Rare timbers auctioned to wood enthusiasts in Harvey | photos

In total more than 560 tonnes of assorted timber species from the South West and Goldfields regions went under the hammer. 

An assortment of South West native forest specialty feature logs and exotic timbers were available including a quality selection of marri, karri, jarrah, blackbutt, sheoak, tuart, woody pear, sugar gum, box tree and olive. 

There was also a variety of Goldfields timber species including sandalwood, gimlet, salmon gum, redwood, western myall and Goldfields blackbutt. 

Auction coordinator Steve Davis said the auctions gives people without a contract with the Forest Products Commission to access state timbers. 

“We get many different faces through the auctions,” Mr Davis said. 

“Timber tastes change over time but it’s always in style one way or another.”

A small amount of the timbers were offered as sawn slabs and boards, suitable for furniture making, wood turning and carving. 

“Some of the timber had been passed in at previous auctions as logs which gave us the opportunity to cut them into feature timbers to be sold,” Mr Davis said. 

The feature timbers contained desirable characteristics including curly grain and birdseyes, while the Goldfields timbers possessed a particularly magnificent colour and grain. 

The auction also gave one lucky punter than chance to purchase a custom built single rip blade plough and a Stihl 660 magnum chainsaw. 

Mr Davis said the commission’s timbers were popular with artisans so FPC are careful to keep records of where each piece of wood is sustainably sourced. This then gives the wood’s new owner a chance to discuss its history.  

Some of the South West feature box timber of display was produced from trees removed from Harvey Primary School to make way for the instillation of new hard surface sports courts. 

“The contractors removing the trees asked if we could put them to good use and we jumped at the opportunity to run them through the saw log as feature boards,” Mr Davis said. 

“Otherwise they would have been destined for the chipper or used as firewood.

“These auctions are a great way to recycle and give large amounts of timber a new life.”

Public auctions are traditionally held three times a year in Harvey with a fourth in Manjimup. To see more photos of the unique timbers varieties that were up for sale visit bunburymail.com.au.