Two major timber harvesting operations are about to get underway in the Central West of New South Wales. Source: ABC News
Pine plantations that have been established over a 35 year cycle are being logged in the Newnes State Forest, near Lithgow.
“The plantations are now mature so we will start harvesting so there will be heavy vehicles and machinery operating in the forest,” said harvest supervisor with the New South Wales Forestry Corporation Jack Cotterill.
Harvest and haulage operations will be carried out until December, between 4am and 4pm, off the major tourist route Glow Worm Tunnel Road.
Some areas will be closed to the public and safety measures are in place to protect the public and motorists.
“The main risk to the public are traffic on Glow Worm Tunnel Road, we have a detour on one of the sites,” said Mr Cotterill.
“We’ll be using authorised traffic controllers to stop go traffic as required and we cut trees back two tree lengths off the road before we let any cars on the road.”
While some forest access will be restricted many trails will remain open for bushwalking, horse riding and bike riding.
The major logging operation is set to boost the local timber industry, which employs approximately 1000 people.
Residents should expect traffic disruptions during the winter months for the safety of the community.
All of the timber is being processed locally.
“So all of the timber that’s cut at the Newnes Plateau is processed in Oberon, there’s a few mills there,” he said. “There’s also a mill in Bathurst that takes a fair quantity of that timber, sometimes we send some wood to a mill in Burraga too.
“So these are very local jobs to help support the timber industry as well as the operators, truck drivers, mechanics, fitters and engineers.”
