Huon Pine: Birds Of A Feather

Despite the slow growth rate the Huon Pine trees can live more that 3000 years and are the second oldest species in the world. Due to its durability and workability it is one of the best boat building timbers known.

On a recent visit to Tasmania I once again visited The Wooden Boat Centre which is on the banks of the Huon River, Franklin, Tasmania. The Centre, as part of Tasmania’s living maritime heritage builds, restores and teaches the skills to keep alive the tradition, history and knowledge necessary for the building of beautiful timber boats crafted by hand.

The timber is so precious that the Centre has apprentices turn excess off cut pieces of timber into novelty items such as bread boards. A bin contains those pieces deemed not useful and it is from this bin that I retrieved two small pieces. These pieces, which were off cuts from the bow or possibly the stern, immediately inspired in me the desire to turn them into exotic birds.

I hope my sculpture does justice to this wonderful history and material.