Multimillion timber plant destined for the South East in an Australian first

How the tiny South East town of Tarpeena won the fight against Melbourne for a $59 million timber plant set to create dozens of jobs

The current Timberlink Tarpeena sawmill site. Picture: Timberlink

The tiny town of Tarpeena will house the country’s first production centre for pre-fabricated timber products after beating out suburban Melbourne for a $59 million timber plant.

Timberlink will build Australia’s first softwood, state-of-the-art CLT (Cross Laminated Timber) and GLT (Glue Laminated Timber) manufacturing facility 25km out of Mount Gambier in the state’s South East.

The news the facility would be located at the recently expanded and upgraded Tarpeena sawmill, which currently employs more than 200 people and contributes $150 million to the local economy, was welcomed by Grant Council Mayor Richard Sage.

Australia’s first softwood, state-of-the-art manufacturing facility will be built at Tarpeena to produce Cross Laminated Timber and Glue Laminated Timber. Picture: Timberlink

“We welcome Timberlink’s announcement to expand operations in Tarpeena which brings new employment and demonstrates continued confidence in our local economy and timber industry,” Mr Sage said.

Timberlink’s chief executive Ian Tyson announced construction would begin next year and create 27 full time jobs when it opened in 2023, increasing to 50 once it reached its capacity.

“CLT and GLT is the building material of the 21st century, the product is being embraced by leading architects, builders and designers and replacing concrete and steel in our cities with timber that stores carbon and is the ultimate renewable,” Mr Tyson said.

“Most of the product will be supplied into large buildings in capital cities so we could have built the plant closer to those cities.

“With the facility being constructed at Tarpeena there are benefits with be located on the same site as our saw mill and we’re delighted to be able secure this commitment from the South Australian Government and the District Council of Grant.”

Timberlink chief executive Ian Tyson

Member for Mackillop Nick McBride’s advocacy secured a $2 million grant from South Australian State Government Regional Growth Fund towards construction.

“The government’s regional growth fund was established to unlock economic activity in our region and this is exactly what this will do,” Mr McBride said.

“These are high tech, secure, modern manufacturing jobs, exactly the kind our regional communities are built on.”

Chair of the Federal Parliaments Friends of Forestry and Forest Products and Federal Member for Baker Tony Pasin congratulated Timberlink on the decision.

“Now more than ever we know the importance of local processing to secure our domestic supply chains,” Mr Pasin said.

“I look forward to the realisation of this project at Tarpeena which is a win for South Australia against tough interstate competition from the Victorians.”