Kevin de Hoedt and his team were shocked when, at an early morning meeting, they were told that their sawmill had work for the next six years. However, by lunchtime, their boss informed them that the timber industry would cease to exist in just six months due to the Victorian government’s decision to phase out harvesting native forests by next year. For those dependent on the industry, this has caused great concern. With the timber supply already depleted in eastern Victoria and an injunction halted state-owned logger VicForests’ operations, the future looks uncertain for workers like Mr de Hoedt who feel re-skilling may be challenging for those unfamiliar with modern technology. About 110 forestry workers in the timber town of Orbost are also impacted and the industry’s ancillary businesses, like tyre services and engineering companies, are also at risk of going out of business. The state government is offering transition grants and training for workers to find jobs in other growing industries like construction and renewable energy. However, many are sceptical about these plans and the town is struggling to transition to new industries under tight timelines.
Victorian timber towns suffer from early logging cutback.
