{"id":30736,"date":"2025-12-04T15:42:07","date_gmt":"2025-12-04T05:42:07","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/woodcentral.com.au\/?p=30736"},"modified":"2025-12-05T14:17:16","modified_gmt":"2025-12-05T04:17:16","slug":"victoria-and-canberra-back-new-timber-precinct-to-fast%e2%80%91track-housing","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/woodcentral.com.au\/victoria-and-canberra-back-new-timber-precinct-to-fast%e2%80%91track-housing\/","title":{"rendered":"Victoria and Canberra Back New Timber Precinct to Fast\u2011Track Housing"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p>The Victorian government wants to use prefab timber to close its housing gap, with Ros Spence, a cabinet minister in the Allan government, backing prefabrication to deliver \u201cfaster construction, reduced waste and more affordable housing.\u201d It comes as Minister Spence, Victoria\u2019s Minister for Agriculture, committed $1.25 million to THE PRECINCT \u2014 a multi\u2011year, multi\u2011phase feasibility project using modern methods of construction and the Green Triangle\u2019s abundant plantation fibre to short\u2011circuit the housing crisis.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cThe Allan Government has a proud history of investing in forestry and plantation resources and driving innovation with more than $190 million invested since 2017,\u201d Spence told stakeholders in the Green Triangle. \u201cI also thank the Albanese government for their support of this project, and their recent announcement to establish a $300 million Growth Fund for Forestry.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>That support builds on more than $1.7 million already committed by the Albanese Government, meaning that the Federal and State Governments have combined to send $2.95 million to back the development of Australia\u2019s largest plantation hardwood and softwood processing facility in Portland &#8211; in the heart of the Green Triangle, with industry, researchers, Traditional Owners and government uniting to turn homegrown timber into high\u2011value products such as glue laminated timber, laminated veneer lumber and prefab housing modules.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1168\" height=\"778\" src=\"https:\/\/woodcentral.b-cdn.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/ae8b3caad47ed0cb1da736bc53adc398aa9a2f5c-fotor-20251203183314.jpg\" alt=\"ae8b3caad47ed0cb1da736bc53adc398aa9a2f5c fotor 20251203183314\" class=\"wp-image-30740\" srcset=\"https:\/\/woodcentral.com.au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/ae8b3caad47ed0cb1da736bc53adc398aa9a2f5c-fotor-20251203183314.jpg 1168w, https:\/\/woodcentral.com.au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/ae8b3caad47ed0cb1da736bc53adc398aa9a2f5c-fotor-20251203183314-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/woodcentral.com.au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/ae8b3caad47ed0cb1da736bc53adc398aa9a2f5c-fotor-20251203183314-1024x682.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/woodcentral.com.au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/ae8b3caad47ed0cb1da736bc53adc398aa9a2f5c-fotor-20251203183314-768x512.jpg 768w, https:\/\/woodcentral.com.au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/ae8b3caad47ed0cb1da736bc53adc398aa9a2f5c-fotor-20251203183314-631x420.jpg 631w, https:\/\/woodcentral.com.au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/ae8b3caad47ed0cb1da736bc53adc398aa9a2f5c-fotor-20251203183314-696x464.jpg 696w, https:\/\/woodcentral.com.au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/ae8b3caad47ed0cb1da736bc53adc398aa9a2f5c-fotor-20251203183314-1068x711.jpg 1068w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1168px) 100vw, 1168px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Victoria is growing fast. As&nbsp;Australia\u2019s&nbsp;fastest\u2011growing state, the ABS projects its population will reach 10.3 million by 2051. More than 2.24 million new homes will be needed \u2014 including 800,000 in the next decade. To meet this demand, the Victorian Government is turning to programmes like THE PRECINCT, using plantation fibre to build the next generation of housing in factories.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>Julie Collins, the Federal Minister for Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries, said the project would transform the way timber is used in prefab housing. \u201cBy investing in advanced timber processing facilities, we\u2019re not just building infrastructure \u2014 we\u2019re reshaping the industry. It\u2019s a win for jobs, innovation, and sustainability.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Wood Central understands the new facility is expected to create up to 200 regional jobs and reduce Victoria\u2019s reliance on imported engineered wood products. Senator Raff Ciccone described the project as \u201ca great step towards making more of our timber products here in Australia, supporting local jobs and boosting Wannon\u2019s manufacturing future.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>According to Jaclyn Symes, Victoria&#8217;s Minister for Regional Development, the precinct will strengthen the local economy. \u201cThis is another way we are removing barriers and supporting long\u2011term growth in Portland.\u201d While Colin Brooks, the Minister for Industry and Advanced Manufacturing, added, \u201cWe\u2019re proud to back this precinct \u2014 boosting local timber manufacturing to drive new jobs in regional Victoria and strengthen our advanced manufacturing capability.