A.P.M. FORESTS.   -  (John Power)

The first film, made in the early 1950s, centred on the Boola Boola area and showed the harvesting of an over-mature Eucalypt foothill forest. Many of the trees in the area were either large Silver Top or Grey Gum, and the great advances in technology since those days were clearly evident as we watched men felling trees with axes and 2-man chain saws. The large logs were sawn into billets with a drag-saw, then split with a timber-splitting gun which was a cylindrical wedge type of apparatus, hollow at one end with a hole of about 8 mm. diameter drilled in the middle. Blasting powder was poured in at the open end (the amount used was critical) and plugged with a wad of paper. The gun was then driven into the end of the log and a short fuse placed in the hole and lit. The resulting explosion split the log into two or, if you were lucky, into four pieces.

We saw how the billets were carried by truck to the Maryvale Mill and unloaded either by crane into stacks, or pulled off by hand at the "Hot deck", using a special tool made from an axe and known as a "pulp wood pick".

After chipping, the wood was conveyed to the Pulp Mill, and converted to pulp which was then conveyed across to the Paper Mill Maryvale Machine before it was extended. Some very good pictures of the machine were shown.

In the second film we saw the establishment of the Longford Tree Farm, commencing with the clearing of the stunted natural forest using the "high ball" method, a huge steel ball anchored by a cable to two bulldozers, one on either side. The cable dragged the trees over as the machines were driven on a parallel course. After falling, the trees were dozed into heaps, then fired in the autumn. Strict fire precautions were observed.

Before replanting, the area had to be cleared of vermin, and the trapper came in with his ferrets to eradicate any rabbits. Large tubular traps were made from wire netting and fitted to the end of each burrow. The ferret chased the rabbits out into these traps, from which there was no escape. Then the land was ploughed and the seedlings planted by a special machine. The operator was seated on the machine which dropped the seedlings into a furrow as it was towed along by a tractor. We also saw the planting of seed at the Company's Nursery at Cowwarr Weir.

After about 10 years the young pines are thinned and in about 30 years they will be harvested and immediately replaced by a new crop. In harvesting, the trees are cut as close to the ground as possible; the stumps are broken off by a heavy machine before replanting and eventually they rot away.

A.P.M. Forests has approximately 40,000 hectares (100,000 acres) under pines in Gippsland. The company also has a number of Eucalypt plantations, mainly in the Strzeleckis. It is carrying out research to determine the best growing conditions for the various species. This is done at Longford.

We were shown maps illustrating the extent of the various plantations and also an interesting aerial photo of a block before planting, after planting, and at maturity. Pinus Radiata has been found to be the most suitable species for growing in this area. Eucalypt growth is very rapid in the early years but then tends to slow down.

Bill told us of the use of goats to control blackberries; the goats were brought down from northern N.S.W. and were feral animals. At first, this project didn't appear to be successful but the goats have now adapted and are proving to be adequate in controlling the berries. At the conclusion of his talk, Bill was asked a number of questions, which were well answered.

We express our thanks to Bill and the Management of A.P.M. Forests for a most interesting and educational address.