The mystery of Lismore's cedar log resolved

CLAIMS Lismore's cedar log comes from Tenterfield are an old myth. Turns out the log came from forest near Kyogle. It's also shorter than it used to be.

BOTH Lismore City Council and The Northern Star received a flood of feedback following The Weekend Star's story saying Lismore's iconic memorialised cedar log was an unidentified timber from Tenterfield.

Quick to heed reader photographic and verbal evidence that firmly proved the log to be red cedar and from near Kyogle, Cr Isaac Smith yesterday put a rescission motion to the council so that more could be found about the history of the log and preserve it in place.

Before the feedback, and on the strength of mistaken history, plans were to relocate and preserve the log as part of the State-funded $60,000 art project, part of the City Hall upgrade.

Among those keen to set the record straight was Kyogle and District Historical Society president Doug Campbell, who said it was not the first time the log's history had been confused.

"The last conflict was at the time Ros Irwin was mayor. The significance and facts were provided to Irwin," Mr Campbell said.

An old Northern Star clipping showing Lismore's cedar log at Apex Park, Kyogle.

"The red cedar log came from Brindle Creek, a section of Bundjalung country in Wiangaree State Forest, now known as the Border Ranges National Park.

"The forester John Hansen authorised the felling of the red cedar tree. The feller of the red cedar tree was bushman Kevin Saunders, who now lives in Casino. Mr Saunders used a blue Solo Rex chainsaw to fell the tree.

"Munro and Lever's Allis Chalmers HD11 crawler tractor was used by Greg Boyle who snigged the log out of the bush. The red cedar log was then loaded onto Munro and Lever's International Loadstar 1800 timber truck. The driver of the truck was Larry Little.

"The Forestry Commission made a presentation of the red cedar log to the mayor of Lismore, Gordon Blair in 1968."