PROGRAM

The organisers reserve the right to change the proposed itinerary during the bus trip if necessary due to weather, road conditions and/or safety issues, accommodation and catering issues, and/or speaker availability.

Day 1: Diversity of Forestry Issues and Challenges in the South Burnett

Monday 19 October

6.30 am – 7.00 am: Meet at Halpin’s, Beerwah
Meet at Halpin’s, Beerwah by 6.30 am for a 7.00 am departure to Blackbutt.

8.30 am – 9.00 am: Meet at Brisbane Domestic Airport
Meet outside the Pullman Hotel, adjoining the Ibis Hotel at Brisbane Domestic Airport, by 8.30 am for a 9.00 am departure to Blackbutt.

9.00 am – 11.00 am: Morning Tea / Brunch
At the Blackbutt History Centre. Hancock’s Queensland Plantation Manager Blackbutt – Tracey Grigor to give an overview of hoop pine plantation management in the district.

12.00 pm – 4.30/5.00 pm: Plantation Visits / Inspections
Of the following plantations:

  • Bjelke Petersen’s – Age x growth x environmental interaction.
  • Crumpton’s – Issues such as salt / Leucaena influence / hydrology / mixed species etc.
  • Halpin’s – Biodiversity / Carbon / Offsets / Mixed species / Possible thinning operation with the intent of seeing the logs processed at the Boonnene sawmill two days later.
  • Seiler’s – Aesthetics wind protection due to aspect / soil amelioration very acidic / harvesting considerations / grazing etc.

6:30 pm: Evening
Proceed to a Wondai Motel tbc, aiming for dinner at 6.30 pm at the Motel tbc.

Day 2: Property Management on Poor Soils and Plantation Species Options

Tuesday 20 October

8.00 am – 9.00 am: Travel to Kumbia – Porters Gap
Travel to Kumbia – Porters Gap. Meeting with Chris Gash, the Land management representative for the Dalby based Western Downs Regional Council. Morning tea.

10.00 am – 11.30 am: Travel to Jandowae
Travel to Jandowae Len and Jocelyn Martin – 2014 AFG QLD Tree Farmer of the year for lunch.

Property Management Session: Property management on poor soils, SPG forest / management, environment enhancement plantings semi evergreen / brigalow connectivity, Acacia wilding control via mulching, etc. Speaker from the Downs NRM group / etc who engaged Verterra to undertake the work / advice.


2.30 pm – 4.30 pm: Afternoon Visits
Visit a natural stand of Chinchilla WWG (E. argophloia), a significant Leucaena operation and then into Wondai for the evening.

Evening
Dinner with a guest speaker Dr Glenn Dale – CEO Verterra or Mick Stephens CEO Timber QLD.

Day 3: Tree Breeding; Improved Seed Production and Availability; Bio-solids and Large Scale Futuristic Hardwood Sawmilling

Wednesday 21 October

8.00 am – 9.00 am: Travel to Boat Mountain
Travel up to Boat Mountain for an inspection and presentation on current forest genetics and plantation research A/Prof David Lee. Plus morning tea.

11.00 am – 2.00 pm: Abbeywood Plateau Area
Travel up into the Abbeywood plateau area. An introduction to the application and use of Bio-solids. Inspection of Spotted gum plantations on marginal red soils. Lunch at the historic Hivesville Hotel.

2.00 pm – 2.30 pm: Parkside Timbers Wondai Sawmill
Inspection of the Parkside Timbers Wondai sawmill and where they are going with future planning.

3.30 pm – 4.15 pm: Evening
Back to Wondai for the night. Dinner and a guest speaker tbc, Dr Sam Van Holsbeeck – QLD Forestry Australia Chair.

Day 4: Small-scale Hardwood Sawmilling and Successful Plantation Hardwood Investment and Management

Thursday 22 October

8.00 am – 8.45 am: Boonenne Timbers
Travel out to Boonenne Timbers to see freshly harvested local timber go through the sawmill.

10.00 am – 10.15 am: Allan Anderson’s Story
Travel up the road for Allan Anderson’s story on his investigation into Carbon credits and investment in hardwood plantations. Includes morning tea.

12.00 pm – 4.00 pm: Travel to Gayndah
Travel up to Gayndah for night via a hardwood plantation established on a flood plain with the periphery areas carrying heavy salt loads. Will include a lunch stop.

Evening
Motel in Gayndah.

Day 5: Agroforestry; Mature Plantation Irrigated with Local Council Treated Effluent Water

Friday 23 October

8.00 am – 9.30 am: Mundubbera to Brian Pastures
Mundubbera to Brian Pastures east of Gayndah via Mundubbera for an introduction to recent advances, R&D and trials into Agro forestry – Speakers/researchers from QLD DPI – Dr Nahuel Pachas and Luke Danaher.

Lunch

12.30 pm – 2.30 pm: Wide Bay Water Effluent Irrigated Plantations
Wide Bay water effluent irrigated plantations, associated issues and evolving wood utilisation research. Guest speaker Ben McLatchie – Wide Bay Local Govt.

4.00 pm – 4.30 pm: Hervey Bay
Kondari Hotel for the night and dinner.

Day 6: Regenerative Farming

Saturday 24 October

8.30 am – 10.30 am: Travel to Stuart Andrew’s Farm
Travel to Peter Andrew’s REGENERATIVE FARMING son Stuart’s farm to look at the continuation of his father’s renowned work in land/farm restoration (tbc). Include lunch.

Alternative option (if Stuart Andrew is not available): Amamoor State Forest & large hardwood plantation adjacent to the renowned annual Country Music Muster site.

12.30 pm – 1.30 pm: Return Travel
Head to the Brisbane airport for those needing to catch planes. May call into Beerwah and drop people off if the driver believes time allows with traffic considerations. Note: The train service from the airport connects to Brisbane CBD, Gold Coast and Sunshine Coast.