The Australian International Timber and Woodworking Festival
Otherwise known as Wood Dust.
https://www.wooddustaustralia.com/
Now this is ambition.
I wrote recently how I thought New Zealand needed a national wood festival to take their already successful forest industry to the next level.
Well it seems Australia is looking to go one better with an international wood festival, which is extraordinary given the parlous state of our forest industry.
I’ve also written recently about wood-based festivals in the 21st century that fail to recognise where the wood comes from and who grows it:
https://blackwoodgrowers.com.au/2018/02/13/all-about-the-wood-nothing-about-the-growers/
And finally I wrote recently about the Maleny Wood Expo in Queensland that is a much better example of what a 21st century wood festival should be like:
https://blackwoodgrowers.com.au/2018/02/19/maleny-wood-expo/
Every single wood-based festival in the 21st century should:
- Demonstrate concern for where the wood comes from (is it sustainable and not just certified); and
- Encourage and support profitable private tree growers.
The Maleny Wood Expo does this by having clearly defined mission and objectives.
The Expo aims to promote the whole ‘timber’ story – from seed collection through planting forests, harvesting and milling to the end product, the furniture.
The Maleny Wood Expo comes from a landcare base, whilst Wood Dust comes from a wood craft base, and the difference in attitude is immediately apparent.
Don’t get me wrong.
I think Australia desperately needs a major wood festival to help rebuild our battered forest industry, but on a proper basis. Encourage profitable private tree growing. No wood from public native forests.
Wood Dust is on October 17 – 21, 2018 in Bungendore and Queanbeyan, NSW, Australia.
Tickets are available online.
So whilst this year’s Wood Dust Festival falls well short of what I regard a modern wood festival should be I hope it is a great success and can grow to include the “whole timber story”.