Due to the significant support of the Barung community through fundraising, we are proud to announce that stage one of the Barung Nature Centre is underway!
What will stage one cover you ask?
Stage one will see the Maleny Community Nursery at Porters Lane moved from its current location down to the Maleny Community Precinct next to the Barung Seed Forest.
Currently the team is prepping the site, sourcing materials and organising labour for the new build. Building construction has not come without its challenges through this time (anyone who is trying to do some home renovations or any significant builds right now will know the deal). Sourcing materials and labour has slowed our progress, but still we persist!
New life for fallen gum
Victim to some wild weather and high winds was a magnificent 40 m Grey Gum (Eucalyptus propinqua) that came down at Mount Mellum last year. Thankfully, where it fell was in an open grassy area on Barung Landcare President Ian McMaster’s property. And rather than being cut up for firewood, the destiny of this majestic tree is to become a significant part of the new Barung Nature Centre’s Stage one development.
“The vision of the Barung Nature centre is to not only be a hub for community connection and education” explains Barung Landcare General Manager Doug Evans.
“It is also to be a leading example of sustainable building design which uses locally sourced materials, and local labour to deliver what we envision to be a wonderful asset to the Sunshine Coast community.
“By using locally sourced and milled timber from our Barung President’s property, well, you don’t get more local and sustainable than that!”
Ian and Chrissie McMaster have been looking after their conservation property at Mt Mellum for over 12 years, so thinking about the life beyond the life of the tree was on the radar for them both.
“Being a beautiful hardwood specimen, when the tree came down we couldn’t help but think it would be perfect for the project at the Precinct” explains Ian.
“It just seemed like a no-brainer from a sustainability perspective, and knowing how difficult finding locally-sourced building materials are right now due to Covid-19, we are really mindful of where we source things given the vision and values we hold for this new centre”.
The timber panels which are currently drying will be used on the walls of the new workshed, and some carefully carved benchtops will be used for the sales desktop.
“It was a real pleasure to witness this transformation taking place from a fallen tree into materials for the new Barung Nature Centre” shared Ross Doherty who is overseeing the project at the Precinct.
“The link created between conservation and sustainability with this simple act really shouldn’t be understated. For me delivering the project, the joy and connection that this creates makes it all the more worthwhile.
“I can’t wait to see this timber cladding the workshop and every time I look at the walls and the sales desktop I will know exactly where that amazing piece of timber grew!”
Your contributions matter
We thank each and every one of our members of the public who have contributed to the funds to make this project happen from the ‘buy a brick’ campaign, your donations at our events, and with your membership renewals, as well as those of you who have so generously popped into the Coral Street Office to make a more substantial contribution.
We also thank the trickling of landholders who are coming forward to donate fallen trees which have come down in recent storms and wild weather.
Every contribution to the build matters.
How to help
If you would like to donate or you have a tree which may be suitable for harvesting, Barung Landcare would be keen to hear from you.
Please contact Doug Evans doug@barunglandcare.org.au for more information or to learn more about the project.
Visit the Nature Centre page here for an overview of the project.