
boxes for Adan – a heavy duty, full tail-swing leveling carrier with good stability, along with a head that can fell and shovel into large piles at convenient infield locations for processing.
“As hoop pine is a unique, slow growing species, we have to process trees into a lot of products, up to twelve, and they all need to be kept separate,” Adan explains.
“There’s a lot of merchandising. Our primary product, probably 40% of what we cut out of a hoop pine, goes to the one sawmill based here in Imbil, as a partially pruned butt or a saw log. This mill produces timber for furniture, doors and cabinet componentry as well as internal mouldings. Due to its long internode spacing, hoop is mostly sawn into appearance grade timber.
The clear pruned butts are the most valuable part, a log that is peeled to produce a really high-quality veneer. After that, below 20 cm, are all the various condiments. We go hunting for whatever we can find for the various other mill customers including some export markets.”
The remainder includes landscaping poles, fencing and a pulp log that is used by MDF plants.
“They like the hoop pine because it’s dense. Mixing it with exotic pine chips from other HQP plantations lifts the strength rat-
ing of the plywood.”
Prior to adding the Tigercat harvesters, GMT used excavator bases for processing.
“We made good use of those excavator conversions for many years, but all they can do is sit at the end of that pile of logs and cut them up,” says Adan. Switching to a purposebuilt leveling harvester added many benefits to the operation.
“For starters, the dedicated hydraulics are more productive and efficient. It has also made the operators more productive because they are sitting nice and level in the optimal position to cut up trees into neat stacks.”
Another big advantage is it can fill in for the falling machine if it goes down. The purpose-built carrier also adds flexibility. On a small or lower production tract, Adan can split off a harvester and forwarder, creating a traditional twomachine CTL system.
Adan and his operators like the strength and feed force of the LH855E/575 combination. “There’s plenty of grunt to pull the trees through, even if they are downhill slightly.”
We watched operator Zane Jensen tracking from one heap of trees to another, all neatly shovelled and bunched by LS855E operator Jason Crumpton. Zane routinely processes 500600 tonnes per day.
Ever since the Imbil mill
switched to shortwood intake, GMT has run forwarders. Adan keyed into the Tigercat 1075 series and at this point the company has owned five B and C models.
“The forwarder operators need to be very organized and very good at keeping track of all those different log sorts,” Adan explains. “They need to know how much stock we’ve got of each product, to be able to respond when a truck comes in and wants a particular log.”
1075C forwarder operator Alison Crumpton is married to Jason.
“They’re brilliant. We are lucky to have found them,” says Adan. “Initially Jason and his father joined our business. Then Graham retired and Jason said, ‘Well, you know what? My wife is interested.’ So Graham and Jason trained her and she joined the business.
“Alison is the glue that holds that crew together. It’s just such a great working group.”
GMT’s three identical Tigercat harvesting systems are flexible and adaptable, resembling the full treeCTL hybrid model popular in eastern Canada – where a harvester follows behind a feller buncher, processing infield. The system has built in redundancies.
Every machine can perform two different functions, mitigating risk of production stoppage. In the event the loader
is down, Jason and the other LS855E operators are quite handy using the grapple tongs on the 5195 head to load trucks. The harvester can act as the primary falling machine. Even the 1075C forwarder can do double duty – loading trucks in a pinch. The last piece of the puzzle for Adan was rethinking the company’s tower yarding crew. Because the yarder could only extract about 150 stems per day, Adan couldn’t justify mechanized felling and so for several years he took it on himself.
“It’s the most dangerous hand falling situation you can possibly be in. It’s steep, and there is a lot of undergrowth, the worst of the worst. That’s why I did it for so many years, because I didn’t want to ask someone else to go and do it.”
In 2016 Adan embarked on a project to replace the Thunderbird tower yarder.
“I heard about this Harvestline in New Zealand. It had a carriage and grapple so we wouldn’t need a choker man. And I saw that the cycle time was only a couple of minutes. I thought if it can pull three or four hundred stems a day, now I can machine fall.”
GMT took delivery of the machine and it made a huge difference.
“80% of hand falling was gone, but we still had pockets that we couldn’t get the
feller bunchers on to. Then we found the tethering machines. And we thought that this might get us that last little bit.” The cable system can be strategically deployed to any of the three ground-based crews, eliminating hand falling and men on the ground, while adding flexibility in choosing deck locations to optimize hauling.
Advocacy
Adan trained as an accountant and spent twelve years in public practice. His transition into the family company began in 2004 when he took over the books.
Adan enjoyed his new working life but very much missed the client interaction from his accounting days.
