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Wood Options From Sustainably Managed ForestsScroll down to move through: Tasmanian Oak Myrtle Blackwood Celery Top Pine Sassafras Huon Pine Tasmanian Oak
Eucalypts occur over the length and breadth of Tasmania from high mountain
tops to the sea. The majority of species grow to form trees that are large enough to be milled and used for construction. A more select group grow to very large sizes and can be sawn and seasoned to provide high grade dry lumber. The prime eucalypt timber offered commercially is known as Tasmanian Oak. Three main species comprise the Tasmanian Oak brand: Eucalyptus regnans - found in wetter sites and rainforest margins E. obliqua - has a wide distribution occuring in wet forests but also extending into drier areas. E. delegatensis - occurs at higher altitudes Tasmanian Oak is a dense hard-wearing timber with high impact resistance. It is usually light in colour and can vary from straw to reddish brown with intermediate shades of cream to pink. Segregation after the timber is dried and dressed readily enables selections to be colour matched. Some Tasmanian Oak is selected for character in the wood such as gum vein, and is marketed as natural feature grade and this is readily available in the market on request. In Tasmania eucalypts may live for 400 years or more and regularly attain a height of 70m. Some individuals have been recorded as reaching 100m. Old growth trees may be 3-4m or more in diameter. Tasmanian Oak can be used in all forms of construction as scantlings, panelling, and flooring and can be glued for lamination to cover long spans. It finishes well and can be moulded and shaped for furniture making. Veneers, ply, and engineered product are available. Over 1M hectares of eucalypt forest on public land are managed for sustainable multiple uses that include tourism, recreation, timber prtoduction, and conservation. There are also 2.7 M hectares of land secured in dedicated reserves in which logging is not permitted. These reserves comprise 40% of the area of the state. A substantial area of forested land is owned privately and managed for its timber production. Myrtle
Myrtle (Nothofagus cunninghamii) belongs to the same family as the beeches of
Europe. It is found in any of the wet forests across Tasmania, but most frequently in the north west and west of the State. Provided that conditions are moist and sheltered, the tree flourishes from sea level to the tree line. Myrtle is a striking wood with rich red, brown, and almost orange tones. It is believed that the richness of colour varies with the soil type. The deepest red myrtle comes from the fertile and chocolate coloured soils that derive from basalt. This is a close grained species that often has a sheen and an individual character that ranges from a smooth uniformity to wavy, fiddleback features. While a pale pink myrtle is most readily available, commercial production concentrates on the deeper red variety. It is a close grained species with well defined annual rings but with little latewood. Architects and furniture makers prize myrtle, partly because it is capable of taking a high gloss finish. It is used a a solid veneer in high quality furniture, joinery and cabinet making. It is also used as flooring and feature panelling in homes and offices or as a striking finishing timber for cornices, architraves and skirting. Myrtle's fine aesthetic qualities and its tight grain make it excellent for furniture production as well as for turning and craft work where burls and knotty wood are prized. Myrtle regenerates continuously in the absence of fire, growing in openings in the stand providing conditions are moist and sheltered. Myrtle is unsuitable for growth in plantation as it can be susceptible to insect and fungal attack in exposed areas. Future myrtle supplies will come from selective harvesting of forests grown on long rotations. Blackwood
Blackwood (Acacia melanoxylon) is a member of the wattle family and a
hardwood. It occurs throughout Tasmania's native forests from sea level to 1000m in elevation but it thrives in swamp and riverine areas. It is also a common understorey component of wet eucalypt forest. The swamps of northwest Tasmania, where there are almost pure stands, have been a primary source of high quality blackwood for more than a century. This resource has been the cornerstone of Tasmania's fine furniture industry over that time. The stunning timber radiates a subtle beauty that makes it irresistible to Tasmanian designers. It boasts a variety of colours ranging from light golden-brown to deep brown (sometimes with a reddish tint) and occasionally shows black streaks. Additional character is in the grain, which can be straight or wavy with a natural lustre. Tasmanian Blackwood is easily worked, very stable and is long lasting. The finished piece is always a statement of style and quality. More recently the production of high quality veneers has increased the versatility of Tasmanian Blackwood for joinery, cabinet making, and feature panelling. Small cross sections of solid timber are also used for lamination, particularly for bench tops. About 9000 hectares of swamp forest are dedicated to Blackwood silviculture on a sustained yield basis. Rotations are generally of the order of 70 years for native forest. Blackwood is an easy tree to grow. A big advantage for establishing blackwood forest is that its durable seed remains viable in the soil for decades. After harvest, regeneration treatment involves burning to encourage germination. Fencing is done to protect seedlings from browsing wildlife such as pademelons, wallabies, and other native animals. About 700 hectares of plantation have been established and more are planned. These trees will be ready to harvest 40 years after planting. As a result of sustainable management, Tasmania's talented designers will always have access to a small but reliable supply. Equally the continuity of a unique species favoured in the Australian furniture market is assured. Celery Top Pine
