Sydney Cove 1808 by John Lewin 1770-1819
The historical uses of Australia's timber resources
Tuckey's observations on the various kinds of timber found in New South Wales* in 1804
With annotations indicating the probable species referred to
Coast Banksia
"New South Wales produces a great variety of timber trees, to some of
which the colonists have given names descriptive of their qualities, and
others they call by the names of those trees which they most resemble
either in leaf, in fruit, or in the texture of the wood. Among the former are the blue, red, and black butted gums, stringy and iron barks, turpentine and light wood; and among the latter are the she-oak, mahogany, cedar, box, honeysuckle, tea-tree, pear-tree, apple-tree, and fig-tree. These trees shed their bark annually at the fall of the year, and are always in foliage, the new leaves forcing off the old ones.
The blue (Eucalyptus saligna) and red gums (Eucalyptus tereticornis) are nearly of the same texture; they are very tough and strong, and in ship-building are adapted to framing; the best size is from two feet to two and a half, for when larger, the timber is generally unsound in the heart. The blue gum, while standing, is subject to be pierced by very minute worms, which make innumerable holes scarce visible to the naked eye.
Black butted gum (Eucalyptus pilularis) and stringy bark differ very little either in quality or appearance; they are much tougher and stronger than English oak, and are particularly adapted to planking. They will also answer for lower masts or lower yards, for beams, or any other purpose where straight timber is required. If intended for spars, they ought to be procured as near the size wanted as possible, for the toughness lies in the outside, and the wood at the heart is generally decayed. Iron bark is not so tough as the two former, but is extremely strong and hard, and runs good from two to four feet; in ship-building it would answer for framing, beams, &c. In New South Wales it is chiefly used in house building and common furniture.
Turpentine (Syncarpia glomulifera) is a small wood of no service but in flooring houses.
Light-wood (probably Acacia implexa, very common around Sydney) grows to twenty inches, and from its buoyancy (whence its name), is proper for building small craft and boats.
The oak (Drooping Sheoak - Allocasuarina verticillata) is distinguished according as it grows either on the hills or swamps; the former runs to between twelve and eighteen inches, and when larger is always shaken in the heart, the grain is short and cross, and the wood is apt to fly and warp; it is used chiefly in cabinet work, particularly veneering. The swamp oak (Casuarina glauca) is the same size, and differs from the other in having a more uniform grain, and being consequently much tougher; in ship-building it would answer for scantling. Of both these woods the paling and shingles are made in New South Wales.
Mahogany (Eucalyptus resinifera, common in the Sydney Basin) runs good to three feet, and by its texture can scarcely be known from the mahogany of Jamaica. In ship-building it answers well for framing.
Cedar (Red Cedar, Toona ciliata) nearly resembles the mahogany of Honduras in its grain, and might be applied to the same purposes. When growing, it resembles the mountain ash, (English Rowan tree, sorbus aucaparia) both in its leaves and berry.
Box (Probably Bursaria spinosa) (so called from its leaves) is a sound and very tough wood; its size about two feet and a half, and would answer for any purpose of shipbuilding.
Honeysuckle (Coast Banksia) (named from its leaf) is a soft wood, fitter for joiners' work than ship-building. At Port Jackson its size does not exceed two feet, but at Port Philip it is found good to four feet; its limbs are crooked, and perhaps it might be advantageously used in the upper works of ships, for knees, &c.
The tea-tree has its name from the leaf also, it is small and very curly; and far as I know, it has never been used in building, but from its appearance, while standing, I should think it might answer in small craft and boats.
The pear-tree (Xylomelum pyriforme - Woody Pear) is so called from its bearing a fruit resembling a pear in shape, but of the hardness of wood; it grows straight, its largest size sixteen inches, and is only fit for joiners' work.
The apple-tree (Angophora species) takes its name from the leaf, the limbs are large and crooked, and running from two feet to two and a half, might probably answer for framing and kneeing ships, but has never been tried.
The fig-tree (Port Jackson Fig) is the banyan tree of the East Indies, well known for its branches striking downwards and taking root; the wood of it is entirely useless.
