Post the bushfires, log deliveries to the Eden export terminal restarted in February 2020 with the operation receiving about 12,000-tonnes of pine per week from the fire affected forests in Bombala, an average of 80 haulage trucks through the gate each day.
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At times this has led to the export log yard reaching full capacity and being unable to accept additional deliveries from growers.
The development of a four-hectare site into a suitable pine log storage area will allow for an additional 60,000 tonnes of burnt-logs to be handled and stored at the Eden facility.
Allied Natural Wood Exports (ANWE) director, Malcolm McComb said that the Pine Log Yard Development was possible due to the funding secured under the NSW Government's $140 million Bushfire Industry Recovery Package.
"We are grateful for the tremendous support that we have received from the NSW Government following the 2019/20 bushfires."
"The Bushfire Industry Recovery Package highlights the NSW Government's commitment to support the forest and forest products industry thereby retaining and creating regional jobs, and generating economic activity," he said.
The Deputy Premier and Minister for Regional NSW John Barilaro said regional NSW had experienced a tough year.
"Regional NSW has had a tough year with drought, COVID-19 and the devastating bushfires which presented unprecedented challenges to our timber industry."
"I know how important our timber industry is to NSW which is why we are committed to safeguarding jobs and supporting regional communities."
"The timber industry is the backbone of many regional towns in NSW and the $140 million Bushfire Industry Recovery Package is working to keep valuable jobs in the bush which means more money in the local economy."
Mr McComb said creating the new log storage area will provide ANWE and its partner, Pentarch Forestry with the opportunity to secure additional sales and allows for salvage operations to be optimised and tree replanting to occur, providing long-term stability to the Eden operation and to a large network of contractors across Eden, Bombala, Batemans Bay and East Gippsland.
"We are aware of the importance of our operations to the economy in the southern NSW and East Gippsland regions and harvesting of this bushfire affected resource is key to the recovery of these fire-scarred regions."
"The additional value to the regional economy from ANWE's ability to store and export the additional pine log volume is estimated to be $7.9 million," Mr McComb said.