Celery Top (phyllocladus aspleniifolius) is a conifer native to Tasmania. It is named for its distinctive celery-like leaves and is best known as a hard and durable timber used, in the early days, for railway sleepers, stair treads and boats. The species can be found over much of the forested area of Tasmania from wet areas in drier forests of the Northeast, to the rainforests of the far Southwest. It forms an understory component of wet forest or is dominant on wet soils with poor fertility. The diameter of mature trees ranges from 40 to 85 cm and they can reach 40m in height. They live for up to 800-900 years but ages of less than 350 years are common. The timber is creamy white, darkeing to a mellow rosy gold hue over time and exposure to sunlight. It has distinct rings witha pronounced latewood and, being slow grown, this feature gives it a hardness, strength, and a denisity not expected of conifers. It is easy to work, turns well and has long been employed in the traditonal crafts of boat building and spindle turning. The timber is valued for its durability and it withstands exposusre well. It provides a hard wearing surface for flooring and has an attractive fine-grained appearance. Features such as knots and other figure provide character to furniture constructed of Celery top. Knots are sound and hard, the timber planes and sands well and accepts varnish, stains, and paint readily. The trees can be seen at Mt Field National Park and in most mature wet forests across Tasmania. Sassafras
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This fine grained timber is classified into two types (Golden and Blackheart)
by it colour. Golden Sassafras has a pale creamy colour that develops a yellow patina with age. Blackheart Sassafras has dark brown, black and even green streaks running through the wood. This happens where the tree is infected with a staining fungus (totally inactive when dried). Blackheart Sassafras is highly prized for decorative work and no two pieces are ever the same. Sassafras (Atherosperma moschatum) grows as an understorey species in lower altitude wet forests throughout Tasmania. It is an aromatic evergreen tree with some quite distictive qualities; the bark, sap and associated oils are highly aromatic and smell like cinnamon. The leaves have a strong sarsaparilla scent and are dark green, turning yellow as the tree ages. The best trees are found in gullies where they may reach 45m high and almost a metre in diameter. The striking variations in Sassafras make it a popular timber for unique and customised items. It is most commonly used in solid, veneer or laminated forms. It is light and strong, is easily worked and has a density between hardwood such as eucalypt and softwoods. Huon Pine
Millions of years ago the earliest trees to evolve included some of the native
conifers such as the genera Lagarostrobos. Huon Pine is in the family Podocarpaceae, the first pollen records of which date back 135 million years. Huon Pine reaches a great age. Trees over 2000 years old have been dated, placing the species among the longest lived organisms on earth. Some specimens, still growing, could be over 5000 years old. Huon Pine is the most prized rainforest timber in the world. Huon Pine is easily recognised by its feathery foliage and drooping branches and is similar in appearance to the common cypress. Distribution is restricted to west and south-west Tasmanian where it occurs along river banks and in scattered other wetter patches. In its natural state, Huon Pine grows to 20 or 30 metres high, and some trees may reach 40 metres. When growing near rivers, it is often a scruffy looking tree covered in lichens with branches overhanging the water. Huon Pine is found only in rainforest, although in some cases the 'rainforest' may only be a narrow margin, a few metres wide, on a river bank. The timber itself is a mellow, fine-textured wood with a characteristic, pleasant fragrance. It seasons readily, has a low shrinkage, it is soft and easily worked. Huon Pine is light in weight and has good nail-holding properties. These characteristics, together with its stability and high resistance to attack by rot and marine organisms, have earned Huon Pine a high regard as a shipbuilding material. It is also highly prized for furniture making, joinery, turning and the craft industry. The durability of the wood is due to the presence of an essential oil which gives Huon Pine its unique odour. The oil can represent as much as seven percent of the weight of the wood and can be extracted by steam distillation. The illustrated wooden photo album features Birdseye Huon Pine. This is characterised by a high density of small tight knots and very fine twisted grain. webmaster@wittdesign.com.au  Secure payment services |
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