Timberfest climbs to greater heights with classic event

Tree-climb event back by popular demand at Glenreagh festival

LOOKING SHARP: Woodchoppers compete at the Glenreagh Timber Festival last year. Picture: Adam Hourigan

IF YOU know about the new wood chop event at Glenreagh Timber Festival and were thinking of throwing the axe in the car and trying to impress your friends, think again.

"It's serious competition from the locals. It's not just - rock up with your wood splitting axe and have a go," said festival president Chris Hanson.

The popular family day includes the welcome addition of the "tree climb" to wood chop proceedings this year.

"We have been trying to bring it back for a few years, but all the planets aligned this year," Mr Hanson said.

"People really want to see it and it will be a great addition."

Along with being the most popular and exciting events in the sport, the tree climb (or tree-felling) was also one of the hardest. Axemen cut notches into the side of a tree and placed boards in them in order to ascend the tree and cut halfway through the top.

They then repeated the process on the other side and the winner would be the first person to cut through the tree completely.

2018 Glenreagh Timber Festival

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Mr Hanson said there were also events for the wood-chopping veterans of the area, but most of the competitors took the sport seriously and had the proper tools to compete.

"They are not the average axe you buy out at Bunnings, these are what you call racing axes and axemen turn up with five or six axes. And they are treated like their children," he said.

Woodchop events continue throughout the day alongside reptile displays, food stalls, markets and much more.

The Glenreagh Timber Festival is at Glenreagh Recreational Grounds from 8am to 4pm tomorrow and entry is $5 for adults and $2 for children.

Originally published as Timberfest climbs to greater heights with classic event