SALIGNA   WOODLOT

She approached me along the forest trail dressed in her kaki drill uniform from Greening Australia .I had rung asking for advice in the preparation of planting 5 acers of Sydney blue gum .Her name was Annabel Kater and with her camera we surveyed the land that had been prepared for planting.

Bob Carr the then Premier who for political reasons had changed the State Forests regulations ,so former State Forests could be converted to National Parks ,a neat political trick to enhance his standing . Once done it achieved his kudos.

Carr’s next step was to call on the landholders of the region to start planting trees to create a resource for the local sawmill at Walcha.

I’m not sure if Annabel knew about all these political moves but she was certainly knowledgeable about species selection,Silva culture, weed control and the necessary methodology to accomplish all these practices. With camera she documented the slope in the land already conscious of the high rainfall on the tableland region and that Sydney Blue gum do well in this area.

A younger man may have involved her in a relationship because she was attractive very easy to talk to and certainly friendly,but being old I accepted that it was better to stick to business practices and obtain the information that would create a successful wood lot.

Sydney Blue gum is of particular good flooring quality,in its mature state it can grow to 30-55meters in height,with a diameter at brest height of 2 meters . Exceptional species may attain a height of 65 meters with a girth of 2.5 meters,resulting in an excellent sawlog that the most emasculated sawmiller would salivate over.

 It is common in an area from the South Coast of New South Wales to as far north as the Eungella area west of Mckay in Queensland,growing to as far west as Carnarvon Gorge.it can survive in altitudes up to 1100 meters.This climate area is mostly warm humid with mean temperatures of the hottest month in the range of 24-33 degrees and mean minimum of the coldest  round -2 to 8 degrees. The mean annual rainfall is around 900 – 1800 mm,with a summer maximum ,moderate in the south but strong in Queensland.

Best development of this species is on good quality alluvial sandy  loam,other soils podsols and volcanic loam.Soils are generally moist but well drained.

The species is characterized by its  rough brownish to grayish flakey bark,retained at the base for 1-4meters ,decorticating in long strips to leave smooth,blueishgrey to white surface above .The Eucalyptus species is the most important genus of Australia forest trees with about 500 species,many are site sensitive and have edaphic preferences

The only shelter on Lot 29 Bloomfield road is a rough hut 6 meters by 3 meters fashioned from species grown on the block,milled at Long Flat to provide steeps to the loft,where the occasional possum rests from storms.The roof is rusty recycled corrugated iron,and flooring  that can claim a 100 years of use.100 mm slabs decorate the exterior walls.

Annabel and I shared afternoon tea and cake after our trevail,on the meager slatted deck ,discussing other species such as  the wonderous cabinet timber  Acacia melanoxlyn,or blackwood as it is known in the trade.All this talk must have made an impression because there is now a experimental grove of Acacia melanoxlyn grown from seed collected from a tree growing at St Ives,growing on the blook,but theirs is a 40 year cycle so wont be harvested by yourstruly.

Annabel was not exposed to the wonderous sounds that are audible at Saligna at night,unidentified birds hoot,dingoes howl,possums fornicate in raptourous delight,the odd bull sends out a call for company,the place come alive all that is missing is David Attenborough’s commentary.

The final chapter to the saga is the sawmill closed down,so there is 5000 square meters of structural building timber,possably enough for two sustainable houses,left talking to nature,I hope they have the language right.

©copyright T. Williams