Almost 80 members of Queensland’s Parliamentary Friends of the Forest and Timber Industry alongside industry stakeholders celebrated the festive season by unveiling a live Christmas tree last night.
The event occurred at the Queensland Parliamentary Annexe.
Grown in Stanthorpe, the radiata pine (pinus radiata) is the most common Christmas tree.
It was adorned with tree-shaped decorations of locally grown and processed hoop pine plywood.
This is to signify the state’s $3.8 billion timber industry growth and the 25 000 jobs it supports.
Timber Queensland’s Strategic Relations and Communications Manager Clarissa Brandt said the custom of decorating a tree indoors to brighten spirits is a long-standing world-wide tradition.
“In the 16th century, the decoration of trees at Christmas time started in Germany with gingerbread, nuts and apples,” Mrs Brandt said.
“A century later, decorations like gold leaf, paper decorations and candles paved the way for the tinsel and electric lights we use today.”
“We are pleased to donate a live pine Christmas tree for Parliamentarians and visitors alike as they enter the building.”
Mrs Brandt said forests and timber were some of the most visible and abundant to the state’s early development.
By 1901, the number of sawmills exceeded the number of meat, butter, sugar, leather and flour factories.
“With 52.5 million hectares of native forests and around 200 000 hectares of plantations, Queensland has the largest forested area in the country and timber is the state’s third largest agricultural processing industry by value,” Mrs Brandt said.
She also said the forest and timber industry is a renewable industry worth celebrating.
“Every five minutes in Queensland we grow enough plantation softwood to build another timber framed home,” Mrs Brandt said.
“Our industry is the gift that keeps on giving to Queensland.”