“I got the opportunity to join the board of the Australian Forest Contractors Association in 2014 (he is currently AFCA chairman). I found that quite interesting. I enjoy doing what I can to help other contractors. A lot of it revolves around contractual negotiations and helping contractors to understand what their costs really are. The client interaction that I missed, I filled that hole with a bit of advocacy work.”
This article originally appeared in Between the Branches, the official publication of Tigercat Industries. Reprinted with permission.
● Jason Crumpton fells, shovels and pre-bunches large piles in locations within the cut block suited for infield processing. Adan has virtually eliminated hand falling from GMT’s operations with good felling machines and strategic use of winch assist.
BRIEFS
ETS charges
The New Zealand Government has confirmed a 50 per cent reduction to the annual charge for forest owners participating in the forestry Emissions Trading Scheme (ETS).
Carbon Forestry Carbon forestry initiative hits one million trees
The decision follows consultation on amendments to the Climate Change (Forestry) Regulations 2022, which proposed to reduce the annual charge from $30.25 per hectare per year to $14.90.
The new annual charge came into in January 2025, with invoicing beginning in February 2025.
Skilled visa program
The Australian Forest Products Association has raised concerns about changes to the Government’s new skilled visa program.
While AFPA welcomes the addition of some forest sector roles to the Skills in Demand Visa list, the decision to leave critical industry occupations including Forest Science/Forester off the Core Skills Occupation List (CSOL), is baffling, according to AFPA Chief Executive Officer, Diana Hallam.
Forestry Research Program
A Call for Proposals for the January 2025 Forestry Research Program is now open.
This program supports collaborative research, development, and extension (RD&E) activities designed to deliver measurable benefits to Australia’s commercial forest growers and drive industry innovation.
For more information, including application guidelines and templates, visit the Forestry Research Program webpage at https://fwpa. com.au/funding-opportunity/january-2025-call-forproposals/
Pests, diseases booklet
A new booklet ‘Common Insect Pests and Diseases of New Zealand Native Plants’ is now available.
New Zealand’s native species have a range of insect pests and diseases associated with them, many of which are native, common and not known to cause significant damage.
It is available to download or contact Scion’s Kiryn Dobbie for a hardcopy.
ATasmanian carbon forestry initiative has marked a major milestone, with more than one million trees planted on almost 1,000 hectares of land across the state, estimated to sequester more than 300,000 tonnes of CO2 from the atmosphere.
The ActivAcre program, delivered by Tasmanian plantation and natural asset management company SFM, collaborates with farmers to identify opportunities for them to lease land for tree planting.
SFM Managing Director Andrew Morgan said the local initiative allowed farmers to optimise their land and diversify their on-farm revenue, providing them with a reliable source of income.
“But of course the benefits of ActivAcre flow well beyond the farmer – plantation forestry is recognised globally as a key tool to mitigate climate change, capturing carbon in soil and vegetation,” Mr Morgan said. “Further to this, Australia
Plantation forestry is recognised globally as a key tool to mitigate climate change, capturing carbon in soil and vegetation
currently has a $4 billion trade deficit in wood products, yet we have a skilled workforce with world-class infrastructure and highquality governance, so we have a real opportunity to turn the situation around.”
Mr Morgan said across Australia, sourcing larger
parcels of suitable land was becoming harder, making aggregation essential, where multiple smaller land holdings are classed together to make one asset.
“With the successful completion of our first full year of planting and our 2025 program nearing capacity, we are now seeking expressions of interest from landowners for our 2026 planting” he said.
“We held an open ‘field’ day on the Bloomfield property in Gretna for interested landowners and farmers to learn more, ask questions and see a plantation carbon project first-hand.”
Bloomfield owners Susie and Michael Parsons signed up to the ActivAcre program earlier this year.
Susie Parsons said the seven-generation farming family was already benefiting from the financial return of leasing their land and could see the future opportunities it presented, both for their own property and for the environment.
“The additional value
proposition of planting trees is the creation of shade and shelter belts, which can increase pasture production as well as improving water efficiency, soil quality and reducing salinity, waterlogging and erosion,” Mrs Parsons said.
Mr Morgan said the futurefocused land management program worked closely with farmers to create unique and flexible agreements to maximises their land’s potential and ensure an ongoing, reliable income every year from planting to harvesting.
“ActivAcre is unique in that every aspect of the project, from initial enquiry to carbon project registration to final plantation harvesting, is managed by SFM’s local team of highly experienced foresters, land management professionals and carbon project experts, all of whom have a deep understanding of the Tasmanian agricultural landscape,” he said. Tasmanian farmers and landowners can find out more at: activacre.com.au
● Michael and Susie Parsons signed up for the ActivAcre program last year.
