If an organisation is fortunate, it can claim a few colourful characters amongst its ranks. And over its long and proud history, the Forests Commission Victoria (FCV) had its fair share. Alexander (Lex) Wade was one such character who grew up in the Dandenong Ranges east of Melbourne, and despite his many wanderings always seemedContinue reading “Lex Wade – a life of fire.”
Author Archives: Peter McHugh
Sawdust.
The losses from converting round logs onto square sawn timber depends on the species of tree, the diameter and length of the log, straightness and the overall taper of the log, internal defects and waste. Sawn timber recovery can vary from 40 to 50% of the gross volume (cubic metres) for a large mountain ashContinue reading “Sawdust.”
Vale – Bill Edgar.
Written by his family and contributed by his son Tony Edgar. William James Edgar was born in Yenda in the NSW Riverina on 11/11/1927. At the time of his death, he was a father of seven, a grandfather of 22 and a great grandfather of 22. He has always been known as Bill. His parentsContinue reading “Vale – Bill Edgar.”
Hoppus Log Volume.
Australian foresters are lucky to no longer endure some of the older “head scratching” imperial measurements. Hoppus Log Volume (HLV) was used around the British Empire and is still used in some countries. Introduced in 1736 by English surveyor Edward Hoppus, it estimated the volume of a round log that would produce usable or merchantableContinue reading “Hoppus Log Volume.”
Forest Metriverter.
Decimal currency was spectacularly introduced in an overnight overthrow on 14 February 1966, but it took another 8 years before metrication finally arrived in the forest and timber industry. Eventually, the measurement of logs and sawn timber changed from imperial, and excruciating, measures such as super feet of sawn timber, billets and cunits (100 cubicContinue reading “Forest Metriverter.”
Foresters on Parade – New York City.
On Friday 1 October 1943, in the pouring rain, six hundred Australian and New Zealand forestry troops, en-route from England to their home countries, were given the unique honour of marching in a ticker-tape parade, with fixed bayonets down Broadway in New York. It’s said to be the only occasion that armed foreign troops hadContinue reading “Foresters on Parade – New York City.”
On the Piste.
Prior to the formation of the Alpine Resorts Commission (ARC) in 1983, Victoria’s snowfields were managed by a conglomerate of competing government agencies including the Victorian Railways, National Parks Service, Lands Department, State Electricity Commission and the Forests Commission Victoria. The Forests Commission first developed a substantial interest in the development of Mt Buller asContinue reading “On the Piste.”
Beech Forest Grandstand.
Most of the large and significant trees in Victoria were found in the mountain ash forests of the Otways, Strzelecki Ranges and the Central Highlands. This enormous tree stump was converted into a Grandstand at the Beech Forest turf club in the Otways for their first race meeting in Easter 1893. The Melbourne Cup hadContinue reading “Beech Forest Grandstand.”
Ice Cream Sticks
I bet we don’t even give them a second thought as we slurp on the quickly melting Chocolate Paddle-Pop dribbling down our fingers while luxuriating at the beach in the sunshine. But Australia was once a major producer and exporter of the humble ice cream stick. I’m aware of two plants, Beddisons at Nangwarry nearContinue reading “Ice Cream Sticks”
Basal Area Prism.
Foresters usually measure the diameter of trees at Breast Height – traditionally 4 foot, 6 inches – now 1.3 m – which is termed Diameter Breast Height Over Bark (DBHOB). Basal Area is the cross section of the tree trunk at breast height, and the sum for the stand of trees is expressed in squareContinue reading “Basal Area Prism.”
Row upon Row.
There are very few native softwoods in Victoria, and those that do exist, like white cypress pine (Callitris glaucophylla), grow too slowly to be suitable for large scale commercial plantations. From its earliest days in the 1830s, Victoria imported large quantities of softwoods, mostly from north America and Scandinavia. The need for cheaper and moreContinue reading “Row upon Row.”
Black Sunday Bushfires – 1926.
On 14 February 1926 bushfires swept across Gippsland, the Yarra Valley, Dandenong Ranges and Kinglake. Photo: Loch Valley Tramway near Noojee taken 21 April 1926. https://prov.vic.gov.au/archive/32412F8D-F822-11E9-AE98-F91FA87D70C4?image=1
Caterpillar 35 HP Tractor.
The first reference to the use of crawler tractors in Victorian logging operations was in 1934. Forester, and later FCV Chairman, Finton Gerraty, reported in the Victorian Foresters Journal. “A diesel oil caterpillar tractor which may be used either as a stationary winch, or as a mobile haulage unit, is the latest addition to logContinue reading “Caterpillar 35 HP Tractor.”
Skyline & High Lead Logging.
Logging in rough and steep country had always presented serious challenges to contractors and sawmillers. In addition to the obvious safety considerations, delays caused by terrain or weather had impacts on operating costs and ensuring smooth wood flows to the sawmill. In 1936, Erica District Forester, Arch Shillinglaw, gave an account in the Victorian ForestersContinue reading “Skyline & High Lead Logging.”
Big River Road – Marysville.
Stretching more than 60 km from the junction of the Woods Point Road near Cambarville, east of Marysville, to the Eildon-Jamieson Road in the north, the Big River Road was a major element in the expanded road network built by the Forests Commission Victoria (FCV) throughout Victoria’s mountains in the post war period to accessContinue reading “Big River Road – Marysville.”
Gembrook forests.
The arrival of the Victorian Railways narrow gauge train (now the iconic Puffing Billy) into Gembrook in about 1900 signalled the rapid expansion of sawmilling in the district. Sawmills had operated at Gembrook from the 1880s, but their produce was transported by primitive tramways to places like Nar Nar Goon in the south. A newContinue reading “Gembrook forests.”
Fyansford Paper Mill.
Building the Fyansford Paper Mill, on the Barwon River near Geelong, commenced in the 1870s and was completed in 1878. When the site opened, it was claimed to be one of the most advanced paper mills in the southern hemisphere. At the time, there were seven paper mills in Australia and Fyansford is one ofContinue reading “Fyansford Paper Mill.”
Sugar Gum.
Sugar Gum (Eucalyptus cladocalyx) originates in South Australia in three distinct populations: the Flinders Ranges, Eyre Peninsula and Kangaroo Island. Sugar Gum is also widely planted across the drier western district of Victora as a windbreak or shelterbelt and for durable farming timber as well as magnificent firewood. Sawn timber harvested from sugar gum hasContinue reading “Sugar Gum.”
Victoria’s Forests & Bushfire Heritage 