Dr VARMAN's

LOGGING ON NORFOLK

Return to Gallery

A Norfolk Pine Log being assessed for making shingles at the workshop at Kingston for restoration work. From left to right: Franklin 'Shanks' Randall with crowbar; Jack 'Bish' Anderson; Laurie 'Buck' Quintal; miller Dalyell 'Dale' Christian (behind log); miller Howard Christian partially obscured by Leo McCoy in the foreground.

Ma Reuben's (Christian) from Howard Christian's Mill.Old Machinery at Howard 's Mill

Loading Logs

These enormous logs logs were felled by Howard and Dale Christian with the help of Franklin Randall (cousins). One of Howard's several trucks date to World War II days. Not a piece of the wood is wasted, off-cuts are used for the many fuel stoves on the Island. The felling skills are such that a pine can be made to fall with minimal impact on surrounding trees.

 

NOTE> Permission must be obtained for every tree milled. The pine must be judged 'near dead' before they are felled. Insects evolved on Norfolk Island to reduce dead timber in little time. Some are so voracious, one can hear them munching away inside dead trees, so the miller must be quick or else the timber will be ruined.

1