Tasmanian Boat building timber availability

[dopeydriver]

"Not happy JAN !".
Airlines , what a deceitful lot they have become , real rip offs.
QF , well with their industrial troubles , I wouldn't go near them with a barge poll.
So , we are left to travel Virgin .
Cheap fares , BS !.Even just to pay for the fare , we can only do it by credit card . There is quite a substantial fee charged by Virgin , for the privilage of us using the credit card . And its not just once , but on each sector , by each person !!!!!!.
What thieves !.
We are taking a breather , before dealing with the hire care , we expect much the same behavior.
And accomodation.
What happened to honesty , in business ?.
Thats my winge , for now.
Regards Rob J.

[Lumberjack Rick]

I havent been to Tas in some 20 odd years. Being born there I still have a large amount of family down there. Lets just say that I dont see eye to eye with em but I still love getting down there. Just to cruise around, do a bit of fishin down the Ben Lomand, stir a few people up. The timber industry for so long has been the backbone of Tas. They shouldnt kill it off. Tourism is good, but too unreliable on its own.

[HOOKED.UP]

Lumberjack Rick.

20 years. ?? You would hardley know Tas now. Especially the North of the state.

This thread is largely about the renewable resource of timber. Not just minor species for boat building and fine furniture, but all timbers which grow naturally in our local environment.

Tourism, simply cannot offer the long term stable returns of any renewable resource, which can be planned generations ahead. Not just the next generation of "possible" people with readily disposable income. Who may or may not choose to visit this state.

Cheers..Paul.

[dopeydriver]

I read an article a couple of days ago , on the DECLINE of the tourist industry , particularly in QLD and TAS.
Not something for the state to be relying on as the prime source of income.
I'm organising to see two Traditional Tassie cray boats , one a 27 footer in Huon Pine with a Perkins 108 , and the other a 28ft , apparently very beamy , in Celery Top (or was it King Billy ?), with a 3 cylinder Lister.
Hopefully I'll take one home , and go right over it.
Finally.
Regards Rob J.

[wjfiles]

I have just read this whole thread and I agree with the contents.
Two points seem to have been missed.
SENSE IS NOT COMMON IN POLITICS
and Who put Bob Brown in parliament.
WJF

[dopeydriver]

Hmm , how is the tourism in Tassie this weekend ?.
It had to happen , the unions are just crazy , nothing has changed from my time there , the unions are totally unrealistic , and DO NOT listen to the wishes of the majority of members.
But thats another story , for a yarn over a drink or 2.
Rob J.

[dopeydriver]

I'm wondering how things are going down there in Tassie , in the wooden boat building industry.
Had enough of BB Huffing and Puffing about what the state government should and shouldn't do.
We are coming down on Thursday , and I was looking forward to meeting a few people , but a bit of sailing on 3 days out of 4 , and I'm a cripple , my arms have gone on strike !.
Dunno how I'll be by then , I'll probably still be relying on people to drive me around.
But I'll try , believe me !.
Regards Rob J.

[dopeydriver]

Well , I've been there , and done that.
Got to visit AD , unfortunately not for long enough , and we didn't really talk about the timber availability situation .
Did get to see what he and his men are doing , and yes , they are doing a fantastic job , in a worrying time.
I hope he gets some of the "pork' going around , his is a real business , and needs all the help it can get.
Didn't get to speak to Paul , when I rang , I got a young bloke at a reception desk !!.
Did see lots of real boats , built out of real wood , a lot of them out of celery top , built by a bloke called Bernard Wilson .
Great boat , great bloke !.
I did read more on the subject in a HBA Sunday paper , but I've given up , I've no idea what is happening , and I don't think the Tas government does either.
Regards Rob J.

[HOOKED.UP]

Hi Rob.
Sorry I missed your phone call.

Reception Desk. ?????? I guess you hit a wrong number, my house does not have a reception desk. ..

Glad to hear you enjoyed your trip to Tassie.

Paul.

