BROCKMAN SAWPITS
In 1972 forestry workers stumbled across these windows to our pioneering history. A local pastoralist employed convict labour to harvest the lands timber to construct farmhouses, sheds & outbuildings. Once the men cut the tree with axe & saw, horse or bullock teams would drag the massive trunks to the sawpit to process the timber into pieces suitable for construction. The convicts would dig a trench 7 metres long, 1 metre wide & 1.2 metres deep then drag the trunk into position. The man on the top would lift the saw then the man in the pit would pull down to create the cutting stroke. The man in the pit would often be knee deep in mud & would sometimes wear a sugar bag placed over the head to prevent sawdust entering one’s eyes. Having camped overnight just metres away, I can say that the men would have enjoyed the tranquillity of the forest, but crickey, what a hard day’s work !
GLOUCESTER TREE
The tree was dowelled with rods to facilitate a climb to the top so that sentries may observe the outbreak of fire within the forest. The tree bears the name ‘Gloucester’ after Lord Gloucester, the then Governor General opened the tree earlier last century. Lord Gloucester was amazed by the workmanship & the skill of the men whom had undertaken the construction. Kaz & I decided to have a crack & scaled this 60 metre high monster.
NEVER TOO OLD
At first it is a little scary, but it’s good to blow out the cobwebs every now & then. This is about 2/3rds the way up. From here there is a superstructure built around the trunk that houses a rigid platform that before the use of helicopters & spotter planes was used to observe the outbreak of fires within the park.
In 1972 forestry workers stumbled across these windows to our pioneering history. A local pastoralist employed convict labour to harvest the lands timber to construct farmhouses, sheds & outbuildings. Once the men cut the tree with axe & saw, horse or bullock teams would drag the massive trunks to the sawpit to process the timber into pieces suitable for construction. The convicts would dig a trench 7 metres long, 1 metre wide & 1.2 metres deep then drag the trunk into position. The man on the top would lift the saw then the man in the pit would pull down to create the cutting stroke. The man in the pit would often be knee deep in mud & would sometimes wear a sugar bag placed over the head to prevent sawdust entering one’s eyes. Having camped overnight just metres away, I can say that the men would have enjoyed the tranquillity of the forest, but crickey, what a hard day’s work !
GLOUCESTER TREE
The tree was dowelled with rods to facilitate a climb to the top so that sentries may observe the outbreak of fire within the forest. The tree bears the name ‘Gloucester’ after Lord Gloucester, the then Governor General opened the tree earlier last century. Lord Gloucester was amazed by the workmanship & the skill of the men whom had undertaken the construction. Kaz & I decided to have a crack & scaled this 60 metre high monster.
NEVER TOO OLD
At first it is a little scary, but it’s good to blow out the cobwebs every now & then. This is about 2/3rds the way up. From here there is a superstructure built around the trunk that houses a rigid platform that before the use of helicopters & spotter planes was used to observe the outbreak of fires within the park.
