“ I was born and raised in Mullumbimby. My father spent 38 years in saw mills and that’s where I got a hankering for it. Since then I’ve been involved in two sawmills, one in Bentley and one in Ellangowan. I have timber drying in the back shed from back then, Silky Oak, Camphor, Flooded Gum, Spotted Gum, Tallowood, Ironbark, etc. It’s been drying there for twenty five years now so it’s ready to use.
All I have to do is make my decision to retire, which I’ve made five times now. Originally my idea was to make foyer doors, double doors. Big old style, heavy framed doors. Big cast bronze hinges, a big round knocker on the doors. That was my original plan and I’d still like to do it. Basically what you would do is stand the door and build the house around it. More and more people are building sandstone homes, it would set the whole place off.
Even though Camphor is classified a weed, I don’t want to see it go to waste because I know the potential of it as far as slabs are concerned. I have a lot of slabs that are still green. People can buy them but they would have to dry them which would take a year or two depending on the size, Longer is better unless they have a kiln. I’ve contemplated building a kiln in my retirement. That will be job no.932. It’s a matter of appreciating the timber, even though it is a pest it looks beautiful when it’s cut and no white ant or termite problems.
I had a chap build my daughter’s 21st present which was a full camphor glory box and she’s 44 now and if you walk into the house and she’s had that open you can still smell the camphor. I had a friend with lice in the chook house and she put the camphor mulch in and they no longer have any lice or sinus problems. She’s thrilled with it.
I’m going out to The Man Shed out at the House with No Steps because a lot of this smaller stuff is usable but not what I want to do. So I’ll see if they want to come and get it. They’ll make chopping boards, bowls, all sorts of things.
I’m third generation in the industry. My grandfather, my father and then I got sucked into it as well. It’s good.”