Nokian Tyres Forest King F2 delivers exceptional grip and durability for demanding forestry work. Designed for track use, it improves traction, reduces stress on tyres and bogies, and enhances puncture resistance with strengthened shoulders. Built for heavy machinery, it ensures reliable performance in the toughest conditions.
tyres4u.com.au/product/nokian-tyres-forest-king-f2/
Technology
LOOKING BACK
2022
The Victorian and Western Australian state Labor governments have failed to justify their native forestry closures with science after reportedly ignoring requests by the Federal Government for the data underpinning their decisions.
Forestry Australia wants the Western Australian Government to release scientific evidence in justification of its decision to end native forest harvesting, and late last year
Federal Assistant Minister for Forestry Senator Jonno Duniam, on behalf of the Commonwealth as a partner in the Regional Forestry Agreements (RFAs), wrote to the Victorian and Western Australian governments requesting they produce the science underpinning their announcements to cease native forestry operations in 2030 and 2024 respectively.
Senator Duniam later said he had received no reply from either state.
2019
VicForests finished 201718 with a net profit of $1.2 million, no debt and cash in the bank… evidence of its responsible harvesting and strong performance amid challenging circumstances.
CEO Nathan Trushell said VicForests had been committed to harvesting responsibly and sustainably, including making continuing substantial reductions to harvesting Mountain and Alpine Ash in response to the 2009 bushfire.
2014
Australian Paper, the largest private employer in the Latrobe Valley, has been recognised for its $90 million investment in a recycled pulp mill in Maryvale.
This major investment was recognised at the Victorian Association of Forest Industries’ 2013 annual dinner, where Australian Paper was the recipient of the Innovation Award.
The award recognised Australian Paper’s commitment to ongoing investment and innovation to keep manufacturing in the Latrobe Valley and improve environmental outcomes for the community.
Resi technology improves wood quality information
Forest & Wood Products Australia has released research which has significantly improved the accessibility and accuracy of wood quality information, providing softwood growers and processors across Australia with critical data to enhance their operations.
The research utilises Resi technology for early selection of harvest-age density and modulus of elasticity (MoE), allowing for precise predictions of wood properties and yield.
The Resi technology, as discussed in the research, refers to a resistance drilling method used to assess wood properties, particularly in softwood plantations. It rapidly measures the resistance encountered when a drill bit penetrates the wood, which correlates with the wood’s density and stiffness of trees, logs and forest plots.
The Resi tool is noted for its efficiency, being three times faster than other methods like the ST300 acoustic velocity measures, and it has been standardised for operational use across the industry to improve the accuracy and reliability of wood quality assessments.
This project has underpinned a transformation in the easy access to information about wood quality for softwood growers and processors. Resi data from preharvest assessments has accurately predicted mill site-mean board stiffness in sawing studies across multiple sites in Australia. It’s now a routine tool for many companies. The project is strongly aligned with the FWPA Strategic Plan and the focus on improving the resource base, as well as increasing productivity and utilisation along the value chain.
“I’m proud to have led a project that directly connects field-based log quality with the experiences of processors, delivering tangible benefits to the forest industry,” said Associate Professor David Lee from
the University of the Sunshine Coast.
The research showed that simulated mid-rotation Resi measurements can reliably estimate harvest age quality, aiding in informed decisions regarding rotation lengths. The study also addressed various sources of error between Resi instruments and techniques, establishing that these variances are negligible at a commercial scale, thereby fostering confidence in the consistency of Resi measurements.
“This research can help us enhance our operations and planning. With improved predictive modelling, we can make informed decisions about longer term resource planning and better understand timber production outputs,” said Rebecca Cherry, Wood Quality Engineer at Hyne Timber.
The key benefits for the industry include:
• Successful predictions of mill site-mean board stiffness across multiple locations, has improved wood flow between growers and processors and has the potential to inform favourable log pricing structures.
This research can help us enhance our operations and planning
• Enhanced decisionmaking capabilities regarding rotation lengths, stocking, breeding objectives, and overall wood quality through predictive modelling.
• Adoption of over thirty Resi instruments by growers and processors for routine inventory and log supply management.
• Integration of wood quality predictions with yield estimates in YTGen software and enhancements to the Resi Processor software for better prediction of stiffness and density.
Key findings from the project include:
• A confirmed relation-
ship between pre-harvest measurements and mill production quality, demonstrating that Resi data can predict mill output at a compartment level.
