Waste wanted: salvaged wood on sale

Salvaged wood air drying at MGFW's Wonga Park storage site

One person’s wood waste is often a woodworker’s treasure, and Alastair Boell is a man with a mission in this regard. As founder and director of the Melbourne Guild of Fine Woodworking (MGFW), Alastair is leading the way in salvaging trees and efficiently re-purposing a valuable resource.

Alastair founded the MGFW in 2008 and built on that early initiative with a collaboration with the City of Melbourne to salvage trees removed as part of their 'Urban Forest Strategy'. He saw the potential of a resource that could be recycled into projects of social and environmental value and in conjuntion with local government (Melbourne, Knox, Hume Councils), Melbourne University, Government House and Royal Botanic Gardens Melbourne. Landmark trees dating back hundreds of years have now been given new life as public sculptures, architectural features or bespoke furniture. ‘It’s a way of linking the past with the present and contributing to the future we want where a finite resource can have a lifecycle appreciated for generations to come’, said Alastair.

Alastair Boell, founder and director of the Melbourne Guild of Fine Woodworking

The MGFW’s tree salvaging program aims to promote the ethical sourcing of specialty timbers providing a mechanism for local councils, public instrumentalities and the community to recycle trees. It provides milled, air-dried, salvaged timber for community or civil use, students and staff, artists-in-residence and local/international specialist teachers engaged in MGFW courses. ‘Nothing is wasted from the timber we salvage’, said Alastair Boell. ‘Any timber offcuts are used to heat our premises, and woodchips are donated for chicken runs or composting.’

Over 500 logs have been milled, resulting in around 200 tonnes of furniture-grade timber for high-end use. Landscapers are using salvaged timber in innovative ways. 'The White Oak Project is a key example', said Alastair. 'This tree was 158 years old when it fell, and the natural design of the fallen tree has become a sculptural sitting and meeting place through a creative partnership between the Royal Botanic Gardens Melbourne, MGFW, and many volunteers.'

On the weekend of June 3–4, Alastair Boell is offering up ten years’ worth of air dried and finish machined salvaged timbers for perusal, purchase and pick-up. A range of species at discounted prices will be available at 14 Cottage Street, Blackburn, Victoria. For more information contact@mgfw.com.au or phone 0413 537 490.