History

27 August 1931

Plant pine forest

Australian Pines and Products Limited (Australian Pines and Products) was incorporated as a public company on 27 August 1931.

The plantation was originally known as “Woodlands” Plantation.

The company was formed to take over the preliminary work carried out by a group of men who were interested in the commercial possibilities of growing softwoods for pulping.

The pine plantation was run as part of an afforestation scheme. At the time, land was being bought by the acre and the purchaser had the possibility of using the land himself as well as selling it at an increased price, after the timber was harvested and sold.

The plantation initially comprised of approximately 200 acres.

In the proceeding years, the company was challenged by a change in planting techniques, fire, war and the types of pine selected.

Since this time, the site has been used continuously for a timber plantation and associated sawmill. The primary production use of the land generated local employment and supported the building and furniture making industries.

The Port Stephens Pilot

16 December 1932

The Port Stephens Pilot

The Port Stephens Pilot reported that a party of men from Sydney interested in the pine plantation paid a visit to Tea Gardens and made an inspection of the work.

A bullock team drawing a large roller was engaged breaking down the undergrowth previous to preparing the land for transplanting pine.

General meeting of Stroud Shire Council

12 March 1948

Subdivision Plans

A plan of subdivision submitted on behalf of Australian Pines and Products was approved on the condition that none of the blocks are to be built upon, or alternatively that the subdivision is effected in accordance with the relevant provisions of the Local Government Act and Ordinances.

Australian Women’s Weekly

3 July 1948

Planting of pine forest

Eighteen women, most city born and bred, were engaged in tree planting.

Australian Pine and Products decided to hire and train women as planters when they realised they would not be able to engage enough men to fulfil their 1948 planting program of 1,500 acres.

PIX – 29 July 1950

29 July 1950

The dibblers

The PIX reports on Australian women leaving their city jobs to spend four months planting pine at the pine plantation using a tool called a dibble, earning the women the name ‘dibblers’. Women were first employed in 1948 following a shortage of male labour.

Australian Pine and Products provided board and lodging in cabin-type quarters amongst the pines.

The Dungog Chronicle

7 July 1951

Planting 1 Million Pines

The Dungog Chronicle reports that a team of girls from Sydney helped plant 1,000,000 Caribaca pines at ‘Woodlands’, a 9,000 acre pine plantation on the Myall River.

Land Magazine

14 December 1951

Swamp transformation

Land reports on Australian Pine and Products project involving 16,000 acres, the greater part of which will some day be transformed from Australian swamp and bushland into a small world of pines.

Australian Pine and Products were making good progress in the development of its three plantations. New houses and other amenities were being completed for the staff.

Environmental Impact Statement for mineral sand mining

1962

Water for the Tea Gardens

The water treatment facility, which is owned and operated by Great Lakes Shire Council, and then later MidCoast Council, was developed in 1962 and upgraded in 2013.

Water for the Tea Gardens – Hawks Nest Water supply was drawn from 15 bores constructed in a sand aquifer 6km north of Tea Gardens. Great Lakes Shire Council maintained the water treatment plant adjacent to the borefield. The water was pumped from the treatment plant to two large reservoirs adjacent to Viney Creek Road.

Stroud Shire Council meeting minutes

16 September 1969

Application for planning

An application for planning consent was made by Australian Pines and Products for the erection of a sawmill. At the ordinary meeting of the Stroud Shire Council on 16 September 1969, it was resolved that the planning consent be granted.

NOTA Newspaper

1970

Sawmill installed

Australian Pine and Products installed a sawmill and planing mill.

NOTA Newspaper

1972

Plantation expansion

By 1972, the Plantation had expanded to encompass six plantations totalling 17,000 acres of planted Slash Pine (Pinus Elliottii).

Australian grown timbers, particularly pine, had become in high demand since Australia’s natural softwood resources approached exhaustion. Australian Pine and Products increased its panting over the years and by 1972 the forest had grown to become one of the largest privately own forestry plantations in the southern hemisphere.

Internal Council materials

November 1986 - February 2003

The sandmining period

Mineral sandmining at the plantation commenced in November 1986, following a period of decline for the plantation after severe bushfire damage in the late 1970s and early 1980s. The sandmining concluded in February 2003.

1997

Replanting resumes

Replanting for timber resumed in 1997. The sandmining operations obtained special ministerial approval to revegetate the mined areas with the slash pine.

Initial authorisation of the plantation under the Plantation and Reafforestation Act. Renewal of the authorisation on 7 September 2018.

MARCH 2018

Sale of property

Sale of property from Australian Pine and Products to Australian Pine Products Pty Ltd.