(Ceratopetalum apetalum)

A medium sized hardwood, straight-growing with smooth, fragrant, greyish bark. The stem has distinctive horizontal marks, or scars, which often encircle the trunk. Larger trees have short buttresses.

Occurs in the central and northern coastal rainforests of New South Wales and southern Queensland. The species prefers gullies and creeks and often occurs in almost pure stands.

(Fraxinus excelsior)

White to light brown, temporarily turning pink when freshly cut. Trees occasionally contain irregular dark brown or black heart, not necessarily associated with decay. Straight grain. Contrast between porous early wood and dense late wood produces decorative figure in plain-swan or rotary cut veneer.

Uses: Sports goods, tool handles, furniture parts, road vehicles and agricultural implements, boat-building, fancy turnery.

(Fagus sylvatica)

The European Beech is one of a large family of about a thousand species, mostly trees, which grow all over the non-tropical parts of the world. Only a few are native to northern temperate regions.

'Fagus' is derived from a Latin word for 'eating', because the seeds of the tree are edible. 'Sylvatica' is also Latin and means 'of the woods'.

The word 'beech' is an Anglo-Saxon derivation and is in many North-west European languages synonymous with the word 'book': 'bok' in Swedish, 'buche' in German, 'beuk' in Dutch, 'boece' in old English. This is due to the fact that in this part of the world beech wood was used to inscribe runes and literature on, and so tablets and thin slices of Beech were probably the earliest European books within our present memory.

(Araucaria cunninghamii), also called Dorrigo Pine, Colonial Pine, or Arakaria is a rainforest timber, native to northern NSW, Queensland and the mountain regions of PNG. It is the only native tropical timber grown in substantial quantities in plantations within Australia. (Plantations have been established since the early 1920's, when attempts to source Hoop from naturally regenerated forests failed.)

Hoop Pine is available on the NSW market as plywood, mouldings, sawn timber and slabs. Queensland has extensive Hoop Pine plantations which are now mature. These are managed by the Qld Forest Service but harvested by private contractors.Suitable for: plywood, particleboard, furniture, joinery, flooring, panelling.

(Khaya ivorensis)

The species is reported to be found in all the timber producing areas of West Africa, from Ivory Coast to Gabon and Cabinda, and is primarily found in the Ivory Coast, Ghana, and Nigeria. Unlike other Khaya species which do not require much rainfall, it is reported to grow in the rain forest in low-lying areas within its range.

The tree is reported to reach heights of 110 to 140 feet (33 to 43 m), with trunk diameters of up to 6 feet (1.8 m). The tree usually develops straight, well-formed boles that measure about 40 to 80 feet (12 to 24 m) above strong buttresses that are reported to be up to 8 feet (2.5 m) high.

Dimensional Stability

Western Red Cedar has twice the stability of most commonly available softwoods. The stability is a result of its low density and shrinkage factors. It lies flat, stays straight, and holds fastenings tightly.

Workability

Western Red Cedar produces long, lightweight lengths of timber with a fine, straight grain and uniform texture that make it easy to cut, saw and nail with common tools. These features also contribute to its ability to be planed to a smooth surface or machined to any pattern. The lack of pitch and resin allows Western Red Cedar to hold glue bonds from a wide range of adhesives and provide a firm base for many types of paints and stains.

Natural Preservative

Western Red Cedar is one of the world's most durable woods. Natural resistance to moisture, decay and insect damage has long made Western Red Cedar the premier choice for either interior or exterior home use. Cedar fibers in the heartwood contain natural preservatives that are toxic to decay-causing fungi. The two principal extractives that are responsible for the decay resistance are Thujaplicans and water-soluble phenolics. The tree's ability to produce these extractives increases with age, making the outer regions of heartwood the most durable.

Flame Spread and Smoke Development Ratings

Western Red Cedar has flame spread and smoke development classifications that are superior to the minimums set by most building codes, which permit the use of cedar heartwood without preservative treatments.

All-Weather

Western Red Cedar is one of the few wood species that are naturally at home in the outdoors. Properly finished, Western Red Cedar will last for decades, even in harsh environments. Its natural resistance to moisture, decay and insect damage make it the ideal choice for a surface that is exposed to sun, rain, heat and cold all year round.

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• Timber signs

(Flindersia brayleyana)

A medium sized tree attaining a height of 40 m and 2.5 m in stem diameter. The trunk is usually well formed, circular in cross-section and not buttressed. The bark, which is approximately 12 mm thick, is grey to brown in colour. It has fairly distinct longitudinal fissures. In older trees these fissures are not so marked owing to a tendency to scaliness.

Restricted in its distribution to northern Queensland rainforests between Townsville and the Windsor Tableland.

Timber of this species is now of very limited commercial availability as the main areas in which it occurs have received World Heritage listing.

River red gum (Eucalyptus camaldulensis) is the most widely distributed of all eucalypt species, occurring in all mainland states from 12.5 - 38 0 S. It is typically found along permanent and ephemeral watercourses. It grows under a large range of environmental conditions - from sub-humid to semi-arid - and the mean annual rainfall range is mostly within 250 - 600 mm. It is a large-boled medium-to-tall sized tree.

As expected with a species with such a broad geographic distribution, provenance differences are marked, and the sub-tropical and tropical provenances are not suitable for farm forestry use in dryland southern Australia. While the timber is useful for heavy construction, flooring, framing and fencing, the species often suffers from form problems, making utilisable logs hard to produce. Studies conducted by CALM and others indicate that Lake Albacutya and Laura from South Australia may be the best provenance selections for overall form and growth.

(Cardwellia sublimis)

A large tree commonly attaining 40 m in height and 2 m in stem diameter. The trunk, usually without buttresses, is normally straight. The bark is slightly flaky to non-descript. The outer blaze is commonly biscuit-brown in colour.

This species has a limited distribution in north Queensland between Mt Spec, near Townsville, and Bloomfield.

Timber of this species is now of very limited commercial availability as the main areas in which it occurs have received World Heritage listing.

Acacia melanoxylon

is an extraordinarily beautiful timber that is highly regarded by fine cabinet makers. It has quite distinctive colours, ranging from reds and browns, orange and salmon pink, through to a deep chocolate colour.

Blackwood is of the humble Wattle family of timber, and is found mainly in Tasmania and the wetter parts of Victoria. Because of its increasing popularity and greater demand the supply of Blackwood is limited.

Originally used for furniture in Tasmania in the 19th century, it was largely ignored for furniture purposes until about the 1980s. In recent years it has been used in many attractive kitchens, and, more recently, in fine furniture.