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Rare Timber Auction

A ‘Rare Timber’ auction will be held on Sunday, September 21 at Rollands Plains Recreation Reserve. Source: Wauchope Gazette

This unique event commencing at 10.00am will give bidders the opportunity to purchase specialised and rare timber and products; boards, flitches’ slabs and burls of red cedar, rosewoods (New Guinea and Australian), walnut, silky oak, camphor laurel local hardwoods and Huon pine hairy oak.

There will be hobby packs with as few as several boards as well as packs for professional purchasers.

The auction, hosted by Rollands Plains resident, Mal Ward is expected to attract locals and visitors from all over the region and interstate.

Mal Ward’s family has a history of timber milling in the area.

His great uncle was Reuben Keena and other relatives worked on mills in the Hibbard area near Port Macquarie where logs were bought downstream on the Hastings River for processing.

Mal is currently working with the Rollands Plains Show Committee to seek to develop an annual Timber-Fest, incorporating the auction and including other ventures and businesses associated with the timber and wood industry.

Men’s sheds, professional furniture makers, equipment suppliers and wood-turning groups will be invited to exhibit and show wares and skills as part of Rollands Plains community development.

The timber industry came into its own with the opening up of the coast through the railway making movement of timbers back to markets in Sydney more viable, Wauchope became known as timber town, a multitude of saw mills dotted the area and Kempsey was known the home of red cedar through the ‘Cedar King Bill Haydon.

Nowadays most of the mills have gone, although logging continues in state forests and on some private properties in the area.

Mal has recently purchased a large quantity of camphor laurel logs from local sources as well as from Northern NSW to supply the burgeoning table service and cutting board market.

For information on the event and wood to be auctioned go to: website: www.boutiquetimbers.com.au