• Enhanced understanding of radial and longitudinal variation in wood quality, allowing for tailored silvicultural practices.
• Development of improved algorithms incorporated into the new version of the Resi web trace processor, ensuring ongoing access to cutting-edge predictive models.
Looking ahead, the project recommends that Resi technology be further utilised to strengthen growerprocessor communication, optimising wood flow and enhancing the value of plantations. A deeper understanding of how site, climate, management, and genetics affect MoE and structural grade percentages will be pursued using extensive, estate-wide datasets.
For more information and to download the project report, visit https://fwpa. com.au/report/assessingmanaging-mid-rotationwood-quality-in-australiansoftwood-plantations/
● Foresters using Resi technology to gather data in a softwood plantation.
On the path to becoming tomorrow’s forester
For Lily Marshall, the path to becoming a forester was anything but straightforward.
Originally from New Zealand, she grew up surrounded by trees, thanks to her family’s horticulture business, but she initially studied biomedical science, fascinated by genetics and pharmacology.
After some globe-trotting, a stint as a sky-diving instructor in Sweden, and a return home just in time for the COVID-19 lockdown, Lily was rethinking her career.
“I came across an ad on Facebook encouraging more women to join forestry,” she says. “I did some research, talked to people, and soon enough, I knew this was where I wanted to be.”
After completing a two-year Diploma in Forest Management, Lily joined OneFortyOne in 2022 as a Value Optimisation Forester, based out of Mount Gambier. OneFortyOne manages the largest softwood plantation in the Green Triangle, which covers over 80,000 hectares of south east South Australia and south west Victoria. Lily’s role is to maximise the value from every tree harvested so nothing’s wasted.
“Once a tree is cut down, we determine its value based on its end use—whether it’s structural timber, industrial products or pulp. The goal is to get the most out of each part,” she says.
Her days are a blend of office work, data analysis, and forest field visits. For Lily, this balance is one of the best parts of her job.
“I love the problem-solving side of it. Each day is dynamic, and there’s always something new to learn,” she says. “I get to analyse data, work with harvesting teams, and even lend a hand during prescribed burns. It’s a perfect mix.”
As the world seeks greener solutions to fight climate change, forestry stands out as an industry that’s truly sustainable—and Lily is passionate about its role in tackling the climate crisis.
“We’re planting trees that sequester carbon, and every harvested tree is replaced.
“Plus, timber can be a substitute for materials like steel and concrete, which have much higher emissions,” she says, adding that there are now entire skyscrapers made of engineered wood around the world.
Forests, she says, aren’t just rows of trees; they’re complex ecosystems supporting a wide range of plants and animals.
“Forests support biodiversity,
and as foresters, we work hard to protect native areas within our estates,” Lily says.
South Australian plantation estates protect over 40,000 hectares of high-value habitats. This is something Lily is especially passionate about, describing foresters as “tree huggers” who genuinely care about sustainability and conservation.
Forestry isn’t just good for the environment — it’s also massive for South Australia’s economy. The sector contributes $3 billion annually, employs 18,000 South Australians and is a key driver for construction, manufacturing, tourism, and regional communities.
South Australia produces 35 per cent of Australia’s housing timber, 25 per cent of Australia’s locally produced particleboard (think flat-packed furniture), as well as 60 per cent of Australia’s agricultural timbers—that’s poles, posts and fencing for farms. We’re also the nation’s biggest producer of domestic-use wood products.
As the world seeks greener solutions to fight climate change, forestry stands out as an industry that’s truly sustainable — and Lily is passionate about its role in tackling the climate crisis.
“We’re planting trees that seques-
ter carbon, and every harvested tree is replaced.
Plus, timber can be a substitute for materials like steel and concrete, which have much higher emissions,” she says, adding that there are now entire skyscrapers made of engineered wood around the world.
Forests, she says, aren’t just rows of trees; they’re complex ecosystems supporting a wide range of plants and animals.
“Forests support biodiversity, and as foresters, we work hard to protect native areas within our estates,” Lily says.
South Australian plantation estates protect over 40,000 hectares of high-value habitats. This is something Lily is especially passionate about, describing foresters as “tree huggers” who genuinely care about sustainability and conservation.
For young people wondering if forestry could be for them, Lily’s advice is simple: get out there and
explore.
“Go talk to people. There are so many passionate individuals in this industry who love to share what they do,” she says.
She recalls a recent young visitor who spent a few days shadowing different foresters, learning the ins and outs of their jobs to help decide what aspect of forestry was right for them.
