Well done to ARC Advance Timber Hub Researchers, Dr Rob McGavin, Dr Chandan Kumar and Dr Adam Faircloth, from Queensland Department of Primary Industries (QLD DPI), who featured on ABC Landline (1st November 2026) – New Timber – Getting the most out of every tree.
The feature explores the groundbreaking research helping answer the question: How can Australia get more high-value products from the same forest resource? The story follows the QLD DPI research team as they develop innovative tools to predict timber quality before harvest and transform plantation-grown timber into high-performance engineered wood products. By combining advanced modelling, testing and manufacturing technologies, the team at the QLD DPI Salisbury Research Facility is helping industry recover more value from every tree while supporting regional jobs and future investment.
Watch the full ABC Landline story to see how QLD DPI researchers are maximising fibre recovery, creating new engineered wood opportunities, and helping ensure every tree delivers its greatest potential.
Connection to ARC Advance Timber Hub Projects
The QLD DPI are major partners and research providers into the ARC Advance Timber Hub. Two projects, in particular, led by the QLD DPI Forest Product Innovation Team, under the Value-Chain Innovation Research Node, are also helping unlock greater value from Australia’s plantation forest resources.
Project Lead: Dr Chandan Kumar, Queensland Department of Primary Industries
This project aims to develop opportunities for small diameter log resources in high-value markets. Thinnings from plantation hardwood estates will be prioritised along with residual peeler cores and other small diameter logs. Establishing the suitability of these resources for products such as roundwood construction elements and poles provides opportunities along the forest products supply chain. This includes providing a more supportive environment for further investment in establishing and managing forest resources for timber production. The project will closely link with professionals specialising in industrial design and building architecture to ensure product suitability within a novel construction framework. The project will build upon previous relevant research, but will extend to new resources, innovative product designs and partner with organisations keen to commercialise.
Project Lead: Dr Rob McGavin, Queensland Department of Primary Industries
This resource driven project aims to evaluate pathways to maximise Australian forest wood fibre recovery and facilitate improved efficiency of Australian forest resources in engineered wood products (EWPs) for construction and other uses. Recognising that existing forest resources are unable to meet the current domestic demand, and access to imports are expected to become more competitive, this project will evaluate processing systems and new product opportunities not currently available from Australian manufacturers. The project will explore ‘how we can do more with less’ i.e. how increasing timber construction projects can be supported with domestically produced products.
The ABC Landline feature provides an excellent overview of how research, industry and government are working together to strengthen Australia’s timber manufacturing sector. It demonstrates the real-world impact of the research being undertaken by the QLD DPI team to ensure every tree delivers maximum economic and environmental value. The ARC Advance Timber Hub are proud to be working closely with the DPI team in the delivery of the Hub’s project portfolio which aims to develop the resources, enablers and the drivers to advance sustainable timber to be the material of choice, leading towards a net zero future for Australia’s built environment.
To learn more on the ABC Landline feature, please also view Wood Central Article:
Homegrown Queensland Pine Could Take the Fight to Chinese LVL