It may be remarked, that all the large timber trees of New South Wales, except those growing in swamps, are unsound in the hearts; this probably proceeds from insufficiency of moisture, as well as from the continual firing of the grass in the forests, which must dry up the sap of the young trees. It also deserves to be noticed, that several of the gums, iron, and stringy bark, mahogany and box () trees, which were felled at the first establishment of the colony, are now perfectly sound and hard, though exposed to the weather for fifteen years.
From the foot of the Blue Mountains[1] specimens of three or four kinds of timber, unknown at Port Jackson, have been brought, which, it is the opinion of shipwrights, would be very valuable in ship-building: one kind in particular (possibly Coachwood - Ceratopetalum apetalum) cannot be known from the beech
[1. This is an elevated ridge running in a direction between the E. N. E. and E. and not more than five leagues from the banks of the Hawkesbury at Richmond Hill. All beyond this ridge is literally a terra incognita, for though several attempts have been made to pass them, not one has yet succeeded; but it is probable these failures have proceeded more from want of proper method, or of common perseverance, than from any obstacles presented by the mountains themselves, for the highest part of the ridge does not appear to equal the common mountains of Wales and Ireland. Upon this subject (as well as upon others of the colonial system) we may apply the remarks of a learned writer, "Projects thought desperate in days of ignorance have, in more enlightened times, been brought to a successful issue;" and "individuals have often failed in their attempts for want of public encouragement, and public enterprizes from want of concurrence among individuals."
Weight of a cubic foot of the timber of New South Wales.
Wood cut down, Jan. 1804. Wt. at the present time Aug. 1804.
Gum, red 79 lbs
blue 68 lbs
black butted 71 lbs
Bark, stringy 67 lbs
iron 74 lbs
Mahogany 66 lbs
She-oak 65 lbs
Box 77 lbs
Tea-tree 69 lbs
which the colonists have given names descriptive of their qualities, and
others they call by the names of those trees which they most resemble
either in leaf, in fruit, or in the texture of the wood. Among the former are the blue, red, and black butted gums, stringy and iron barks, turpentine and light wood; and among the latter are the she-oak, mahogany, cedar, box, honeysuckle, tea-tree, pear-tree, apple-tree, and fig-tree. These trees shed their bark annually at the fall of the year, and are always in foliage, the new leaves forcing off the old ones.
The blue (Eucalyptus saligna) and red gums (Eucalyptus tereticornis) are nearly of the same texture; they are very tough and strong, and in ship-building are adapted to framing; the best size is from two feet to two and a half, for when larger, the timber is generally unsound in the heart. The blue gum, while standing, is subject to be pierced by very minute worms, which make innumerable holes scarce visible to the naked eye.
Black butted gum (Eucalyptus pilularis) and stringy bark differ very little either in quality or appearance; they are much tougher and stronger than English oak, and are particularly adapted to planking. They will also answer for lower masts or lower yards, for beams, or any other purpose where straight timber is required. If intended for spars, they ought to be procured as near the size wanted as possible, for the toughness lies in the outside, and the wood at the heart is generally decayed. Iron bark is not so tough as the two former, but is extremely strong and hard, and runs good from two to four feet; in ship-building it would answer for framing, beams, &c. In New South Wales it is chiefly used in house building and common furniture.
Turpentine (Syncarpia glomulifera) is a small wood of no service but in flooring houses.
Light-wood (probably Acacia implexa, very common around Sydney) grows to twenty inches, and from its buoyancy (whence its name), is proper for building small craft and boats.
The oak (Drooping Sheoak - Allocasuarina verticillata) is distinguished according as it grows either on the hills or swamps; the former runs to between twelve and eighteen inches, and when larger is always shaken in the heart, the grain is short and cross, and the wood is apt to fly and warp; it is used chiefly in cabinet work, particularly veneering. The swamp oak (Casuarina glauca) is the same size, and differs from the other in having a more uniform grain, and being consequently much tougher; in ship-building it would answer for scantling. Of both these woods the paling and shingles are made in New South Wales.
Mahogany (Eucalyptus resinifera, common in the Sydney Basin) runs good to three feet, and by its texture can scarcely be known from the mahogany of Jamaica. In ship-building it answers well for framing.
Cedar (Red Cedar, Toona ciliata) nearly resembles the mahogany of Honduras in its grain, and might be applied to the same purposes. When growing, it resembles the mountain ash, (English Rowan tree, sorbus aucaparia) both in its leaves and berry.
