You have probably already realised that the Huon Pine has played a major role in the history of Tasmania and there are a few reasons for that as I will describe shortly. The Huon Pine is amongst many species of tree that make up the Temperate Rain Forest of North East Tasmania. A feature that most, if not all share in abundance, is their towering height and ramrod straight trunks. Whether they are Eucalypts, of which there many species, Tasmanian Myrtle or Blackwood, Sassafras or Celery Top Pine they all compete with each other for light at the top of the tree canopy.
The next stop on this cruise was to "Heritage Landing", a walkway, built in 1989 through the forest. This was as far as our vessel was permitted to travel up the Gordon River. My photos from this walk and cruise up the Gordon River only do limited justice to the description I have given above so I will focus instead on paying homage to the mighty Huon Pine.
So, what is so special about the Huon Pine?
This website tells me that it only grows in the wet, temperate rainforests of South West Tasmania – on the whole planet! 'Lagarostrobus franklinii' (its proper name) is not actually a pine and is the only member of its family, so a pretty unique tree which grows extremely slowly, averaging just 1 millimetre in girth per year. They can grow to be 2,500 years old which means some of them started life BC! Add to this the fact that they do not start to reproduce until 600 to 800 years of age and you have a very special tree whose timber also has remarkable properties. The timber has a very high oil content, methyl eugenol to be precise, which renders it impervious to insects, waterproof, and imbues it with its characteristic sappy perfume. The high oil content also means the timber can be bent, shaped, worked and sculpted without splitting and finishes to a superb, fine lustre. Pale straw coloured when first cut, it ages to a rich honey gold. No wonder ship builders and woodworkers loved it and do to this day!
The Huon Pine and the Piners.
The Huron pine was first discovered at the mouth of the Huon River (hence the name). Tree trunks that had floated down the river and found buried for hundreds of years were still sound, so the timber was of immense value to ship builders because it resisted the Terrido Navalis – there's a name to conjure with - the marine worm which turns good oak into rotten sponge. The Huon pine was logged in and around Macquarie harbour during the convict period 1822 to 1833 and from the 1860s until 1964 when the cutting of the timber was prohibited. Although mining and shipping might have provided the commercial life blood to Strahan, it was the Gordon River Piners who gave it a heart. These tough and resourceful men worked in small camps, cutting one tree a day, six days a week.
The Huron pine was first discovered at the mouth of the Huon River (hence the name). Tree trunks that had floated down the river and found buried for hundreds of years were still sound, so the timber was of immense value to ship builders because it resisted the Terrido Navalis – there's a name to conjure with - the marine worm which turns good oak into rotten sponge. The Huon pine was logged in and around Macquarie harbour during the convict period 1822 to 1833 and from the 1860s until 1964 when the cutting of the timber was prohibited. Although mining and shipping might have provided the commercial life blood to Strahan, it was the Gordon River Piners who gave it a heart. These tough and resourceful men worked in small camps, cutting one tree a day, six days a week.
Thanks again to the World Heritage Cruise pamphlet.
I paid my own homage by buying the bread saw shown in the photo from the only working sawmill in Strahan. It's razor sharp and cuts sourdough slices for toasting to perfection!
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