“There are tons of jobs available,” she says, adding that forestry companies are always looking for new talent.
“Whether you’re fresh out of school, or thinking of a career switch, there’s likely a place for you in forestry. And with the industry growing, the timing couldn’t be better.”
This story originally appeared on The Post, a media partnership between the Government of South Australia and Solstice Media to inform young South Australians about the policies that underpin issues affecting their lives.
● Originally from New Zealand, Lily Marshall studied biomedical science before going into forestry.
Boss Logging moving into NSW
Boss Logging recently expanded its operations into softwood plantation logging in the Bombala NSW region by securing a new contract with Forest Corp NSW which began in January 2025.
The contract covers 100,000m3 of harvesting, 125,000m3 of loading and 107,000 of cartage. This new operation further strengthens the company’s presence in NSW, where it already operates three hardwood crews.
The expansion is a significant shift for Boss Logging, which was founded by over 20 years ago. Matt, with a 35-year background in hardwood logging in Victoria, originally established the company in Bairnsdale to manage felling and cartage contracts with Vic For-
est in the East Gippsland Highlands. However, with the closure of all native logging operations in Victoria, the company saw an opportunity to diversify, leading to its expansion into softwood plantation logging. Matt’s long history with Komatsu excavators has been pivotal to Boss Logging’s success. In late 2016, he began investing in purpose-built machinery to handle the felling and shovelling in the severe and steep logging conditions of the Gippsland Highlands. His first purchase was a Timberpro TL765C, equipped with a FH1350 Directional Felling Head from Komatsu Forest, which quickly proved to be a success. This was the start of a strong partnership with Komatsu Forest.
It led to close discussions with Brett Jones of Komatsu Forest for the development of a larger model the Timberpro TL775D with Matt taking delivery of the first unit in Australia in late 2018. This machine was fitted with the KF800 control-fall saw felling head, developed by Paul Rosin and later rebranded as the Quadco QB4400, a highly successful attachment that minimized damage when felling large timber. The success of this unit led to Matt trading the original TL765C/FH1350 on another TL775D/QB4400 in July 2022.
Matt’s passion for Komatsu excavators continued and coincided with KF’s development of Komatsu Xtreme excavators for forestry applications. Matt
expanded his fleet with several PC270’s and PC300’s for loading and felling operations. The latest acquisition is the most interesting PC300HW which features KF’s standard forest modifications, such as high/ wide undercarriage, forest safety cab and special forest booms. Notably, this PC300HW is also equipped with Iqan electronic hydraulic control system, which controls all crane functions, including the rotator and slew functions. The track pedals remain servo-controlled, but the system allows Matt to optimise engine and hydraulic pump flows to the QS600, reducing fuel consumption by approximately 20 litres per hour — a genuine improvement.
To meet the demands of
the new Bombala contract, Matt has ordered a new Timberpro TL775D, fitted with a SouthStar QS600 Harvesting Head, for delivery in January 2025. Additionally, he is set to receive a new Komatsu 895.3 Forwarder in April 2025—the first of its kind in the country. Due to the late delivery of the new model Komatsu 895.3 he has purchased a low hour, used Komatsu 895.2 to kick off the contract, with the view he’ll require two forwarders to complement the new Timberpro/SouthStar harvester in full production. When asked about his choice of harvester, Matt explained, “My current two TL775s easily handle the tough, steep conditions in the hardwood, so another TL775 was the obvious
● Boss Logging’s Timberpro TL775D/SouthStar QS600 in a new softwood contract in in the Bombala region of New South Wales.
choice for the new contract. And you can’t beat KF for support—why go elsewhere?” He added similar praise for the SouthStar QS600 harvesting head: “We’ve been really happy with its performance in the
big hardwood, especially since the operator, who previously used a Waratah, is more than satisfied.”
Nokian Forest King F2
The new Komatsu 895.3 Forwarder is equipped with the Xtreme Transmission, providing higher
Nokian Forest King TRS 2
off-road speeds in difficult terrain, and a Cushion Cab for added operator comfort at higher speeds. Notably, the 895.3 features a new 205F crane, with 205 kNm of lift torque and 51.9 of slew torque, paired
NZ looks to Crown land plantings
The New Zealand government has agreed to explore publicprivate partnerships to plant trees on Crown land, supporting New Zealand’s climate change targets and creating more jobs.
Climate Change Minister Simon Watts says that nature-based solutions is a key part to the Government’s climate strategy, and represents a significant step forward in achieving our climate targets including Net Zero by 2050.
“New Zealand is well positioned to leverage its natural assets to drive progress in both climate action and economic growth.