Box (Probably Bursaria spinosa) (so called from its leaves) is a sound and very tough wood; its size about two feet and a half, and would answer for any purpose of shipbuilding.
Honeysuckle (Coast Banksia) (named from its leaf) is a soft wood, fitter for joiners' work than ship-building. At Port Jackson its size does not exceed two feet, but at Port Philip it is found good to four feet; its limbs are crooked, and perhaps it might be advantageously used in the upper works of ships, for knees, &c.
The tea-tree has its name from the leaf also, it is small and very curly; and far as I know, it has never been used in building, but from its appearance, while standing, I should think it might answer in small craft and boats.
The pear-tree (Xylomelum pyriforme - Woody Pear) is so called from its bearing a fruit resembling a pear in shape, but of the hardness of wood; it grows straight, its largest size sixteen inches, and is only fit for joiners' work.
The apple-tree (Angophora species) takes its name from the leaf, the limbs are large and crooked, and running from two feet to two and a half, might probably answer for framing and kneeing ships, but has never been tried.
The fig-tree (Port Jackson Fig) is the banyan tree of the East Indies, well known for its branches striking downwards and taking root; the wood of it is entirely useless.
It may be remarked, that all the large timber trees of New South Wales, except those growing in swamps, are unsound in the hearts; this probably proceeds from insufficiency of moisture, as well as from the continual firing of the grass in the forests, which must dry up the sap of the young trees. It also deserves to be noticed, that several of the gums, iron, and stringy bark, mahogany and box () trees, which were felled at the first establishment of the colony, are now perfectly sound and hard, though exposed to the weather for fifteen years.
From the foot of the Blue Mountains[1] specimens of three or four kinds of timber, unknown at Port Jackson, have been brought, which, it is the opinion of shipwrights, would be very valuable in ship-building: one kind in particular (possibly Coachwood - Ceratopetalum apetalum) cannot be known from the beech
[1. This is an elevated ridge running in a direction between the E. N. E. and E. and not more than five leagues from the banks of the Hawkesbury at Richmond Hill. All beyond this ridge is literally a terra incognita, for though several attempts have been made to pass them, not one has yet succeeded; but it is probable these failures have proceeded more from want of proper method, or of common perseverance, than from any obstacles presented by the mountains themselves, for the highest part of the ridge does not appear to equal the common mountains of Wales and Ireland. Upon this subject (as well as upon others of the colonial system) we may apply the remarks of a learned writer, "Projects thought desperate in days of ignorance have, in more enlightened times, been brought to a successful issue;" and "individuals have often failed in their attempts for want of public encouragement, and public enterprizes from want of concurrence among individuals."
Weight of a cubic foot of the timber of New South Wales.
Wood cut down, Jan. 1804. Wt. at the present time Aug. 1804.
Gum, red 79 lbs
blue 68 lbs
black butted 71 lbs
Bark, stringy 67 lbs
iron 74 lbs
Mahogany 66 lbs
She-oak 65 lbs
Box 77 lbs
Tea-tree 69 lbs
Thanks to Colin Gibson for his command of both Sydney-area plant species and colonial history
* New South Wales used at this time means eastern Australia
The Cabinet Timbers of Australia: by R.T. Baker published in 1913
Click on the green book cover below to open the book in fullscreen
Click on the green book cover below to open the book in fullscreen
cabinet timbers of Australia.pdf | |
File Size: | 10314 kb |
File Type: |
The Australian Timber Handbook
The 1970 revision of the Norman K Wallis 1956 guide to all things timber in Australia
australian timber handbook.pdf | |
File Size: | 3993 kb |
File Type: |
The Australian Hardwood & Cypress Manual
A contemporary guide to timber species, properties and uses
How we use our timber resources
To launch the program after downloading and unzipping, double click on the file named 'startup.exe'.
It then functions like a CD ROM
Note : the zip file is 26.5 MB in size
How we use our timber resources
To launch the program after downloading and unzipping, double click on the file named 'startup.exe'.
It then functions like a CD ROM
Note : the zip file is 26.5 MB in size
australian hardwood & cypress manual.zip | |
File Size: | 27951 kb |
File Type: | zip |