Speaking from manuscript notes prepared by Karen Green and Robyn Jackson, Ian told us that the Goodwood sawmill and township were situated 12 to 14km. north of Woodside, in South Gippsland. Mr. Peter Collins, of Heyfield, who is a grandson of the first manager of the Goodwood mill also added some interesting information.

It all began when Mr. Hetherington, a forester from Yarram, went to Western Australia in January 1910 and told of the wonderful timber in South Gippsland. As a result, Mr. Coughlan, a sawmiller of Kalgoorlie, visited the area to find out for himself, whether these claims were true.

Returning to Western Australia, he reported that it was indeed true some of the timber was overmatured but the middle-aged timber was suitable for milling.

The Goodwood Timber and Tramway Co, was formed and raised working capital of £25,000. In March 1910, Mr. James Collins started to lay the tramline from Port Albert to Goodwood, which required 30,000 sleepers for the first stage. The cost of the tramline was £9,000. Situated in the Mullundung Forest, it had 120 millhands and 25 sleeper cutters. The cost of erecting the sawmilling equipment £2,700. This comprised a Hoffman travelling bench for breaking down the logs and 5 saws for size cutting. All driving gear, was installed under the floor of the mill and railed off to protect the employees from possible injury. An elevator took sawdust away via a tunnel to a fire pit. An 8 h.p. engine pumped water from the Bruthen Creek through 2 miles of piping.

The company provided for its employees and their families houses, a store, hall, school, cricket pitch, football field, cycle track and tennis courts. Production of sawn timber was l0,000 to 12,000 super.ft. (1ft. x 1ft. x 1inch = I super ft.)of piles, poles, pickets, and palings and 1,000 sleepers were put out each week. The operation and efficiency of the mill was outstanding. It was situated on an incline, thus using gravity to avoid lifting and carrying. Selected trees were felled using axes and wedges, branches were removed and bark stripped off. The butt was rounded off to make hauling easier. The logs were then hauled by bullock- team or horses to the tramline. Sometimes teams of 12 bullocks hauled logs for more than a mile to the tramline or else to the mill or bush landing. Normal loads of 4 1/2 tons were moved at a time, with each trip taking half a day. At the mill, the logs were cut into 12 ft. lengths. An edge was cut by axe to create a flat side to prevent rolling, they then moved on to a carriage for breaking down by saw and flitches were cut. From this stage the timber was passed over slippery logs to the next level, over a breast bench and then cut to order. All waste wood was burnt in the boiler to generate steam to to operate the saw.

Each year 3,000,000 sq. ft, of sawn timber, poles and piles was supplied, plus 50,000 sleepers cut manually in the bush. The end-product was taken to the stacking yard below the mill for transport to Port Albert. Yellow Stringybark was the most highly regarded timber; it has good grain and is used for a variety of purposes. Messmate and Grey Box were also favored. Major customers were the Public Works Department (for bridges, wharves and engineering works), the Defence Department during the War, and the Victorian Railways, for sleepers.

The Goodwood School closed at the end of 1919, and the mill closed in 1920 when the yellow Stringybark became inaccessible. The houses were moved to Scotts Soldier Settlement Estate at Woodside where some remain to this day. Others were dismantled and re-erected elsewhere. The hall (40 ft x 20 ft) was pulled down, and the school furniture was stored at Woodside. The tramline was taken up and farmers put the sleepers to good use as fence posts and building material. Some sleepers were used as a barn wall on a farm south of Yarram, which is still standing today.

The Goodwood Timber and Tramway Co. then moved to Noojee, in another sawmilling operation and many of the men from Mullundung went with them. After 3 years as manager, Mr. Jim Collins opened his own sawmilling business at Carrajung South. Of the 3 remaining engines, 2 were bought by Cameron and Sutherland of Melbourne who sold them to Mr. J.E. Ezard. With the assistance of Messrs. George & George, of South Melbourne, they were converted into one, which was used on a tramway at Warburton, and then later at Erica.

Having visited the site where 250 people had lived and worked, attended school and social functions, played sports, and taken part in competition with neighboring areas, Mr. Levesha said that the Department of Conservation, Forests and Lands, would like some guidance as to the future use and management of the area where Goodwood mill was situated, and where so much was achieved in only 10 years. Mr. Alan Wilson thanked Mr. Leversha for filling in a gap in our knowledge of the timber industry in the Gippsland area. This most enlightening evening was enjoyed by many members and friends of the Society.