Help reduce our reliance on native forests by using only guaranteed - Saved Timbers.

We specialize in ethically collected, kiln dried, solid timbers for fit-out and construction uses.

Find us at 'The Old Millgrove Sawmill.'

3045 WARBURTON HWY

MILLGROVE.
Upper Yarra Valley
PH: 03 5966 5966

Come & visit our groovy new shop

Bowerbird Salvaged Timbers is based in the Upper Yarra Valley, Victoria, Australia.
Owned and operated by Tim Kennedy, whose past career as an Arborist brought about the idea of producing ethically collected timbers.
Call Jason or Tim on 03 5966 5966

If it's amazing solid timber bench tops your looking for, then you found the right place, give us a call or send an email.
If it's Post & Beam or construction materials you need then check out the Construction page.

 

 

ANCIENT KAURI TIMBERS.
(Agathis australis)

COMING SOON


Ancient Kauri is the oldest Swamp Kauri found in New Zealand and is the oldest workable wood in the world.
Carbon dated from 30,000 to 50,000 years old.

New Zealand native Kauri trees (Agathis australis) that fell thousands of years ago are known simply as Ancient Kauri. The trees have been buried and preserved underground in swamps for more than 45,000 years.

Call us for availability and have a look at the slabs page for more info....

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A note from Tim

howdy...
I try only to put useful information on this site, you will find pricing for most of our standard products and services , but for special needs and house lot quotes you will need to contact us directly.

So......
Check out out the slabs page, marvel at our species range, visit our new shop and get a good dose of option paralysis.
See our new range of joined tops in mixed timbers, Sassafrass and Liquidamber, Jarrah and Mountain Ash ... plus heaps more.


Or you can have a bit of a read below in the "Tim's ramblings" area.

TIMS RAMBLINGS........

Most timber available on the Australian market has its origins in forest based material.

As an arborist I have always had an interest in the huge variety of timber species available from the urban environment. While this idea of collecting trees from peoples back yards is not a new one, the development of this source over the last ten years has resulted in a new recognition that fine timbers can be extracted from suburban trees.
While many of the timbers we collect are familiar to us, as trees growing in gardens, the use of the timber from them is not. I spend a deal of time researching the traditional uses of many of these timber species, mainly for my own creative knowledge, but also to help the development of our range of timbers and thier end use.

In Australia we tend to lean towards "hardwood" , many people are not aware that a great deal of the trees we grow in our gardens (eg; Liquidamber, Poplar, Birch, Maple) have origins as commercial forestry species in other countries. Liquidamber as an example is used as veneer and ply, it has excellent gluing characteristics and is very durable.
English Elm, which has been extensively planted in Melbourne is traditionally used as a high quality cabinet timber, which at Bowerbird is often available as wide slab section material with brilliant grain characters and dark chocolate, colour variations.

I often find myself questioning peoples hard held beliefs that only 'hardwood' will do.
When you ask for hardwood, what is it you are actually asking for?
Is it durability? Density? Hardness?
There is a belief that only Australian timbers are hardwoods, when you shop with us I hope to not only inspire you to the possible choices, but open your eyes to the potential of timbers from around the world that we grow in our gardens in Australia.

Our timber species range is diverse due to its source. Each piece has a unique history which we endeavour to collect with each tree we find, this story is yours to keep along with your beautiful new kitchen benches, tables or any timber purchase.

 

I believe that what we are doing here is at the forefront of an industry change that has no choice but to develop. Ours is a pioneer business, attempting to turn a waste stream into an industry, unrecognized by governments, unsubsidized due to lack of government foresight and yet completely unencumbered with the emotive issues that clearfell forestry has.

As the figures below show, if the estimated volume of log available in suburbia was processed simply as firewood then the value of that 912,000 tons of log would be over $45 million dollars at $50 per ton.

NB: (Based on 2500 tree companies removing one ton of timber each per day.)

Not bad for potential landfill waste..............

" I believe we rely too heavily on forestry based resources, I also believe that the 'urban forest' has the potential to yield some amazing timbers in potentially massive volumes."
"I think that as a society we can reduce our reliance on forest timbers, by using what resources we have at our disposal already. No point wasting finite forest resources unnecessarily."

So now you can purchase genuine

the only timber in Australia with a guaranteed ethic.

This is our new product brand, it was created to help you recognize timber that is not only unique, but also gives you the ability to ensure you are helping reduce our reliance on native forest reserves.

All the timber we produce is unique; each piece has its own history, that, where possible, we trace back to its original owner or site of origin.

The timbers collected by Bowerbird are collected, selected, sawn and kiln dried with the care and detail of people who love their work

"Consider the environment, and your place in it"

Photo by Susan Purdy: http://www.susanpurdy.net

Sadly, policies ironically called logging "sustainability" measures, have impacted severely on the extent and quality of our native forests. This is due to market pressures, and finite resources. If left unchecked it is obvious that very soon there will be nothing left but what is currently seen as forest 'waste'.

Some interesting statistics

• In Victoria there are currently 2500 tree removal companies listed in phone books.
• If every day, one of these companies cuts down one suburban tree that weighs one ton, then that means there is a resource of 2500 tons of log  material available every day.
• Annual potential log per annum = 912,500 tons (from Victoria alone)  
• I estimate that in 2001 Bowerbird diverted 2800 tons per annum from landfill which is about 50 tons per week.
• Our current output is far greater than that.
• This material is converted into high quality furniture timber and building products.
• The volume of unrealized material available from this source, could rival some of our heavily subsidized mainstream timber industries.

We started our salvage business because we wanted to show that you don't have to destroy forests to get good timber. Parks and gardens, farms and backyards are providing a continual source of material.

Not only that, we're making available some truly beautiful timbers from a resource that is not going to dry up. We think this approach to collecting and milling is worth pursuing and that it provides the only guarantee, of true sustainability.

SO... When your considering your next building or furniture project, consider the possibilities of utilizing salvaged timbers from a known source, with a guaranteed ethic.

Californian Redwood @ Cloud Hill Nursery, Olinda.
This tree died from a soil born organism. It took three days
to drag up a hill and onto a truck. This is Ken Smith trying to
figure out how to do it. This tree can now be
purchased as kiln dried slabs.

from Bowerbird.

Redwood axe men, with an appreciation of the work it takes to remove just one tree.

Help reduce our reliance on native forests by using only guaranteed - Saved Timbers.