Celebrating Women in Wood for International Women's Day
Julia Hall - National Sales Manager @ Timberlink Australia
Julia has been with Timberlink Australia since 2017. Having previously worked in the paint and abrasives industry, she was well familiar with the treatment of wood but felt drawn to working with the material itself. “I love the life cycle of timber,” she says. “There’s no better story than plantation pine.
Timberlink processes logs harvested from responsibly managed plantations, transforming this natural, renewable resource into building products. I feel very proud of the entire process.” As the company’s National Sales Manager, Julia enjoys connecting customers with this sustainable, environmentally-sound choice and is particularly keen to promote wood as more than a generic structural medium. “I believe consumers are increasingly savvy; when they choose wood, they’re making an emotional decision, one that’s the star of a feel-good story.” As for the ‘Woman in Wood’ theme, Julia says women are naturally nurturing and tend to build strong teams and customer relationships, all important elements in the timber industry.
Moana Heurea, Machinist and Leading Hand @ Red Stag Timber
46-year-old Moana Heurea’s excitement for her job is infectious! With twenty years in the industry, her role as a Timber Machinist and Leading Hand for Red Stag Timber still drives her today. When she first witnessed rough-sawn Douglas Fir being put through the planer, she was enthralled at the perfect, luxe result. “Now I get to take that rough-sawn product that might only be worth, say, $10 and turn it into product that’s worth $100!”
The first qualified female Timber Machinist at Waipa Sawmill, Moana takes pride in leading the way for other women. At every opportunity, she encourages female timber workers to stay positive amid the many challenges faced by women in the male-oriented industry. She also advocates keeping skills polished and up to date, and always setting and pursuing new goals. “Kia kaha tonu koutou nga waahine ma – You Got This!!!” she enthuses.
Caz Dunnell, Furniture Maker @ Timber Revival
Fifteen years in the timber industry has given Caz Dunell, Furniture Maker for Timber Revival the opportunity to create and transform.
Having completed a Furniture Design Diploma and a Diploma of Furniture Technology at RMIT, Caz has crafted pieces from a variety of
materials but her true love is timber. “I felt I was following an instinct of needing to get dusty and dirty, to create something really
beautiful out of something quite rough,” she says. Working with reclaimed timber that has a known provenance is, Caz says, the polar
opposite of the mass-produced and soulless imported furniture market. “It means the world that our customers are emotionally invested.”
When Caz was pregnant, she worked on the tools until the eight-month mark and says she felt “bulletproof”! “I would encourage any woman who loves working with timber to just get into the industry. Wood is tactile, beautiful and versatile, just like we are!”
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