Category Archives: Forests

Judge Stretton & Lane-Poole. The 1939 Stretton Royal Commission transcripts reveal debate amongst foresters and graziers about the extent, impact and purpose of pre-colonial Aboriginal burning – a debate occurring decades before current academics and the media popularised their understandings of Aboriginal cultural burning to broader Australia. Charles Edward Lane-Poole, renowned forester and Inspector-General ofContinue reading “Pre Colonial Forests & Fire – Part 5.”

The significance of lightning. The number of bush and grass fires started by lightning varies across Australia, but in the remote mountains of eastern Victoria, they are very frequent – maybe several hundred in a dry summer season. (see: Gippsland Zig – Zag). But interestingly, the early explorers, and even the 1939 Stretton Royal Commission,Continue reading “Pre Colonial Forests & Fire – Part 4.”

Forest Age Structure. It’s often thought that Victoria’s tall and wet mountain forests, which were perhaps not often visited by Aborigines, would have only burned very infrequently under hot and dry conditions, probably when fires spread from the drier adjoining forests and grasslands. Many of the tree species found in these wet forests, such asContinue reading “Pre Colonial Forests & Fire – Part 3.”

Colonial Art. Early colonial art provides some tantalising glimpses into the nature and structure of the pre-European forests and woodlands and the impact of bushfires. While some of the works are topographically and botanically accurate, others are more romanticised and impressionist to cater to the tastes of a British audience. But these early paintings andContinue reading “Pre Colonial Forests & Fire – Part 2.”

This is a hotly debated and controversial topic, and I don’t have the answers, only curiosity and questions. Please moderate any comments you may wish to contribute… Unquestionably, Victoria’s forests have changed over the past two and a half centuries since European settlement. But what were they like, and how, and why, have they beenContinue reading “Pre Colonial Forests & Fire – Part 1.”

The 1st of September marks the official beginning of spring in the southern hemisphere, and wattles are starting to flower in the bush and in gardens around the country. Wattles feature prominently in Australian ceremonies, literature, poetry, art and song from the 1830s to the early 1900s. Noted naturalist Archibald James Campbell established the VictorianContinue reading “Wattle Day.”

The blame-game and climate conspiracies immediately run hot in the press and social media whenever there are major bushfires, floods, storms or other natural catastrophes. Some of the language is toxic. Many commentators quickly find an expert opinion, a slogan, a website, an article in the newspaper, or quote the “settled science“ pointing to theContinue reading “Changing Climate?”

From the Gregor Wallace collection… Mt Blackwood – 1977. These photos were taken during a family outing in April 1977 and show Gregor Wallace, his son Neil on the trig station and daughter Kerryn. His wife Norma took the photo. The old wooden tower (37°33’25.9″S 144°21’37.6″E) had a great view over to the Brisbane RangesContinue reading “More firetowers.”

North America adopted a strident fire suppression and exclusion policy on its National Forests after the Great Fire of 1910, also known as the “Big Burn”. The firestorm razed over three million acres, obliterated several townships and killed 87 people, mostly firefighters. The fire shaped and cemented the US Forest Service for many decades toContinue reading “Let Burn Policy.”

North America adopted a strident fire suppression and exclusion policy on its National Forests after the Great Fire of 1910, also known as the “Big Burn”. The firestorm razed over three million acres, obliterated several townships and killed 87 people, mostly firefighters. The fire shaped and cemented the US. Forest Service, which at the timeContinue reading “Osborne Panoramas.”

All forests change over time, but the changes can be slow and not immediately apparent, unless there is a major disturbance like a windstorm or a very hot bushfire. These photos of Ponderosa Pine (Pinus ponderosa) are from the Bitterroot Mountains in Western Montana. They were taken by the US Forest Service and follow theContinue reading “Forest Succession.”

Desmond (Des) John Collins had never really travelled far from Daylesford until he was conscripted into National Service in September 1965. Sent to nearby Puckapunyal, Des completed his basic recruit training before being posted as Trooper (3787452) to the newly formed 1st Armoured Personnel Carrier Squadron (1 APC Sqn). Des trained as a driver ofContinue reading “Today is the 60th anniversary of the Battle of Long Tan which also marks Vietnam Veterans Day…”

Providing timber for housing and domestic use from the State’s native forests, together with expanding softwood plantations to support Victoria’s rapidly expanding population, had long been a stated goal for the Forests Commission. There had also been a very clear directive to the Commission from the State Government to meet Victoria’s timber needs and toContinue reading “Wood is Good.”

The “Normal Forest” is a theoretical condition where the growing stock of trees has a more or less even series of age classes, with an even spread of tree sizes, with full stocking on each site growing with normal increments (AKA –  The Trinity of Norms). The idea of the normal forest emerged in theContinue reading “The Trinity of Norms.”

Particleboard was developed in Germany in the late 1940s and introduced to Australia in 1957 when Coreboard Ltd. (later purchased by Softwood Holdings Ltd.) established a plant at Mt. Gambier. The Coreboard plant created a much-needed market for early thinnings from the rapidly expanding radiata pine plantations as well as for sawn waste. Before mechanisation,Continue reading “Pyneboard – Rosedale.”

Masonite is an engineered panel board that was patented in 1924 by American inventor William H. Mason. It is made by steam pressurising wood chips followed by explosive decompression through a “Mason Gun”. The wood fibres are then passed through an endless wire mesh to be pressed and dried into thin rigid sheets. The largeContinue reading “Masonite.”

Who to believe? These two sketches by famous colonial artist Nicholas Chevalier are clearly the same and are from reputable sources. One copy is from the Victorian State Library with the caption “McMillan’s party clearing road to Wood’s Point” and was published by David Syme on 25 May 1864. The other copy is from theContinue reading “Colonial art puzzle ?”

Australian Paper Manufacturers (APM) operated a logging camp in the Boola Boola State Forest, north of the Latrobe Valley, from 1947 until August 1958. It was situated near W11 track on the road to Walhalla. Workers harvested mixed species pulpwood for the Maryvale Mill to make Kraft paper when the ash salvage program following theContinue reading “Boola Camp.”