Jim Orchard wrote:  "I was in Bairnsdale last week and was able to attend the official opening/launch of the Lucas mill.  I took some photos - attached below - that show the mill, the fence posts it produces and also the community tool store that local Rotarians have set up in Sarsfield with similar setups in other towns. Not directly connected to the mill but another great project.

 

Peter Sindrey of Lakes Entrance Rotary is in one of the tool store photos. Local TV were in attendance and the link below shows the story they produced - some good vision of the mill in operation.

 

For those not familiar with the details of the project some of the facts i learnt last week were:

• The mill costs about $18k (I think the project got a generous discount).  This was most funded by Rotary.  The project is looking to add a second mill and has already bought a dual cab ute with trailer to help move the mill from site to site.  The joint Rotary / Lions nature of the project was emphasised.  It was also noteworthy that the idea for the project came from local farmers Ingrid and Mark and the community groups then took the idea and made it a reality.

• Training of four paid operators has been done by local TAFE and these have been split into two groups of two - one for each mill.  There is funding for the next 6 months (??) and after that perhaps next funding or more optimistically the work becomes self funded via the production of fence posts.  The use of trained operators is important as there are obvious safety risks if the mill is not used properly.

• The mill is portable and is set up around the log to be processed.  The set up involves two horizontal rails on which the mill moves and a number of uprights that hold the rails in place.  Before cutting can commence everything needs to be leveled and lined up.  Not an easy task for an inexperienced operator.

• Cutting is done by pulling (or pushing) the cutting head so that the saw makes the required cut.  This is different to a saw mill in which the blade is fixed and the log moves - here the log is fixed and the saw moves.  The blade can be rotated through 90 degrees enabling the log to be cut both vertically and horizontally - a post can thus be produced with the log remaining fixed and the blade being moved.

• Fence posts (as per photo provided) retail for $50 plus so the cost to rebuild fences and cattle yards is not trivial.  The project allows fallen/burnt trees that are currently a painful reminder of the fire to be turned into a product that has economic value to the farm itself.  The mental health benefit was emphasised in the speeches - a parallel benefit to the financial impact.

•  Longer term there is interest in developing local niche timber harvesting industries in East Gippsland - a bit outside the scope of bushfire relief but the presence of an advisor to the State Environment Minister was thought to be a good thing.  Countering this there was only one local councilor in attendance and a general feeling that the tremendous work done by local community volunteers - Rotary and others - had not been well enough recognised.  One hopes those who put in a lot of work across a wide range of projects and activities are eventually recognised.

• There was a very clear recognition and gratitude among local Rotary groups of the support from Melbourne Rotary clubs.  If any of the Camberwell market groups were to visit they would be warmly welcomed.