Partnerships to plant native
and exotic trees on Crownowned land represents a cost-effective approach to reducing net emissions while also delivering tangible benefits to local communities.”
Forestry Minister Todd McClay says forestry is critical to New Zealand’s economic future.
“These partnerships would drive economic growth by creating more forestry jobs in our regions, provide more wood for domestic processing and over time boost the value of exports,” he said.
Land Information Minister Chris Penk says the Government is focused on getting good value from Crown
land.
“The Crown holds significant land across New Zealand, and we have a responsibility to use it productively. Whether it’s contributing to climate goals, generating returns, or improving environmental and conservation efforts, our focus is on delivering value to the public,” he said.
The Government has released a request for information (RFI) that will help clarify the conditions under which potential partners could work with the Crown. This will help the Government understand what land may be suitable to offer for partnership.
with a larger G885H grapple. To accommodate the upgraded crane, the 895.3 chassis has been upgraded to handle the additional lifting capacity as well as the increased payload of 22 tonnes. Due to the rating
and success of the current HD Transmission in the 895.2 it has remained the same in the 895.3. These upgrades will give the 895.3 a significant improvement in production over its predecessor, the 895.2.
MASTERS OF THE FOREST
Boss Logging’s Komatsu PC300HW Xtreme/SouthStar QS600 operating in a hardwood contract in Bombala NSW.
Silviculture Market garden grows into forestry seedling giant
Access to tree seedlings for commercial plantations and biodiversity plantings has just become easier with the next generation at Hills Transplants growing the business.
From what started 60 years ago as a humble backyard market garden at the family home in Don, Stephen Hill has morphed what his father John started into a multi-layered commercial enterprise.
Not only do the Hills grow seedlings for the forestry industry and agriculture producers, and raspberry cane propagation, but they supply the nation’s biggest grocery chains with herbs and other leafy greens year-round using the latest techniques and technology.
And now Stephen’s sons Josh and Sam are looking to diversify Hills Transplants even further and make it easier for Tasmanian landowners to access tree seedlings for commercial timber and biodiversity or riparian area purposes, trading as S & J Seedlings.
“We believe there is a market out there for us to grow to order certain species for landowners and farmers to plant trees on their land,”
Josh said.
“The approach is customerfocused, catering to specific orders and delivering seedlings when required.
“If a farmer comes to us with a particular order for a specific species, we have quality seed for, we’re more than happy to pack the right amount and get them out the door exactly when they want them.
“Two or three years ago, we just started selling a few extra pines and eucalypts that we had surplus of at the time after we finished our pack out for the year… it was like we’d put in a hook we caught shark it was that successful.
“We’re fairly new at it and we will be kind of relying on someone to come to us with different lines that we could potentially use so, therefore, we can trial it and get the seed and then grow it.”
Josh said species they
planned on producing seedlings for at varying levels and by demand and advance order included:
• Traditional timber harvest species
• Pinus radiata (Radiata pine)
• Eucalyptus globulus (Blue gum)
• Eucalyptus nitens (Shining gum)
• Acacia melanoxylon (Blackwood)
Potential wood value species for a niche market, if managed correctly include:
• Acacia dealbata (Silver wattle)
• Allocasuarina littoralis (Drooping sheoak)
• Allocasuarina littoralis (Black sheoak)
• Banksia marginata (Silver banksia)
Primarily biodiversity planting species:
• Melaleuca armillaris (Bracelet honey myrtle)
• Eucalyptus pauciflora (Little snowman)
• Corymbia ficifolia (Red flowering gum)
• Callitris rhomboidea (Oyster Bay pine)
• Melaleuca ericifolia (Swamp paperbark)
• Eucalyptus viminalis (White gum)
Josh said finding seeds for certain provenances requirements was difficult, with standard seedlings their leading market driver at this stage.
He said 12 months’ notice from the landowner would be ideal when placing an order to enable them to plan, order the seed and grow the seedlings.
Private Forests Tasmania forester Rob Smith said landowner interest is growing in niche species that have both biodiversity and a wood value outside of the traditional commercial plantation varieties.
“PFT is doing a lot of work in this space as demand for
P FT is doing a lot of work in this space as demand for speciality timbers grows
speciality timbers grows,” Mr Smith said.
“In fact, one of our successful Stems for CO2 Program grant recipients will be planting Castanea sativa (Spanish chestnut) and Quercus rubra (Red oak) next year, which will provide us some great insights and a real example of what can be achieved.
