“One of the notable aspects of this respected five-day course is the interesting group of participants it attracts from across Australia,” says course convenor Helen Murray, who was reflecting on comments made by Vince Hurley, managing director of Australian Sustainable Hardwoods, who covers the Hardwood Sawmilling topic, after the prior course in November 2023.
“It was great to see the enthusiastic and inquisitive group … the industry’s future is in good hands,” Hurley said at the time. “The depth of expertise of the guest presenters delivers a rare opportunity for participants, Murray said. “The Trust appreciates their immense support in generously giving of their time and expertise so that others may learn”.
Among the topic presenters are many research and industry leaders. “After a welcome dinner and course briefing in Albury, we’ll hit the road doing three manufacturing plant tours in the first two days, Murray said. “Bespoke house frame and roof truss manufacturer Alpine Truss is the first stop at Wangaratta.”
Later, we look forward to tours of XLam’s state-of-the-art cross-laminated timber plant near Wodonga, and the Alpine MDF plant at Wangaratta, which manufactures MDF, mouldings, door components and vertical joint wall panels. We deliberately focus on the value-added manufacturing site tours in concert with top experts who describe the initial sawmilling processes while the group is in Wangaratta, northern Victoria.”
Among the wealth of topic experts presenting are Dr Fabiano Ximenes, Australia’s foremost expert on carbon life cycle analysis for forests and wood products, Professor Tripti Singh, head of the National Centre for Timber Durability and Design Life, Ian Blanden the new head of research and development with Forest and Wood Products Australia, and a Life Fellow of the Australian Institute of Architects, Hal Guida of Guida Moseley Brown Architects.
Former Gottstein Fellow Professor Keith Crews, director of the Australian Research Council Industrial Transformation Research Hub to Advance Timber in Australia’s Built Environment and the organising committee chair of this year’s World Conference on Timber Engineering is a key speaker. He will discuss High Technology Wood Meets Net Zero, “a globally significant theme that’s yet to take hold among Australian policy makers” Murray said.
Mid-week a full day is spent at the Australian National University Fenner School of Environment and Society. Senior lecturer Dr Matthew Brookhouse will cover wood biology, focused on the fundamental cellular components and structure of wood, then conduct a session in the laboratory where participants will examine wood samples under microscope. Professor of Forestry at ANU, Peter Kanowski will direct a global lense over the opportunities and challenges as forests and forest products become part of a circular bio-economy.
The big topic of Wood Composites is covered by Fiona Zhang, an experienced structural engineer with Xlam. Gottstein Fellow Adam Faircloth will present on Appearance Grade Timbers and discuss his recent global trip, which focused on two key aspects of timber building performance: acoustic and vibration behaviour, as well as their amelioration. Industry veteran Kim Harris, the General Manager Technical for AKD and a Director of Engineered Products Association of Australasia, will cover Softwood Sawmilling and the many vital elements to achieve Building Product Conformity.
“This course is a big collaborative effort and we are most appreciative to every speaker and site involved in hosting the five site tours this year, including two very interesting ones in Canberra,” Murray concluded. To register, click on the Gottstein website here. Anyone on the fence about attending needs to get their skates on and book, as numbers are limited.
