Forestry

Written by Graham Wilson

Australian Theme- developing local, regional and national economies.

NSW Theme- forestry.

Local Themes- forested area, forest reserve, timber plantation, forestry equipment, sawmill, mill settlement, coppiced trees, forest regrowth and timber tracks.

A Forest Department in N.S.W. was formed as from 1 July 1890.  Prior to that date, a Forestry Conservancy Branch was attached to the Lands Department (1876-1882); a separate branch (1882-1890)  The Forestry Department was attached to Agriculture until it was transferred to the Department of Lands from 1 October 1897.  On 1 June 1909 it was in turn transferred from the Department of Lands to the Department of Agriculture.  Following the passing of the Forestry Act 1909, a Forestry Department was created on 1 January 1910.  This was the first separate Act dealing with forestry in N.S.W.  The Forestry Act 1916 replaced the 1909 Act from 1 November 1916.

With concerns about the impending shortage of timber, a Royal Commission of Inquiry about Forestry was held from 1907 to 1908.  The Commission recommended the planting of exotic softwood trees of commercial value.

It was in the Warialda district that the Forest Assessor, E. Julius, undertook the first systematic assessment of timber resources in NSW in 1912.  The survey covered the Counties of Burnett and Murchison and part of the County of Stapylton.  At that stage, the area comprised forest 10.5%, plain or timberless 22% and ringbarked 67.5%.  The Warialda district was well known for its White Cypress Pine stand particularly in the Counties of Burnett and Murchison.  Much of the ringbarked timber was Cypress Pine.

In June 1913 it was announced that the Minister for Agriculture had the responsibility of classifying various areas of the state to become forests.  These areas were to be determined following consultation with the Minister for Lands.  A year later, the Warialda Standard announced in June 1914 that a State Nursery was to be established at Warialda.  At that stage, the Warialda Forestry District extended from the McIntyre River at Goondiwindi on the north to the Namoi River at Manilla on the south, and contained approximately ten thousand square miles of territory.

The Warialda Forestry Office was abolished in August 1919.

In August 1935 the Forestry Act 1916 was amended to provide for the establishment of Flora Reserves for the preservation of native flora.