“Many species have the potential to grow in Tasmania, but species selection depends on site requirements and other factors such as the site’s characteristics (climate, soil and other ecological factors), deciding which species and provenances are likely to thrive in the conditions and deciding which of one or more species, at the same time, satisfy the objectives of the planting scheme.
“There are more options for private landowners to consider now in planting for both biodiversity and potential timber harvest with alternative eucalyptus, cypress, hardwood species gaining traction as well as Tasmanian natives.”
Before undertaking any significant forestry project, it is recommended that you seek personal professional advice directly from a forestry professional on the particular matter.
Visit Private Forests Tasmania’s online interactive Tree Alliance Knowledge Hub at www.treealliance.com.au for more information on site preparation, species selection, planting and managing plantations or call our free Helpline on 1300 661 009.
To discuss further with S & J Seedlings or to place an order, contact Sam on 0407834659 or sam@htpau. com.
● Sam and Josh Hill with pine seedlings.
Once seasonal, now supervisor
Vicki’s nursery career
Nothing gives Glencoe Nursery’s Vicki Thiele more satisfaction than seeing the full plantation timber cycle in action – the tiny seedlings she once tended decades ago become fully grown trees, then transforming into timber for the houses of today.
Once what was ‘just a casual job’ has evolved into an accidental career for Vicki.
Just 16 years old when she showed up for her first day’s seasonal work at the Glencoe Nursery, four decades later, Vicki has risen up the ranks to become the facility’s Production Supervisor.
“This job has been my whole working life,” she said, walking across a field of new seedlings.
“What I love about this job is I’ve got the pleasure of being in and out. I’m nearly 57, but I don’t think I’d ever do an inside job. I do a little bit of office work but when I choose, I can go outside.”
Experience in virtually every job and activity possible at the nursery, from cutting and setting to long days mowing and spraying on the tractor, has paid dividends when it comes to her supervisory role.
“For me, I’m the sort of person who has to have an understanding of that job,” Vicki said.
“I think it’s really important because when all the
crew come in and I supervise them, that I’ve done that job, and I know how hard it is. So, I like the fact that I’ve got that behind me to guide everyone.”
Above all, Vicki said she feels that experience is valued by the nursery crew and wider OneFortyOne team.
“Because at the end of the day, I haven’t got a certificate – I’m not a forester, but I have got the experience. And you earn that, I think, as the years go on. No university degree is going to give you that.”
Throughout Vicki’s time, the two biggest workplace changes have been in safety and technology, with the nursery undergoing a major $8m upgrade over the last few years.
The brand new undercover automated handling line, installed in 2024, has revolutionised the role of workers, streamlining processes, placing their work at bench height and also, giving them shelter from the cold winters and hot dry summers.
When Vicki first started, in the years before Personal Protective Equipment was required, she recalled the nursery crew were at the mercy of the Limestone Coast’s infamous weather conditions.
“Wet weather gear is never foolproof,” Vicki said
with a laugh.
“So you’d be in all your overalls, your jacket, your gloves and your hat. But sometimes you’d come back in for smoko and your bras and your knickers were drenched!”
Although Vicki said a day in the fields was once preferrable to a day working undercover, crew universally agree the major advances in safety and technology at the site are a positive change.
“It’s one hundred percent for the better when it comes to safety,” she said.
Despite periods of time away from the nursery, to have children and look at other jobs, Vicki said the relaxed nursery environment kept calling her back.
“There were plenty of jobs
out there, but I kept coming back here, so I must’ve enjoyed it,” Vicki said.
Constant advances in technology mean output has increased dramatically, from 3,000-6,000 cuttings annually in the 1980s, up to a current total of 1.2million for OneFortyOne, plus an additional 800,000 for contractors.
Statistics aside, Vicki said a sense of pride is always behind the nursery team’s work.
“It’s the pleasure of seeing a little seed, when you first sow them and you’re waiting every day checking to see if they’ve actually come out of the ground.
“As soon as they pop their heads up, then you get to watch them grow.
“It’s a good feeling that
nine months later you are seeing them leave the nursery as a tree that’s going to get planted out into the bush.”
Come September, when the season finishes and the work slows, the 40-plus crew dwindles down to just a handful.
A good day at the nursery, Vicki said, is when the team has worked together to send the best possible product out the gate.
“For me, it’s getting my jobs done, to a good level and walking out feeling I’ve accomplished what I needed to do,” she said.
“Feeling like I’ve put in a good day’s work.”
● Glencoe Nursery’s Production Supervisor Vicki Thiele among the new seedlings.