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<div class=\"youtube-embed\" data-video_id=\"af8LHSM9Mec\"><iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"Green Triangle Forest Industries Hub\" width=\"696\" height=\"392\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/af8LHSM9Mec?feature=oembed&#038;enablejsapi=1\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe><\/div>\n<\/div><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\"><em>For more than a century, plantation forestry has been the backbone of the Green Triangle, with fibre from the region\u2019s extensive plantations supporting the first stage of THE PRECINCT project. Jacinta Ermacora, State Member for Western Victoria, THE PRECINCT will unlock Portland&#8217;s potential: \u201cDriving innovation, creating jobs, and building a stronger, more sustainable future for our region is what this project is all about.\u201d Whilst Cr Karen Stephens, Mayor of Glenelg&nbsp;and President of Timber Towns Victoria said the announcement &#8220;builds on decades of investment, knowledge and hard work\u2014while positioning our region for a more advanced, more sustainable and more resilient economic future.\u201d<br><\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>Officially known as the&nbsp;<em><a href=\"https:\/\/www.afwi.au\/afwi-backs-new-wave-of-national-research-projects\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">&#8220;Advanced Manufacturing Innovation Strategy and Feasibility to Catalyse Large\u2011Scale Prefabricated Dwelling Adoption,&#8221;<\/a><\/em>&nbsp;the AFWI-supported project is being delivered by IndustryEdge and already counts more than $7 million in contributions from the Federal and State Governments, industry and research partners.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>&#8220;AFWI is proud to enable THE PRECINCT to turn plantation fibre into high-value engineered timber for prefab housing,&#8221; said Dr Joseph Lawrence, the executive director of AFWI &#8211; Australia&#8217;s National Research Institute for Forest &amp; Wood Products, which will help boost supply and strengthen Australia&#8217;s sovereign manufacturing capacity.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<div class=\"youtube-embed\" data-video_id=\"oPF0KtHVDxE\"><iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"Splinters to Structures\" width=\"696\" height=\"392\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/oPF0KtHVDxE?feature=oembed&#038;enablejsapi=1\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe><\/div>\n<\/div><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\"><em>THE PRECINCT builds on the success of several projects including Splinters to Structures \u2014 a five\u2011year project that transformed fibre once destined for low\u2011grade pulp into high\u2011value timbers as strong as steel. Liz McKinnon, director of EHM Advisory, told Wood Central:&nbsp;\u201cFive years ago, as GT Hub manager, we embarked on a wood flow study to optimise our resource. Fast forward to today, and we have produced a new commercial structural timber product. Research, innovation and collaboration have turned an ambitious idea \u2014 some thought impossible \u2014 into real\u2011world outcomes for industry and our broader region.\u201d<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>The project brings together several industry, research, and government partners \u2014 including the Green Triangle Forest Industries Hub, the FWPA, the Victorian Forest Products Association, several programs of the Department of Agriculture, Fisheries &amp; Forestry, local government agencies and the individual companies \u2014 to run integrated feasibility studies. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2560\" height=\"1920\" src=\"https:\/\/woodcentral.b-cdn.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/IMG_2873-scaled.jpeg\" alt=\"IMG 2873\" class=\"wp-image-30782\" srcset=\"https:\/\/woodcentral.com.au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/IMG_2873-scaled.jpeg 2560w, https:\/\/woodcentral.com.au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/IMG_2873-300x225.jpeg 300w, https:\/\/woodcentral.com.au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/IMG_2873-1024x768.jpeg 1024w, https:\/\/woodcentral.com.au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/IMG_2873-768x576.jpeg 768w, https:\/\/woodcentral.com.au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/IMG_2873-1536x1152.jpeg 1536w, https:\/\/woodcentral.com.au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/IMG_2873-2048x1536.jpeg 2048w, https:\/\/woodcentral.com.au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/IMG_2873-560x420.jpeg 560w, https:\/\/woodcentral.com.au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/IMG_2873-80x60.jpeg 80w, https:\/\/woodcentral.com.au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/IMG_2873-696x522.jpeg 696w, https:\/\/woodcentral.com.au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/IMG_2873-1068x801.jpeg 1068w, https:\/\/woodcentral.com.au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/IMG_2873-1920x1440.jpeg 1920w, https:\/\/woodcentral.com.au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/IMG_2873-265x198.jpeg 265w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2560px) 100vw, 2560px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Introducing \u2018THE PRECINCT\u2019 \u2014 Australia\u2019s boldest plan to turn its own plantation fibre into housing solutions.