Red gum preserves wharf authenticity
From the Winter 2008 edition of Bush Telegraph Magazine.
The port of Echuca on the Murray River. The wharf has been listed as a Heritage Place on the Australian National Heritage List, with work underway to rebuild using red gum timbers. Photo copyright David Hancock/stockoz.com.au
Red gum timber is essential for the ongoing maintenance of the Port of Echuca on the mighty Murray River and its older paddlesteamers, according to managing director of Arbuthnot mill, Paul Madden.
“Red gum is vital to the port’s authenticity as it is a heritage structure dating back to the 1870s,” Paul said.
Arbuthnot’s mill, at Koondrook just over the Victorian border, is helping to rebuild the great wharf with red gum sourced from Victoria and State forests in NSW managed by Forests NSW along the mid-Murray.
The mill was established in 1889 by one of the early red gum entrepreneurs Alexander (Sandy) Arbuthnot and has been in the Arbuthnot family ever since.
“Authenticity means a lot to this fabulous old port as tourists from across the globe travel to what is known as the paddlesteamer capital of the world,” Paul said.
“Under the guidelines of the National Heritage Trust the timber at the port must be replaced by a timber of the same species.
“River red gum is ideal as it is sustainably managed, highly durable, and from an environmental point of view stores carbon for hundreds of years.”
He said Arbuthnot’s was replacing section one of five sections of the original wharf with red gum and would gradually complete the other sections as funding became available.
“Replacing the whole wharf is a massive project. It is a huge structure designed to ensure that all paddlesteamers have access to the wharf in a low or high river – not that we have seen a high river for quite some time,” Paul said.
Sarah Chester - Public Affairs & Media, Albury