● Before major upgrades to the facility, the nursery seasonal crew often worked in wet and muddy weather
Mill Profile
Reading the log in St George
By Keith Smiley
Situated in St George, Queensland, Webster’s Select Timbers, has established itself as a cornerstone in the Australian timber industry, specializing in the supply of high-quality cypress timber products, exporting to distant states of Australia.
The company has garnered a reputation for excellence and reliability among retailers, builders and carpenters, driven by its irrepressible owner, Max Webster.
Max is a natural and an indigenous person, who speaks plainly about life and its complexities, humbled by the bush. What began as a comparison of Finnish school education unravelled to a discourse on life itself at the grassroots.
“The bush will humble you and belt you on the ear but it’s the log that’ll tell you what to do. You must respect the timber and read the log. Every log has a bough, twists, knots and faults just like the human condition. Treat each one as alive; a living, sustainable thing that can last a long, long time,” Max said, with gusto and a belief in what can be achieved with a little more care.
“I began as a wood cutter at six years of age, cutting firewood, making gings, spears, boomerangs and hunting sticks – I just love wood. We’ve been in business since 1988 starting out as a fence builder, and living in the bush. I made a saw bench among other tools at the St George sawmill and we just bought another sawmill with a forestry allocation permit in Tambo, five hours from here. The permits guarantee us 14 years of log supply.”
Webster Select Timbers is located on Surat Road in St George, far west of Brisbane in the shire of Balonne, operating as a comprehensive wholesale sawmilling facility dedicated to processing and supplying cypress soft and hard pine timber. The family plans to work between both mills, prepared for
travel adjustments.
Cypress pine, known for its durability and resistance to termites is a preferred material in the Australian construction sector. Webster’s Select Timbers provides a variety of cypress products, including: structural timber suitable for framing and load-bearing applications; flooring, for residential and commercial spaces; cladding and decking for enhancing the exterior of buildings with natural timber finishes, and they sell firewood.
Operating within an industry that significantly impacts the environment, Webster’s Select Timbers emphasizes sustainable practices. By sourcing timber from responsibly managed forests and adhering to environmentally friendly processing methods, the company contributes to the preservation of natural resources, an oft-repeated mantra by Max Webster.
“A lot of buildings still stand over 130 years by using cypress and conserving its future sustainably.
I’m a small operator and I love the bush and love what I do – the bush will teach you about life. That is why I leave the trees for the little people because there’s always another lot coming after you. You have trees that can grow over 300 years old, they’ll be big trees, even with hollows, but really big cypress can be cut down later. That’s nature: where another one is on its way, so treat it respectfully and leave the big fellas that are still growing, and cut the smaller. It’s the mechanics of nature itself, always working. We are four generations on the land with my three sons, and my wife Jane’s grandfather who was a sawmiller.”
Webster’s Select Timbers is known for its customercentric approach, offering personalized service to meet individual project requirements. Looking ahead, Webster’s Select Timbers aims to expand its product range and speed of execution by the acquisition of the second mill, while maintaining
its commitment to quality. Webster’s exemplifies the qualities of a successful timber supplier and goes above and beyond in sustainable practices, by maintaining strong community ties and very specifically, the care and nurture of this wonderful cypress product. Max is deeply committed to the bush, dedicated to excellence as a trusted partner for construction professionals.
Max is director of South West Indigenous Corporation and a long-time member. “We’ve just built a harmony centre in St George. It’ll help us to record local languages with a purpose-built studio. My mother blessed me with her Aboriginal heritage and understanding. Mum’s line is through Bigambul, Gomeroi and Gammillary clans and my dad’s lineage from Welsh and Scottish. We run training programs for Aboriginal kids, mentoring them and giving them every opportunity. The family needs to play together to stay together.
“All timber cutters are the same: we respect our resources, as you read the log to get the best product: you can’t get a ten by ten out of a five-inch log. You get as much out of the log as you can. The tree is alive until you cut him off. I’m not doing an autopsy but I’m cutting them up. What you get out of him can be converted for a long time. “
Some say it is the sawdust which gets into your brain, but Max Webster is one out of the box, a straight shooter with a wry sense of humour, tempered by his in-depth knowledge of bush craft and driven towards the future. “Seeing the trees and being in the bush is what I love. Don’t waste your lifetime, otherwise your dead in the water. When God made time he made a lot of it. God is nature. Nature is my god. Whatever man makes will break, and rust will never sleep. Don’t let the old man in. You have one short at the title,” Max said.
● A bar top being prepared at Webster Select Timbers in Queensland.
● Webster Select Timbers harvesting cypress logs in Queensland.
Tigercat 6900 Grinder.
