Spring Bay Mill: A place to grow your business sustainably

The Triabunna Wood Chip Mill was once the largest of its kind anywhere in the world – yet today it has been transformed into an environmentally conscious business events destination and a thriving hub of sustainability. How they did it >>

Spring Bay Mill Graeme Wood and partner Anna Cerneaz. Picture: Nina Hamilton Photography

THE Triabunna Wood Chip Mill was once the largest of its kind anywhere in the world – yet today it has been transformed into an environmentally conscious business events destination and a thriving hub of sustainability.

Now known as Spring Bay Mill, the 43 hectare waterfront site on Tasmania’s stunning East Coast was bought in 2011 by philanthropists Graeme Wood and Jan Cameron, who aspired to create a tourism asset for the region. It’s now fully operational following a decade of regeneration works, community en­gage­ment, horticultural plan­ning and architectural upcycling.

Spring Bay Mill boasts multiple indoor and outdoor event spaces, a commercial kitchen and accommodation for 118 people, and courts corporates and other organisations looking to hold events while making minimal impact on the environment.

General manager Terese Casu said it was founded “as a place for purpose through an act of environmental activism, with its eye on a richer future for Tasmania’s population and landscape”.

Spring Bay Mill Graeme Wood and partner Anna Cerneaz. Picture: Nina Hamilton Photography

“Transforming the 100 acre peninsula into a destination in line with responsible tourism goals has attracted lots of attention and support for the project,” she said.

The old mill was processing up to 600,000 tonnes of wood chips per annum at the peak of its operations, equating to about 100,000 clear-felled trees a year. By the early 2000s, logged volumes had been steadily declining for a number of years and as environmental campaigns for forest conservation ramped up, logging for wood chips was no longer financially viable.

Ms Casu said Spring Bay Mill’s approach to sustainability was embedded in its business structure and that its initiatives and processes had “lasting impacts that contribute to the progress of both tourism excellence and ethical business practice”.

Spring Bay Mill. Picture: Nina Hamilton Photography

Its catering is styled on a “garden-to-plate” model, with the chef working with the business’s horticulture team and developing his menus based on whatever foods are seasonally available in the mill’s organic kitchen garden so as to minimise waste. Food scraps are composted on-site and fed to worm farms.

Over the past four years, more than 20,000 plants have been planted to rehabilitate the site following years of intense industrialisation.

Electric vehicles are used on-site and there’s a charging station to promote the overall use of EVs by customers.

Straws are not offered with drinks and takeaway food packaging is all compostable or biodegradable.

“We believe we have a responsibility to lead by example when it comes to sustainability,” Ms Casu said.

“By investing in a business case for responsible events, Spring Bay Mill encourages overall industry growth in this area.”

“In an increasingly urbanised world, Spring Bay Mill ­offers an alternative to hotel conference rooms and offices by combining state-of-the-art business facilities with a range of uniquely designed venues, experiences and accommodation set in a landscape of ongoing nature restoration.”