[dopeydriver]

Paul , I must have copied down your number incorrectly.
Yes , I enjoyed Tassie , of course , but I would love to have spent more time on the boats etc.
But gawd , is it pricey !.
I don't believe it is anything like peak season yet , but they wanted a fortune , to sleep in the doghouse !.And the crap they were selling in souvenir shops was the same chinese crap in $2 stores here , but 5 times the price !.
Next time , it will be to get me a boat , I swear !.
Regards Rob J.

[HOOKED.UP]

Sorry I missed your phone call Rob.
I was home all day Friday. Due to a small injury I incured on the Thursday.

I have to agree with you whole heartedly on your opinion of Tassies tourist status.

I love this state to bits.
But the tourism industry and sevices provided, don't encourage people to visit.
As for souvenir's. Bloody Joke mate.
Anything made here is way over the top, because the retailers want more than the producers.
I know this from my own experience in wood carving.

But it it a great place and most of the people are terrific.
I am spoiled living in a small town, so I know most of the people I run into daily.

Paul

[dopeydriver]

Yes , that is it Paul , the people , especially those in the small towns and villages .
I met a few , all boat people I know (so we had a common interest) , but interesting people , great company.
Interestingly the majority of places we stayed at , and shops we looked in weren't run by Tasmanians.
One good example of the lack of accomodation was Oatlands.
We came down from LST on Thursday afternoon , arriving in Oatlands at around 1800.
I had fond memories of Oatlands from the heritage days I was there , with the Bullock Drivers League.
But , on this evening everything was closed , no accomodation or meals to be had !!!.
So , back on to the highway , and every town was the same , no accomodation , no meals , till we finished up at Claremont , and got a dog box out the back ," with the boys ", and it still cost twice as much as similar accomodation in QLD or NSW.
But , next day we got down on to the Huon , and all was forgiven.
Besides the time with AD I had a good yarn with the bloke from the Wooden Boat School , and went on to Dover , where the boys from the oyster farm were very helpful , and took me out to the boat I had come down to look at.
Yes , I'd love to come down again , meet the real Tasmania , and hopefully get me a new boat.
The people I met with the bullockies were great , typical country Aussies , with the Tassie flavour , and the crayboat men , the oyster men I met were just the same , really good people.
I don't want to be a tourist , I want to try and be "one of the boys" .Nothing fancy , just meet genuine people .
Regards Rob J.

[HOOKED.UP]

Rob,
The so called "sea change" has seen a huge shift in Tas.
There are all sorts of B&B's sprouting up and lots of "cafés". Plus all sorts of other "services".
The problem is, if these people don't feel like being open, then they just close up.

One instance, which sticks in my mind. Some time ago there were several big cruise liners in Hobart.
I think those ships carry about 5000 people each.
On the Saturday, my wife and I were in Hobart, while the ships were here.
Most of the small businesses in Hobart closed at their normal time.
There were heaps of people wandering the streets, with no where to go.
It is even hard to get a cup of tea and toasted sandwich in Hobart, on a Saturday afternoon and that is with local knowledge. !!!!!!!

I cannot speak lowly enough of our tourism service/ethic.

Total disgrace to our lovely state.

Paul.

I

[dopeydriver]

I noticed a lot of "development" along the coast , ugly great estates being dumped in , they really stand out , as NOT belonging to that environment.
But anyway , thats something for the greenies to sort out , since they want to make you in to a state pandering to tourism .
I can't see it.
Sure , there will always be tourism , but just take note of the number of camper vans and mobile homes on the road . One trip to the supermarket in Hobart or Launceston , and these people are independent of cafes and B and B's .
I'll always enjoy coming to Tassie , but not as a tourist . Coming to buy a boat , stock it up , and sail around the state sounds like my cup of tea.
Regards Rob J.
Hmm , the Julie Elizabeth should be on the market next year !.

[dopeydriver]

Another thing that put a sour taste in our mouth was the idea of having some young seedlings of huon pine , celery top and king billy sent home.
The price we had more or less agreed on was around $60 , but when it came to the "nitty gritty" , the price became $200 + !!!.
I refused to be ripped off like that .
However , on our trip south we picked up a packet of huon and king billy seeds for $5 each.
Hopefully we can pick up some celery top seeds too , somehow.
Regards Rob J.