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>These will explore new engineered wood products, prefabricated dwellings, and bio\u2011based co\u2011products at scale, with the aim of:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Reducing exports of low\u2011value wood fibre<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Growing domestic manufacturing capacity<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Displacing imported engineered wood products<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Producing higher\u2011value dwelling components<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>An initial feasibility study has already begun, with Portland, Victoria, identified as the launch pad thanks to its proximity to&nbsp;Australia\u2019s&nbsp;largest contiguous plantation fibre base, existing manufacturing facilities, and the Port of Portland. Backers&nbsp;say the town offers immediate supply chains for pilot projects and, if successful, a pathway to full\u2011scale factories.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Supporters argue it&#8217;s a&nbsp;<strong>triple win<\/strong>: faster housing supply via prefab, lower embodied carbon from timber, and regional manufacturing jobs and investment&#8230;and the payoff could be enormous \u2014 domestic factories producing Australian\u2011made frames, panels, and modules would capture more value onshore, create skilled regional jobs, and reduce reliance on imports. If successful, Australia could shift from exporting raw fibre to building new homes with its own timber \u2014 at speed, scale, and onshore.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>To learn more about THE PRECINCT, <a href=\"https:\/\/woodcentral.com.au\/new-precinct-model-to-use-australian-timber-to-make-prefab-viable\/\">click here for Wood Central&#8217;s exclusive interview with Tim Woods, Managing Director of IndustryEdge, in late October.<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>The Victorian government wants to use prefab timber to close its housing gap, with Ros Spence, a cabinet minister in the Allan government, backing prefabrication to deliver \u201cfaster construction, reduced waste and more affordable housing.\u201d It comes as Minister Spence, Victoria\u2019s Minister for Agriculture, committed $1.25 million to THE PRECINCT \u2014 a multi\u2011year, multi\u2011phase feasibility [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":30739,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":"","_wpscppro_dont_share_socialmedia":false,"_wpscppro_custom_social_share_image":0,"_facebook_share_type":"default","_twitter_share_type":"default","_linkedin_share_type":"default","_pinterest_share_type":"default","_linkedin_share_type_page":"","_instagram_share_type":"default","_medium_share_type":"default","_threads_share_type":"default","_google_business_share_type":"default","_selected_social_profile":[],"_wpsp_enable_custom_social_template":false,"_wpsp_social_scheduling":{"enabled":false,"datetime":null,"platforms":[],"status":"template_only","dateOption":"today","timeOption":"now","customDays":"","customHours":"","customDate":"","customTime":"","schedulingType":"absolute"},"_wpsp_active_default_template":true},"categories":[50,37,33,46,39,49,68,43,31,56,40],"tags":[],"ppma_author":[70],"class_list":{"0":"post-30736","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-australia","8":"category-building-and-construction","9":"category-editors-picks","10":"category-industry","11":"category-mass-timber","12":"category-residential","13":"category-sector","14":"category-structural-wood-products","15":"category-top-stories","16":"category-victoria","17":"category-wood-products"},"authors":[{"term_id":70,"user_id":2,"is_guest":0,"slug":"jason","display_name":"Jason Ross","avatar_url":{"url":"https:\/\/woodcentral.com.au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/J-Ross-headshot.jpeg","url2x":"https:\/\/woodcentral.com.au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/J-Ross-headshot.jpeg"},"0":null,"1":"","2":"","3":"","4":"","5":"","6":"","7":"","8":""}],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/woodcentral.com.au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/30736","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/woodcentral.com.au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/woodcentral.com.au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/woodcentral.com.au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/woodcentral.com.au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=30736"}],"version-history":[{"count":11,"href":"https:\/\/woodcentral.com.au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/30736\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":30813,"href":"https:\/\/woodcentral.com.au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/30736\/revisions\/30813"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/woodcentral.com.au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/30739"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/woodcentral.com.au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=30736"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/woodcentral.com.au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=30736"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/woodcentral.com.au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=30736"},{"taxonomy":"author","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/woodcentral.com.au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/ppma_author?post=30736"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}