South Australia’s new Forestry Centre of Excellence is now open for business, with the Mount Gambier facility unveiling the world’s first example of Aussie Blue Gum glulam. That is according to the Commonwealth‑funded Green Triangle Forest Industries Hub, which confirmed that the GL24 glulam—made from glued and finger‑jointed laminates—now anchors the centre’s lobby alongside other locally produced engineered timbers, including Timberlink’s NeXTimber cross-laminated timber and glulam as well as other products from OneFortyOne’s plantations.
Previously covered by Wood Central, the new glulam—developed by WTIBeam in partnership with Australian Bluegum Plantations and OneFortyOne—marks a major shift in how plantation hardwoods are used. Instead of being chipped or pulped, blue gum can now be turned into high‑value structural products capable of replacing native hardwoods restricted under forest‑harvesting bans.
“It’s really pleasing to see our research deliver a real‑world application, proving that plantation‑grown blue gum can deliver high‑performance structural products at scale,” according to Tony Wright, CEO of the Green Triangle Forest Industries Hub, who added that GL24 could help Australian plantations displace imported timbers and supplement steel and concrete.
“The next step is translating this research into commercial manufacturing via the recently announced Precinct feasibility study in Portland, which will explore the creation of other new products using traditionally exported fibre, including softwood.”
Tony Wright, CEO of the Green Triangle Forest Industries Hub
According to Edwina Vulcz, owner of WTIBeam, the glulam product signals a new way of valuing blue gum. “We’re excited to see our new product come to life in the home of plantation forestry in Mt Gambier. “Blue gum makes incredible glulam when manufactured the right way, and the high‑strength grades like GL24 can support builders to achieve longer spans, reducing material use and construction costs.”
Forestry centre opens to fanfare
Opened late last week, the $16.5 million centre is a partnership between the Peter Malinauskas‑led state government, the University of Adelaide—which has committed $6.55 million over 10 years—and the forest industry. The building brings together the National Centre for Forestry Innovation, led by Professor Jeff Morrell, the Green Triangle Forest Industries Hub and Tree Breeding Australia.
“This centre is about backing one of our state’s great regional success stories with world‑class research, innovation and skills, ensuring the forestry sector remains strong, sustainable and competitive well into the future,” Minister for Forest Industries Clare Scriven said.
“Our plantation forest region is one of the powerhouses of the Australian forest sector, and this centre will help drive economic growth, attract investment and support local jobs. By bringing together government, researchers, educators and industry in one location, we are creating the right conditions for collaboration, innovation and long‑term prosperity for the region.”
According to Professor Nicola Phillips, Vice‑Chancellor for the University of Adelaide, the new centre demonstrates how research can deliver direct benefits to regional communities and industry. “By co‑locating world‑class researchers with industry partners in the heart of the Green Triangle, ideas will be translated more efficiently from the lab to the plantation and processing floor,” she said. “The centre will also strengthen pathways between research, education and industry, ensuring that students and early career researchers gain hands‑on experience in the sector.”
Whilst Professor Morrell said the centre’s mission is to deliver practical, industry‑led research. “The centre works closely with growers, processors and product manufacturers to address real challenges such as productivity, sustainability, climate resilience and the development of high‑value timber products,” he said. “By translating science into solutions, the centre will ensure the industry continues to innovate, adapt, provide secure jobs and remain globally competitive in a rapidly changing market.”
And with the state election only weeks away, South Australian Forest Products Association CEO Nathan Paine said the opening sends a clear signal about the sector’s future. “It sends a strong message well beyond Mount Gambier, the centre reinforces South Australia’s commitment to future‑focused industries built on sustainability, innovation and community,” he told the SA Voice yesterday.
“Too often, we see good ideas announced but never delivered. Today shows what’s possible when government listens, commits and follows through,” he said. “As the birthplace of Australia’s commercial plantation forestry sector, the centre recognises the 150‑year legacy of regional workers, businesses and researchers, and it will strengthen the global competitiveness of forest industries research while creating lasting economic and employment opportunities across the Limestone Coast and throughout the state.”
- To learn more about how researchers are using plantation fibre to build frames, panels and modules in factories, click here for Wood Central’s special feature on The Precinct, an IndustryEdge project funded by Australian Forest and Wood Innovations (AFWI), the $100 million‑plus Commonwealth‑supported research institute co‑matched by industry and partners.
